Cox, Lamb lead App State past Toledo in Camellia Bowl, 31-28

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Marcus Cox rushed for 143 yards and a touchdown and Michael Rubino kicked the go-ahead 39-yard field goal to lift Appalachian State to a 31-28 victory over Toledo on Saturday night in the Camellia Bowl.

The Mountaineers (10-3) won the game in Alabama's capital city on a late field goal for the second straight year, this one coming with 5:14 left. They got a couple of fourth-quarter reprieves after failing on a fake field goal.

Cox became the ninth FBS player with four 1,000-yard seasons and the 22nd to top 5,000 in his career. Game MVP Taylor Lamb passed for 119 yards and a touchdown and ran for 126 yards and a score.

Kareem Hunt covered 42 yards on four straight rushes to propel Toledo (9-4) down the field after the field goal. Damion Jones-Moore was stopped on third down.

Toledo (9-4) initially lined up to go for it on fourth-and-2 before calling time out. Jameson Vest pushed his 30-yard field goal attempt wide right with 1:48 remaining.

Each of the first three Camellia Bowls have gone down to the final minutes, decided by a combined 10 points.

The teams traded a pair of touchdowns each an 8-minute span of the third quarter, forging a deadlock heading into the fourth.

The Mountaineers converted two fourth-down plays to jump ahead the first time, including Lamb's 13-yard run. They also got a 94-yard kick return down the right sideline by Darrynton Evans, who skipped away from the grasp of one final diving defender.

Toledo answered with Thompson's 4-yard touchdown catch and a 1-yard plunge by Hunt. Woodside set up the second score with a 58-yard bomb to Thompson.

On the Mountaineers' fake, holder Bentlee Critcher's pass to Collin Reed fell incomplete.

THE TAKEAWAY

Toledo: Logan Woodside completed 18 of 26 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns. He came in leading the nation with 42 TD passes. Hunt broke Chester Taylor's school career rushing mark.

Appalachian St.: Gained 297 rushing yards. Held Toledo, which came in averaging 529 yards, to 374 total yards

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Appalachian State reached 10 wins, at least making a case to finish in the rankings.

UP NEXT

Toledo loses five starters on each side of the ball, including Hunt. But the potent passing duo of Woodside and Thompson will both be seniors next season. Opens 2017 season at home against Elon Phoenix on Aug. 31.

Appalachian State must replace Cox, but gets back Lamb and has a number of underclassmen returning who are either starters or backups. Opens at Georgia on Sept. 2.

---

More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25