The Appalachian State Mountaineers entered Thursday night’s game against Georgia Southern with their first FBS national ranking in school history.

They’re headed back to Boone, N.C. without it.

Georgia Southern knocked out App State starting quarterback Zac Thomas on the Mountaineers’ first series of the night and a few big plays by the Eagles’ offense were held up by four turnovers forced by the GS defense as the Eagles notched a 34-14 rivalry game win at Paulson Stadium.

“That was an unbelievable game and an unbelievable night,” GS coach Chad Lunsford said. “Everything we went through last year and through the offseason, it all built up to this moment. I saw our guys lock in from the time they got off the plane from New Mexico and they came here ready to play.”

The Eagles (7-1, 4-0 Sun Belt Conference) were led by quarterback Shai Werts, who ran for 129 yards in topping the century mark for the seventh time in his career while also making his one completion of the night count for a 57 yard touchdown strike.

During a losing streak against the Mountaineers (5-2, 3-1) that stretched back three years, the Eagles’ option attack was repeatedly shut down. Nothing came easy early on, but Werts ripped off a 47-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter and Wesley Fields (18 carries, 98 yards) walked in from 18 yards out to put the nail in App’s coffin in the fourth quarter.

“We told the guys what to expect,” Lunsford said of the stingy Appalachian defense. “It can be like running into a brick wall again and again. But we kept pushing until they gave way and made plays late in the game.”

Georgia Southern got the scoring started early in the second quarter. The running game was struggling, but Werts saw too many Mountaineer defenders creeping into the box. A play fake allowed Darion Anderson to run right through the App secondary and it turned into an easy 57-yard pitch and catch.

When the Mountaineers took the field to try and respond, they had to do so with their second-string quarterback.

Zac Thomas has been a breakout star for the Mountaineers this season, but he attempted to dive forward for extra yards on a scramble on App’s first possession and suffered a head injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game.

Peyton Derrick stepped in and led the Mountaineers on a quick scoring drive - capped by a 1-yard touchdown dive by Marcus Williams — but he was otherwise ineffective against a Georgia Southern defense that put forth its best showing of the season.

Darrell Baker Jr. had already intercepted Derrick to set up the Eagles’ first touchdown. Following App’s tying score, the Mountaineers forced an Eagle punt, but All-Sun Belt cornerback Clifton Duck muffed a punt at the ASU 10 and Fields rushed in on the next play for a 14-7 Eagle lead.

Tyler Bass added the first of his two field goals of the night — the first from 42 yards and the second from 43 — to give Georgia Southern a 17-7 lead at halftime.

That’s when the rivalry game mentality really took over and the Eagles made their biggest statement of the season.

The Eagle defense forced a three-and-out to begin the second half and the offense - finally starting to break down the Mountaineers’ stout front - needed just five plays to cover 85 yards as Werts ripped off a 47-yarder for a 24-7 lead.

“That’s really when I felt like we had a good chance,” Lunsford said. “When we got that first stop and then turned around and put up a touchdown, I started to get a good feeling.”

From there, the Eagle defense mopped up.

Kenderick Duncan notched his first career interception on the ensuing Mountaineer drive and Kindle Vildor added two more interceptions in the fourth quarter to turn what had been an intense rivalry matchup into a laugher.

Appalachian State has won three consecutive bowl games, clinched a share of last year's Sun Belt title and was the overwhelming favorite to win this season's conference championship.

A huge part of that run has been the Mountaineers' steady play that rarely includes giving up turnovers or allowing big plays.

That all changed against a Georgia Southern squad that landed a few haymakers on offense and whose defense has become one of the most opportunistic units in the entire country.

Following Thursday's win, the Eagle defense has forced 22 turnovers this season and the team's plus-19 turnover margin is the best in all of college football.

Fields added the final GS touchdown in the fourth quarter and the Eagles totaled 277 rushing yards on the night.

That total went up by several thousand yards immediately following the final whistle as a flood of Georgia Southern students who had stuck it out through a cool and rainy night rushed the field to celebrate the Eagles’ first ever win over an FBS ranked opponent.

With the win, the Eagles improve to 4-0 in Sun Belt play and are tied with Troy atop the East division as the conference's first ever title game is quickly approaching.

Due to the Thursday night start, the Eagles will get a few extra days of rest before heading west for the third time in four weeks. On Nov. 3, Georgia Southern travels to UL Monroe, which is a dark horse contender for the West division title.