In all black, the Chanticleer football team ran out of the tunnel to emerge from the student section sea behind them, and a record-breaking crowd of 21,224 in front.  

At the end of the game, each seat was emptied as fans hopped the fence and rushed the field after the last seconds trickled out and Coastal beat the Appalachian State Mountaineers, 35-28. With the win, the Chants improved to 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Sun Belt. 

The heated rivalry between the two schools suggested there would be a good turnout in terms of attendance, but this packed house had fans sitting on the aisle stairs.  

Quarterback Grayson McCall performed with dominance once again, completing 18 of 26 passing attempts for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Bryce Carpenter also threw for a touchdown of 31 yards on his lone pass attempt on the night, along with carrying the ball eight times for 30 yards on the ground.  

McCall’s favorite targets on the night included wide receivers Sam Pinckney, Jared Brown, and Tyson Mobley, who combined together for a total of 14 receptions, 223 yards, and one touchdown.  

Defensively, the Chanticleers were successful, allowing just 14 points through the first three quarters.  

After going up 35-14, the Mountaineers scored two more touchdowns. However, the Chanticleers sealed the game on a 47-yard connection for a first down with two minutes and 25 seconds remaining in the game. 

Carpenter, who has scored touchdowns in consecutive games, reflected on the emotional, yet rewarding victory over the rival. He said it was a big win for the team, but the team wouldn’t lose focus on the road ahead of them as they approach the end of their regular season.  

“The students and the fans did a really great job of coming out and supporting us so it was a great environment for the game. This was definitely a big win,” Carpenter said. “We‘re going to be able to enjoy this weekend, but as soon as we get back on Monday, we have to flush the win.” 

With another home game coming up on Saturday, Nov. 12 against the University of Southern Mississippi, Carpenter said the team’s importance focuses on looking ahead rather than dwelling on the victory. 

“It was a great win and we’re really happy with what happened and we’re proud of the effort we put out there. We can’t still be thinking about that game as we have a really good Southern Miss. team coming in to play us,” he said.