MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Zach Matics kicked a 23-yard field goal as time expired as Appalachian State rallied for a 31-29 victory against Ohio on Saturday in the Camellia Bowl, the Mountaineers' first-ever bowl game.

Matics, who had missed only once during the regular season, twice missed field goals in the first half that could have added to the Mountaineers’ early 7-0 lead, but he came through when it mattered most. So too did Appalachian State’s offense after the Bobcats took control, leading 24-7 into the fourth quarter, by taking advantage of turnovers.

Ohio’s defense scored two touchdowns and set up another score with a turnover, providing the Bobcats with a boost on a day when the offense struggled. It also added a safety with 6:06 to go when Jovon Johnson tackled Marcus Cox in the end zone following a punt downed at the 3-yard line.

That made the score 28-26 in favor of the Mountaineers and set up the Bobcats with good field position just across midfield after the free kick. After an injury to starting quarterback J.D. Sprague, Greg Windham came through by completing the only pass he attempted - after fumbling the snap - good for 33 yards to Kawmae Sawyer on a fourth-and-1 play.

A.J. Ouellette was stopped a yard short on third down, and the Bobcats settled for a 21-yard Josiah Yazdani field goal to take a one-point lead with 1:47 remaining. Ouellette said he wanted to go for it.

“Coming up short on that last drive — it felt like I could’ve got that last yard,” he said. “We could’ve just ran the clock out right there and won the game.”

It seemed like a good idea to take the points and the lead and make Appalachian State try to go quickly up the field with a passing game that had struggled. But it turned out the Mountaineers did not have to pass much. Quarterback Taylor Lamb completed a 14-yard pass on the drive, but it was the next play – a 32-yard scramble to the Ohio 27-yard line – that put the Mountaineers in field goal range.

Two plays later, Jalin Moore broke a 15-yard run to the Ohio 11, and from there, Appalachian State ran two more plays to set up Matics’ game-winner.

Turnovers helped Ohio build a lead and then they helped the Bobcats give it away.

Led by MVP Cox, who had 162 yards on 24 carries, the Mountaineers piled up 303 yards rushing. Cox scored the game’s opening touchdown on a 21-yard run with 7:17 left in the first quarter, and the score remained 7-0 until the final minutes of the half.

The Bobcats did not gain a first down on their first four possessions and did not get on the scoreboard until Yazdani kicked a 36-yard field goal with 1:31 to go before halftime.

On the next play from scrimmage, Quentin Poling returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown, and Tony Porter recovered a bad snap at the 23-yard line on the Mountaineers’ next possession, leading to a 7-yard Ouellette touchdown run, giving Ohio a 17-7 advantage at halftime.

Jovon Johnson ripped the ball away from Appalachian State ball carrier Ike Johnson and returned it 45 yards to extend the Bobcats’ lead to 24-7 midway through the third quarter. It came shortly after Ohio’s first turnover, a fumble by Daz’mond Patterson recovered by Ronald Blair.

The Mountaineers’ comeback started with a 97-yard drive that was extended by a personal foul penalty. Barrett Burns scored on a 17-yard pass from Lamb to make it 24-14 with 13:52 remaining.

Nearly as Ohio quickly scored 17 straight in the first half, Appalachian State scored 21 straight. Sprague was picked off by Latrell Gibbs, and on the next play, Cox scored on a 26-yard touchdown run. Two plays after that, Mondo Williams intercepted Sprague, and it took only four plays for the Mountaineers to regain the lead on another Burns touchdown catch, an 8-yarder from Lamb.

”That’s football,” Johnson said. “It’s a game of momentum. You have to tip your hat to App State for using that momentum to get themselves back in the ball game.”

Ohio coach Frank Solich opted to punt on fourth-and-3 at the Appalachian State 34-yard line, and the Bobcats validated his decision by downing Mitch Bonstetter’s kick at the 3-yard line and then getting the safety on the next play.

Both teams finished with three turnovers, but Appalachian State dominated in yards gained, 427-272. Moore had 96 yards on 13 carries, and Lamb had 51 yards on nine attempts. He also was 13 of 26 passing for 124 yards.

Sprague was just 14 of 28 for 132 yards and ran 10 times for 35 yards. Ouellette finished with 35 yards on 10 carries, and Papi White had 25 yards on seven attempts in his return from an injury. Patterson netted 0 yards on four carries in his final Ohio game.

Brendan Cope led the Bobcats in receiving yards with 46 on two catches. White had four catches for 32 yards. Sebastian Smith was limited to three catches for 23 yards.

Johnson, Kurt Laseak and Chad Moore all had sacks for Ohio on defense. Toran Davis had 14 tackles, Poling finished with 11, and Johnson had nine. Johnson had 2.5 tackles for loss, and Poling and Basham had two each.

"We found a way to get points on the board and were in it right at the end,” Solich said. “I’m proud of the way our players played and how hard they fought. We did some good things and we certainly left some plays out there on the field.”