Lamb leads Appalachian State over Howard 49-0

BOONE, N.C. (AP) Taylor Lamb completed 17 of 22 passes for 226 yards and four touchdowns to lead Appalachian State to a 49-0 win over Howard in a season opener on Saturday.

Simms McElfresh caught two touchdown passes for the Mountaineers, and Marcus Cox rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown. Redshirt freshman J.P. Caruso relieved Lamb in the third quarter and threw for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Kalen Johnson threw for 119 yards and an interception for Howard. The Bison had just eight first downs, 172 yards of offense and failed to make it into the red zone.

Appalachian State's balanced attack totaled 677 yards - 373 on the ground and 304 through the air.

It was Appalachian State's seventh win in a row dating back to last season, which is the fourth-longest streak among teams in the FBS. The Mountaineers recorded their third shutout in the last 12 games.