Appalachian State is stepping in to fill a postseason vacancy, accepting an invitation to face Sun Belt rival Georgia Southern in the JLab Birmingham Bowl on Dec. 29.
The Mountaineers (5-7) return to the postseason for the ninth time in 11 FBS-eligible years, continuing one of the nation’s most consistent bowl traditions.
Their record under first-year head coach Dowell Loggains included four losses decided by a combined 15 points, including a 25-23 home defeat to Georgia Southern on Nov. 6 — a matchup that now gets an unexpected rematch on the bowl stage.
At least 7 teams that were 5-7 have now declined a bowl bid: Florida State, Auburn, UCF, Baylor, Rutgers, Temple & Kansas, sources told @On3sports. The quest continues to find an opponent for Georgia Southern in the Birmingham Bowl
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 8, 2025
The Birmingham Bowl struggled to secure an opponent for the Eagles after multiple teams declined invitations. According to On3’s Brett McMurphy, Auburn, Florida State, UCF, Baylor, Rutgers, Temple and Kansas all passed on the opportunity, prompting McMurphy to joke on social media about the bowl’s difficulty filling the slot.
App State ultimately stepped up, providing the game with a good pairing. This comes amid broader scrutiny of non-CFP bowl games after Notre Dame declined an invitation following its Playoff snub, raising questions about the relevance of lower-tier postseason contests.
The matchup offers a compelling rivalry and a chance for the Mountaineers to cap their season with momentum.
The Birmingham Bowl is scheduled for a 2 p.m. ET kickoff at Protective Stadium and will air on ESPN.
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