Moral victories are still losses. Always remember that. It’s still an L; App State still has never beaten N.C. State, and that sucks.

But oh man, the feeling is back. You know, that feeling.

That feeling hasn’t been on the mountain since the 2023 JMU game. It’s that feeling of App State arrogance; knowing the football team is good and can win a lot of games.

Could the season still fall flat? Oh yeah. JMU is still really good, ODU is a tough nut to crack, Coastal will be ready, Statesboro is on Halloween, Marshall is on their 75 game and Black Friday afternoon in Mobile will be really weird.

App State was down 21-0 and then 28-7. This was turning into a ho-hum P4 blowout of a G6 team, just as feared. The issues of the Charlotte game, dismissed by some as a product of the 3.5-hour lightning delay, were on full display. The team can’t run the ball, the boundary isn’t there against an athletically superior defense, a multi-million-dollar Wolfpack offense looked the part, and it was not fun.

For the first half, every two-bit N.C. State/Raleigh-adjacent podcaster and talking head who couldn’t pronounce Dowell Loggains’ name right, didn’t research when the 2006 game was or what the final score was, and only knew the name Armanti Edwards, felt mighty again. They could stop talking about Vanderbilt and the fumble.

The 2025 App State team probably would have rolled over. They did at JMU last November. This one, however, has more of the spirit we’re used to, at least after the initial 20 minutes.

And yes, the forward progress call was terrible. But damnit, how could that happen! That play will be talked about in App State circles for the next 20-plus years.

Still, that fumble doesn’t excuse 21-0/28-7. Everyone was timid and it showed. Can’t do that against a team fighting for its season.

The second-half fightback was a breath of fresh mountain air for the fanbase. It gave the people something to believe in, not just Saturday night, but going forward.

There are things to be fixed, especially in the run game. The off week will be a time to heal and retool. Maybe add some option and misdirection plays to the offense? The defense will be fine, me thinks.

In all the hubbub about the comeback, the officiating and such, N.C. State deserves credit for taking a heck of a combo to the face, then going out and winning. Good luck with the echoes chasing you.

This felt like Penn State 2018, which I was there for. After that one, I asked, out loud: Do we lose another game? Today, I ask the same question.

We didn’t know what this team was after Maine. We still weren’t sure after ECU and we really didn’t know after Charlotte. Now we know. We’re a contender. These could be some of These Days we remembered.

Now enjoy some light reading, just in case.