The team was one play away from the biggest win of its season.
But the pass was tipped high, away from the receiver. The clock read 1:23 in the fourth quarter. Turnover on downs.
And it slipped away from the Phoenix on Senior Day.
Appalachian State University junior linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough tipped Elon University junior quarterback Thomas Wilson's pass on fourth and five from the Appalachian State 13 and sealed the Mountaineers' 28-24 victory at Rhodes Stadium in the final game of the regular season for both teams.
"I was really just keying on my man," Kimbrough said. "I had to go make a play and went up there and got it."
After giving up 21-straight points in the first quarter, the Mountaineers (8-3 overall, 6-2 in the Southern Conference) got four touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Jamal Jackson, who finished the game completing 26-42 for 284 yards with just one interception. Senior wide receiver Brian Quick caught eleven balls for 150 yards and two of those scores.
"To show what they did in the second half, it's a mark of a good football team and the mark of real solid men," Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said. "There was no anything negative about what was happening. I'm as proud of this football team as I've ever been."
The Phoenix (5-6, 3-5) outgained the Mountaineers offensively 384-330 overall but could not capitalize in the second half, getting no points.
Meanwhile, Jackson found Quick for a 9-yard score in the third quarter and junior running back Steven Miller on a 5-yard pass in the fourth.
"I knew that App's a great team," Elon sophomore safety Chandler Wrightenberry said. "We became a little complacent (in the second half). We knew they were going to score. Unfortunately we didn't hold them enough."
Elon racked off three-straight touchdowns in the first quarter. Wilson hit sophomore wideout Rasuan Rorie and junior wide receiver Aaron Mellette for consecutive scores within two minutes of each other. Senior running back Dontay Taylor added a 4-yard run for a score with 2:37 left in the first to make the score 21-0.
But Jackson found Quick for an 18-yard score to end the first quarter 21-7, and the rally was on.
"We were ready to play, and it showed up in the first half," Elon head coach Jason Swepson said. "We made good plays in all three phases of the game (in the first half). You have to give all credit to the App State coaching staff."
Wilson was 30-43 for 344 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Junior wide receiver Aaron Mellette had 14 grabs for 236 yards and a touchdown.
"In the second half, we were just unable to execute our offensive plays and get first downs," Wilson said.
The Phoenix had just seven yards of total offense in the third quarter.
But after a big defensive stop gave the Phoenix the ball at their own 14 with 2:38 left in the fourth quarter, Wilson hit four-consecutive passes for 68 yards to put Elon at the Appalachian State 18.
"I felt like this (was) the drive that's going to do down in history in us beating App," Mellette said.
Two incomplete passes and a 5-yard throw to Mellette put Elon at fourth and five when Kimbrough tipped the pass. The ball sailed high and landed right in the middle of three Appalachian State defenders.
The Mountaineers took over with 1:23 left. Senior running back Travaris Cadet, who caught a touchdown pass in the second quarter to pull Appalachian State within a score, ran for a first down to seal the victory.
The real turning point came on an unsportsmanlike penalty to Elon senior wide receiver Jeremy Peterson in the fourth quarter with about nine minutes left.
After he made a big 17-yard catch on third and five put the Phoenix at the Appalachian State 17, Peterson's celebration was too much for officials, who flagged him for a 15-yard penalty. Three plays and an intentional grounding penalty on Wilson later, and the Phoenix had to punt.
"It is what it is," Swepson said of the penalty on Peterson. "It's tough to make that judgment call at that point in the game."
Elon's season ends with a heartbreaking loss to a team that has beat them every time they've played since the Phoenix joined the Southern Conference in 2003. With Wilson and Mellette returning, Swepson thinks there is a lot of potential for next season.
"I told the young kids that we're not going to accept losing here at Elon," Swepson said. "We're gonna give them a week off, and we'll start our season in two weeks."
Recap video filmed by Brennan McGovern and Katelyn Pullman. Edited by Morgan Mayer.