Perfect start, finish

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Appalachian State kicked off this crazy football season with the stunning upset of Michigan. Now the Mountaineers have the perfect bookend: History as Division I-AA’s first three-peat national champions.

Armanti Edwards threw for three touchdowns, and Appalachian State jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never trailed in beating Delaware 49-21 on Friday night for a third consecutive title in the Football Championship Subdivision.

They became only the third team to win consecutive titles last year, but the Mountaineers now have done something that neither Georgia Southern nor Youngstown State could. They returned to a third straight championship game – and won by their biggest margin yet.

No. 13 Delaware (11-4) came in looking for its second championship in five years. The Fightin’ Blue Hens had rallied from 10-0 deficits in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Not this time.

The Mountaineers (13-2) won their record 12th straight playoff game and had the game so in hand that fans spilled onto the sidelines with 3:29 left with only the Delaware bench area kept clear. They rushed the field as the final seconds ticked off.

Edwards was 9 of 15 passing for 198 yards and ran 18 times for 89 more.

The sophomore quarterback was a one-man wrecking crew in the playoffs. In the Mountaineers’ 38-35 quarterfinal win over Eastern Washington he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 126 yards and another score on 23 carries. He had 495 yards of total offense in a 55-35 semifinal victory over Richmond.