Darrynton Evans scored three touchdowns and 20th-ranked Appalachian State repeated as Sun Belt Conference champions with a 45-38 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday. Evans won the game's MVP for the second straight season. Zac Thomas threw for 1 49 yards and two touchdowns and Daetrich Harrington and Marcus Williams added touchdown runs. The Mountaineers racked up 416 yards on offense, including 267 on the ground in a dominating first half. When asked on the field what bowl he expects his team t o play in, first-year Mountaineers coach Eli Drinkwitz shouted to fans, "It better be the Cotton Bowl!" The Mountaineers have now won at least a share of four straight Sun Belt championships. This was the second year there was a championship game. | | |