2015 Camellia Bowl
The Ohio Bobcats entered the game with an 8–4 record, having finished second in the East Division of the MAC behind the Bowling Green Falcons.
The Appalachian State Mountaineers, in their first year of FBS bowl eligibility following a two–year transition from the Division I-Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-FCS), entered with a 10–2 record and had finished second in the Sun Belt, having lost only to the Clemson Tigers and the conference champion Arkansas State Red Wolves.
Appalachian State entered the game as 4.5 point favorites and were expected to have an edge due to their strong rushing offense.
The Mountaineers led 7–0 at the end of the first quarter but trailed 17–7 at halftime following three Ohio scores in the last two minutes of the second half.
Appalachian State running back Marcus Cox, who rushed for 162 yards and a touchdown, was named the game's most valuable player.
[15][16] Due to injuries, the team was forced to rely on two separate quarterbacks, Derrius Vick and JD Sprague, for much of the season.
[15] Ohio entered the Camellia Bowl with a large number of their major contributors on the injury report; most of the team's running backs, their starting tight end, and their starting cornerback all were questionable or out for the game,[16] and although Sprague and Vick were both initially expected to play,[15] Vick was ultimately held out due to injury.
[1] Appalachian State won the pregame coin toss and opted to defer to the second half; Ohio chose to receive the ball and returned the kickoff to their 29-yard line.
However, they were forced back to the Ohio 22-yard line, where kicker Zac Matics missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.
Despite the favorable field position, Ohio was again held to a three and out and punted the ball, which landed in the end zone for a touchback.
[1] On second down, Lamb completed a 12-yard pass to Simms McElfresh, but a Jalin Moore run on third and two failed to gain any yards.
[1] On the ensuing drive, Appalachian State converted a 3rd and 2 with a seven-yard completion to Barrett Burns and followed it up with a 25-yard run from Marcus Cox.
[1] On the first play of the Mountaineers' ensuing drive, Lamb threw an interception to Quenting Polling, who returned it for a touchdown, making the score 10–7 following Yazdani's extra point.
[1] Appalachian State received the kickoff to start the second half but were held to a three and out on their opening drive, leading to a punt that was fair caught at the Ohio 34-yard line.
The Mountaineers were able to advance the ball nine yards before Ohio linebacker Jovon Johnson forced an Ike Lewis fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
The teams traded punts on their next two drives, with Appalachian State taking control of the ball at their own three yard line with 2:50 left in the quarter.
[1] Appalachian State ran three more plays culminating in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Lamb to Burns, and the extra point from Matics made the score 24–14.
The following Ohio drive ended with an interception after only two plays, followed immediately by a 26-yard touchdown run by Cox to cut the Bobcats lead to three.
A 36-yard run by Cox was followed up three plays later with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Lamb to Burns, and the Matics extra point gave the Mountaineers a 28–24 lead.
Cox attempted to run on first down but was tackled by Jovon Johnson in the end zone for a safety, cutting the Mountaineer lead to 28–26 with 6:06 left in the quarter.
[1] Ohio linebacker Jovon Johnson recorded two scoring plays in the game, a 45-yard fumble return in the third quarter and a safety in the fourth.
[1] According to Sports Media Watch, the 2015 Camellia Bowl had a television audience of 1.9 million viewers, an increase of 73% from the inaugural game the year before.
