The Mountaineers shocked fifth-ranked Michigan at the Big House 34-23 in 2007. That gave Appalachian State notoriety nationally. The Mountaineers were a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) at the time they defeated the Wolverines. They won three FCS championships from 2005-2007.
The Mountaineers moved up to the Football Bowl Subdivision and the Sun Belt Conference in 2013. Longtime assistant and current head coach, Scott Satterfield led ASU through the transition. The Mountaineers finished 2015 11-2 with a Camellia Bowl victory over the Ohio Bobcats. App State has played power five schools in four of the past five seasons and played East Carolina in 2012.