App State students win free tuition for a year with 'College GameDay' signs
Posted September 20, 2022 2:29 p.m. EDT
Updated September 20, 2022 2:35 p.m. EDT
Boone, N.C. — Three Appalachian State University students will receive free tuition for a year after winning ESPN’s “College GameDay” poster contest over the weekend.
Freshman Zackary Carr of Gastonia, North Carolina; junior Annilyn Impara of Suwanee, Georgia and sophomore Ethan Cagle of Hendersonville, North Carolina, got selected as the network broadcasted the school’s Saturday pregame show against Troy.
"I’m feeling great," Carr told WFMY. "I’m still kind of speechless to be honest and I’m still shocked that I won but it’s great."
Carr's poster joked about Appalachian State's Sept. 10 win against Texas A&M and the $1.5 million A&M paid to play Appalachian State. Carr's parents, App State alumni, helped come up with the concept of the sign.
"We put a lot of App State creative minds together," said Zackary's mom Dawn Carr. "It was some brainstorming amongst a few of us."
ESPN “College GameDay” reporter Jess Simms initially only chose Zackary Carr as the winner, but revealed Impara and Cagle would also win free tuition for a year.
Cagle’s sign used a “Star Wars” meme of characters Anakain Skywalker and Padmé Amidala joking about the upset over Texas A&M.
Impara’s sign read: “(Kidd) Rock and #Rollneers.”
Saturday marked the first time App State hosted “College GameDay.”
The App State-Troy game came down to the final play of the game. With time running out, App State quarterback Chase Brice connected with wide receiver Christian Horn on a 53-yard Hail Mary pass to score a touchdown.
