BOONE, N.C. --- Armanti Edwards passed for a school-record 433 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another to lead Appalachian State to a 37-21 victory against South Carolina State on Saturday in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

The Mountaineers (11-2), three-time reigning Subdivision champions who were unbeaten in the Southern Conference this season, notched their first 400-yard passing game during the postseason in school history. Appalachian State, which will host Richmond in the quarterfinals next Saturday, didn't have a single rushing yard by a running back in the first half.

Richmond beat Eastern Kentucky 38-10 on Saturday.

Appalachian State tried to run out the clock with less than two minutes left and a 10-point lead, but South Carolina State (10-3) called timeout twice on the drive. The Mountaineers countered with a 33-yard touchdown pass from Edwards to Brian Quick in the final seconds, setting off a celebration from the Mountaineers' bench.

Appalachian State took the lead just before halftime on a 27-yard hook up between Edwards and Strom Thurmond grad Coco Hillary, Edwards scored from two yards out on the ground to extend the Mountaineers' lead to 10 at the start of the third. He finished with 48 rushing yards.

South Carolina State, unbeaten in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and coming off three shutouts in a row, fought back after a cold, intermittent rain that curbed both offenses.

William Ford, the MEAC rushing champion, scored on a 13-yard run and finished with 125 yards on 23 carries.