Published Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 10:10 am

Appalachian State University football received votes in the final Associated Press and Amway Coaches top 25 polls of the 2015 college football season on Tuesday.

Appalachian State received seven points in the final AP poll of 2015, good for eighth in the “others receiving votes” category (33rd overall). The Mountaineers tallied nine points in the final coaches poll of the year, good for ninth in the “others receiving votes” category (34th overall).

Appalachian’s seven points in the AP poll are tied for the most that it has ever received. The Mountaineers also registered seven points in the final AP poll of 2007, after they won their third-straight NCAA Division I FCS national championship. App State’s 34-32 win over No. 5 Michigan in the 2007 season opener prompted the AP to make all Division I teams (FBS and FCS) eligible to receive votes in its top 25 poll. Prior to the establishment of the “Appalachian State Rule” in 2007, AP voters could only include FBS teams on their ballots.

By finishing 33rd overall in this season’s final AP poll, Appalachian State matched its second-highest AP ranking ever. The Mountaineers were also No. 33 in their initial appearance in the AP poll this season (Oct. 25) and climbed into a tie for 32nd one week later (Nov. 1). Appalachian was ninth in the “others receiving votes” category in the final AP poll of 2007 (34th overall).

Appalachian State’s nine points and No. 34 overall ranking in the Amway Coaches Poll are both all-time program bests. The Mountaineers received in seven-straight coaches polls to close out 2015 but never tallied more than five points or ranked higher than a tie for 37th overall prior to Tuesday’s final poll of the season.

Appalachian State is the first Sun Belt Conference team to receive votes in either season-ending poll since UL Lafayette received one vote in the final AP poll of 2013. The Mountaineers are the first Sun Belt program to receive votes in both polls at the end of the season since Arkansas State in 2012.

App State finished 11-2 in 2015, with its only losses coming at the hands of national runner-up Clemson and Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State. The Mountaineers’ 11 victories set a new Sun Belt single-season record and were the most-ever by a team in its first full-fledged campaign as an FBS member. Appalachian capped the historic season with a 31-29 victory over Ohio in the Raycom Media Camellia Bowl to become the first program to ever win a bowl game in its first full-fledged FBS season (a feat matched by Sun Belt counterpart Georgia Southern four days later).

With 17 starters returning, Appalachian State could become the first Sun Belt program to ever be ranked among the nation’s preseason top 25 in 2016.

Mountaineer fans are invited to celebrate Appalachian State’s historic 2015 campaign and Camellia Bowl victory on Saturday, Jan. 23 when the Mountaineers are honored in conjunction with Appalachian’s basketball doubleheader versus Georgia Southern at the Holmes Center. Details and tickets are available at appstatesports.com.

USA Today also ranked App State’s season highly. ASU was among only 16 teams to receive an “A” scoring or better in this ranking.