Georgia State heads into Saturday’s game against Georgia Southern with a chance to secure bowl eligibility after ending a three-game losing streak. The Panthers beat Appalachian State 39-23 in Boone on Nov. 7, earning their first win over the Mountaineers after 12 previous losses. Kickoff against the Eagles is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Nov. 14 at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium in Atlanta.
Both teams are 5-4 overall. Georgia State is 2-3 in Sun Belt play, while Georgia Southern is 4-1 and can also become bowl eligible with a win. The Eagles hold a one-game lead over James Madison in the Sun Belt East Division, but JMU has the tiebreaker. The Dukes, 8-2 overall and 5-2 in conference, have Coastal Carolina left on their conference schedule. A JMU win and a Georgia Southern loss would send the Dukes to the conference championship game.
Saturday’s matchup is the third Georgia Grown Bowl, an event intended to showcase Georgia agriculture. Georgia State won the first game. Last year, Georgia Southern scored 21 points in the fourth quarter and won 41-24.
The Panthers had opened the season 4-1 before falling 49-22 at James Madison. Arkansas State followed with a 38-32 win, and Georgia State quarterback Cam Brown was injured in the second quarter. He has not played since, and his return remains uncertain. The Panthers then lost 31-20 to Coastal Carolina.
After the Coastal Carolina game, coach Dell McGee pointed to the team’s difficulty running the ball. “We couldn’t establish a running game,” McGee said. Georgia State ran for 265 yards on 59 carries against Appalachian State. Lanear McCrary Jr. gained 123 yards, his best outing of the season, and leads the Panthers with 526 rushing yards. Freshman Owantayius Wiggins has added 496.
Ayden Pereira, who took over for Brown, completed 10 of 17 passes for 115 yards and three touchdowns against Appalachian State. In his first start, against Coastal Carolina, he went 20-for-37 for 200 yards and two touchdowns. Brown had thrown for 1,356 yards and 14 touchdowns before his injury.
Georgia State’s other receiving leaders include Rodshaun Dorsey, with 476 yards and nine touchdowns on 29 catches; DJ Riles, with 341 yards and three touchdowns on 33 catches; and tight end Grant Hollier, with 223 yards on 15 catches.
The Panthers recorded six sacks and forced three turnovers against Appalachian State, while limiting the Mountaineers to 59 rushing yards. Georgia State also held the ball for more than 37 minutes. The team is averaging 34.4 points and 431.7 yards of offense per game, including 206.9 rushing yards, and has outscored opponents 310-236.
Yolonda Harris
News Now Georgia
