by Team Del Genio
Thursday, Sep 28, 2023The Georgia State Panthers had opened their season with a 3-0 record before a showdown at Coastal Carolina last Thursday night that would go a long way to define their season. The Panthers came into the game on a 41-25 victory at Charlotte as a 5.5-point favorite on Saturday.
The Panthers have one of the best quarterbacks from the group of five programs in senior Darren Grainger. The dual-threat quarterback had mostly been effective with his legs after rushing for 908 non-sack yards last year, yet he has developed his throwing skills this season. After struggling to establish the run against the 49ers in their third game of the season, Grainger completed 27 of 33 passes for 466 yards with three touchdown passes. He has thrown six touchdown passes this season without an interception going into the Thursday night showdown with the Chanticleers. He had thrown for 813 yards this year while completing 73% of his passes. He had added 216 rushing yards, and he had posted a quarterback rating of 78.3. Running back Marcus Carroll had rushed for 358 yards with 217 of those yards being after contact.
The Panthers were playing a Chanticleers defense that had been vulnerable as they rank 111th in the nation in explosive plays allowed. Georgia State had covered the point spread in two of their three games, and they had covered the point spread in twenty-four of their last thirty-three games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. They outgained Charlotte by a 571-356 yardage margin last week, and they had covered the point spread in four of their last five games after outgaining their last opponent by 175 or more yards.
The Panthers had revenge on their minds as well after a 41-24 loss at home to Coastal Carolina last season on September 22nd. Georgia State were only 2.5-point underdogs in that game yet they had covered the point spread in eleven of their last sixteen games against conference opponents. The Panthers had covered the point spread in thirty-seven of their last fifty-eight games on the road. Earing a win against a Coastal Carolina team that still had Grayson McCall, Jr. at quarterback who led them to the Sun Belt Conference championship game would be a statement victory for head coach Shawn Elliott in his seventh year with the program.
Georgia State started the game fast by scoring a touchdown in the first six minutes. After spotting the Chanticleers a field goal, the Panthers added two more touchdowns and went into halftime with a 17-3 lead. Coastal Carolina responded with a touchdown early in the second half yet the Panthers scored the next ten points to take a 17-point lead. The Chanticleers forced a fumble on Georgia State's 2-yard line which they ran into the end zone to make it a 10-point game but the Panthers kicked a late field goal to leave Brooks Stadium with a 30-17 upset victory after the oddsmakers installed them as a 5-point underdog.
With the victory, Georgia State is 4-0 on the season with a big game at home this week against Troy. They get a bye week after that game before their homecoming game against Marshall. Games at Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia Southern remain challenging tests hosting James Madison and Appalachian State in as difficult a run as a team can face in the Sun Belt Conference.
Winning the Sun Belt East may be too tall a task for the Panthers, yet earning their bowl game appearance since 2021 should be in the cards for Georgia State this season after their fast start.
Good luck - TDG.
The Panthers have one of the best quarterbacks from the group of five programs in senior Darren Grainger. The dual-threat quarterback had mostly been effective with his legs after rushing for 908 non-sack yards last year, yet he has developed his throwing skills this season. After struggling to establish the run against the 49ers in their third game of the season, Grainger completed 27 of 33 passes for 466 yards with three touchdown passes. He has thrown six touchdown passes this season without an interception going into the Thursday night showdown with the Chanticleers. He had thrown for 813 yards this year while completing 73% of his passes. He had added 216 rushing yards, and he had posted a quarterback rating of 78.3. Running back Marcus Carroll had rushed for 358 yards with 217 of those yards being after contact.
The Panthers were playing a Chanticleers defense that had been vulnerable as they rank 111th in the nation in explosive plays allowed. Georgia State had covered the point spread in two of their three games, and they had covered the point spread in twenty-four of their last thirty-three games after covering the point spread in two of their last three games. They outgained Charlotte by a 571-356 yardage margin last week, and they had covered the point spread in four of their last five games after outgaining their last opponent by 175 or more yards.
The Panthers had revenge on their minds as well after a 41-24 loss at home to Coastal Carolina last season on September 22nd. Georgia State were only 2.5-point underdogs in that game yet they had covered the point spread in eleven of their last sixteen games against conference opponents. The Panthers had covered the point spread in thirty-seven of their last fifty-eight games on the road. Earing a win against a Coastal Carolina team that still had Grayson McCall, Jr. at quarterback who led them to the Sun Belt Conference championship game would be a statement victory for head coach Shawn Elliott in his seventh year with the program.
Georgia State started the game fast by scoring a touchdown in the first six minutes. After spotting the Chanticleers a field goal, the Panthers added two more touchdowns and went into halftime with a 17-3 lead. Coastal Carolina responded with a touchdown early in the second half yet the Panthers scored the next ten points to take a 17-point lead. The Chanticleers forced a fumble on Georgia State's 2-yard line which they ran into the end zone to make it a 10-point game but the Panthers kicked a late field goal to leave Brooks Stadium with a 30-17 upset victory after the oddsmakers installed them as a 5-point underdog.
With the victory, Georgia State is 4-0 on the season with a big game at home this week against Troy. They get a bye week after that game before their homecoming game against Marshall. Games at Louisiana-Lafayette and Georgia Southern remain challenging tests hosting James Madison and Appalachian State in as difficult a run as a team can face in the Sun Belt Conference.
Winning the Sun Belt East may be too tall a task for the Panthers, yet earning their bowl game appearance since 2021 should be in the cards for Georgia State this season after their fast start.
Good luck - TDG.
