Eagle Comeback Falls Short Versus Furman

Saturday, November 2

Statesboro, GA

1 p.m.

Georgia Southern University

4-4 , 2-4

Furman

4-5 , 3-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Furman

Georgia Southern

Nardo Govan scores his first career touchdown

Photo by: Frank Fortune - Georgia Southern Athletics

11/2/2013 5:40:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Final home game vs. Western Carolina set for November 9th

Box Score
Post-Game Quotes
Post-Game Notes

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STATESBORO, Ga. – Ravaged by injuries, Georgia Southern suffered a 16-14 loss to Furman in the final FCS meeting
between the two schools Saturday at Paulson Stadium. The Paladins broke the Eagles six-game home win streak that dated back to November 2012. Eagle quarterback Jerick McKinnon and running back William Banks, both of whom had suffered recent injuries, played in the second half in an attempt to spark the offense.

Furman had two fumble recoveries, one leading to a first-half touchdown and the second squashing Georgia Southern's final offensive drive. Paladin defensive tackle Ira McCune had both recoveries and finished with six assisted tackles. An interception halted a promising Eagle drive in the first quarter when Jairus Hollman snatched a Kevin Ellison pass at the Furman 28.

The Paladins took a 6-0 lead on the very first play of the game as Tanner Skogen threw a quick pass to Andrej Suttles who took it 75 yards to the endzone. Eagle Jonathan Battle blocked the point-after for the first blocked kick of his career. The Eagles responded with a 14-play drive, tying their longest of the year, covering 75 yards with running back Nardo Govan breaking through for a one-yard touchdown. It was Govan's first career score and the sophomore finished with 64 yards on the day.

Capitalizing on the Eagle fumble in the second quarter, Furman used four plays as Paladin quarterback Reese Hannon hit Ryan Culbreath for a pass in the middle of the field that Culbreath turned into a 54-yard touchdown. Furman held onto that 13-7 lead until midway through the third quarter as Georgia Southern went three and out twice and the Paladins once with unproductive drives to end the half.

The third quarter saw only one full possession as Georgia Southern ground out a 13-play, 75-yard drive that culminated in an Irving Huggins two-yard scoring run up the middle and a Younghoe Koo kick to give the Eagles a 14-13 lead at the 8:29 mark. McKinnon directed the drive, entering the game at quarterback, handing off to Huggins, Govan, Bryant and Banks with all four picking up critical first downs. McKinnon brought the Eagles to the Furman 6 with his 22-yard keeper to set up Higgins' touchdown.

Furman duplicated the Eagles' effort, moving from its own 25 methodically to inside the Georgia Southern red zone. Hannon hit Snellings for 15 yards to land at the Georgia Southern 3, but the Eagle defense kept the Paladins out of the endzone and they settled for a Ray Early 18-yard field goal for the final scoring of the game as the first play of the fourth quarter.

Faced with third and 13, McKinnon tossed a 32-yard pass to Johnathan Bryant for an Eagle first down and put Georgia Southern on the Furman side of the field. The Eagles moved forward another 18 yards, but couldn't convert the third down to set up a field goal attempt. Alex Hanks' 43-yard attempt was wide, the second missed attempt by the Eagles, both into the wind, after Koo's 42-yard attempt in the second quarter.

The Paladins' Hank McCloud started the Furman drive with a slice through the middle for 23 yards and freshman quarterback Richard Hayes ran for 11 yards to bring Furman to the GS 40. The Paladins were knocking on the door again after three straight solid carries by McCloud were interrupted by a Furman fumble, recovered by Eagle defensive end Rafael Hardee. Furman got the ball back after an Eagle fumble at the GS 39 stopped the momentum and Furman held onto the ball for the last 5:06.

McCloud led all rushers with 102 yards with Huggins finishing with 69 and Govan with 64. Hannon threw for two touchdowns and was 12-18 for 150 yards. Suttles had six receptions for 115 yards and Culbreath and Snellings each had two. For the Eagles, Bryant, Zach Walker and Deion Stanley, who caught the pass on the fake punt from Luke Cherry, each had one reception.

Junior linebacker Edwin Jackson had a double-digit day with 11 tackles to lead the Eagles with defensive backs Deion Stanley registering seven and Matt Dobson six. Paladins Greg Worthy and linebacker Carl Rider had 12 and 11 tackles, respectively. As a team, Georgia Southern had five tackles for loss with sacks by Jonathan Battle and Kyle Oehlbeck.

Georgia Southern wraps up its slate of home games for the 2013 season with Homecoming and Senior Day next week with a 2 p.m. kickoff against Western Carolina. Homecoming activities on campus begin Monday. A full schedule of events is located here: http://www.georgiasouthern.edu/homecoming/.