STATESBORO – Mark Michaud caught back-to-back long touchdown passes from Shai Werts, and Wesley Kennedy III scored the game-winning touchdown on a 3-yard run to lift Georgia Southern to a 30-27 triple overtime Sun Belt Conference football victory over Coastal Carolina on a rainy and soggy Saturday afternoon in Paulson Stadium.

Coastal Carolina (3-4, 0-3) got the ball first in the third overtime period and had to settle for a Massimo Biscardi 28-yard field goal and a 27-24 lead. The Eagle defense stopped Bryce Carpenter short of the first-down marker on 3rd-and-8 to set up the field goal try.

Georgia Southern (3-3, 2-1) faced 3rd-and-2 on its ensuing possession, and J.D. King picked up 14 yards. Kennedy III scored his second touchdown of the game a play later for the final 30-27 victory.

Trailing 17-10, GS faced 4th-and-5 on their first possession of overtime when Werts found Michaud in the corner of the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown strike. The senior receiver went up to get the ball and dragged a foot inbounds for the score. The Eagles got the ball first in the second overtime period and ran the exact same play with the same result, this time a 25-yard touchdown reception and a 24-17 lead. They were the first two touchdown passes of the season for the Eagles.

Carpenter kept Coastal's chances afloat with a 4-yard pass to Ky'Jon Tyler on 4th-and-3, and CJ Marable tied the score 24-24 with an 8-yard run to send the contest into a third overtime period.  

GS Players of the Game: Kennedy III ran 25 times for 121 yards and two scores, and J.D. King rushed for 80 yards on 21 carries. Michaud's touchdown receptions were his only two of the game.

Key Moments in regulation: Leading 10-7 in the fourth quarter, Georgia Southern helped keep Coastal Carolina's game-tying drive alive with two penalties on Chanticleer punt attempts. The first was a five-yard offsides penalty on 4th-and-6, and Coastal Carolina elected to go for it on 4th-and-1, which Jacquez Hairston picked up with a 1-yard run. The second penalty was a 15-yard personal foul call for "leaping the punt shield" on 4th-and-10. Biscardi made good on a 45-yard field goal three plays later to tie the score 10-10 with 7:33 to go.

The Eagles had a would-be game-winning 53-yard field goal try sail wide left with nine seconds left after a pass interference call against Coastal Carolina on 3rd-and-18 gave the Eagles the ball at the Coastal 43-yard line.

Fun Stat: The teams combined to go 9-for-28 on 3rd down in the game but were 5-for-5 on 4th down.

Key Scoring Plays:
GS – Tyler Bass 45-yard FG with 1:44 to go in the 1st, 3-0
CCU –Carpenter 35-yard pass to Isaiah Likely with 14:54 left in the 2nd, 3-7
GS – Kennedy III 4-yard run with 7:04 left in 2nd, 10-7
CCU - Biscardi 45-yard field goal with 7:33 left in the 4th, 10-10
CCU - Carpenter 1-yard run on Chant's 1st possession in OT, 10-17
GS – Shai Werts 20-yard pass to Mark Michaud on 1st possession in OT, 17-17
GS – Werts 25-yard pass to Michaud on 2nd possession in OT, 24-17
CCU – CJ Marable 8-yard run on 2nd possession in OT, 24-24
CCU - Biscardi 28-yard field goal on 3rd possession in OT, 24-27
GS – Kennedy III 3-yard run on 3rd possession in OT, 30-27

Up Next
The Eagles will stay in Statesboro and play host to New Mexico State on Homecoming next Saturday in the final non-conference contest of the season for Georgia Southern. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. in Paulson Stadium, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3. Tickets can be purchased at GSEagles.com.