Eagle Football Comes Up Short in 21-14 Loss to Georgia State

Saturday, October 30

Statesboro, GA

6:00 PM

Georgia Southern University

2-6 , 1-4

Georgia State

4-4 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Georgia St.

Georgia Southern

Zyon McGee brings down Darren Grainger.

Eagle Football Comes Up Short in 21-14 Loss to Georgia State

10/30/2021 9:40:00 PM | Football

Box Score 2021 Football Season Presented by Morris Bank

The Eagles host No. 24 Coastal Carolina in Paulson Stadium next Saturday.

By: Marc Gignac

STATESBORO – Jamyest Williams scored the game-winning touchdown on a 23-yard run with 26 seconds remaining to lift Georgia State to a 21-14 Sun Belt Conference football win over Georgia Southern Saturday night in Paulson Stadium.

After Georgia Southern tied the game 14-14 with 1:39 to play on a Logan Wright 9-yard run, Georgia State came right back with a 73-yard drive to retake the lead. Quarterback Darren Grainger ran four times for 33 yards before Williams, who finished with 97 yards, broke free up the middle for the game-winning score.

Justin Tomlin connected with Khaleb Hood for a 27-yard gain and then found Derwin Burgess Jr. over the middle for a 27-yard pickup down to the Panther 21-yard line, where Georgia Southern called timeout with two seconds to go. The Panthers brought on all-out blitz on the game's final play, and Jhi'Shawn Taylor got home to sack Tomlin and preserve the win.

Eagles of the Game:
Wright finished with 20 carries for 113 yards and a touchdown, and Tomlin threw for 279 yards and a score to go along with 32 rushing yards. Hood caught six balls for 107 yards. The Eagle defense forced a punt on the Panthers' first five possessions of the game and tallied seven tackles for loss and two sacks.

Key Moments:
With the Eagles trailing 14-7, Anthony Beck bombed a 63-yard punt down to the GSU 9-yard line, the Eagle defense forced a 3-and-out and Georgia Southern got the ball back at the Panther 42-yard line with 3:04 remaining. Tomlin completed two passes to Amare Jones for 18 yards and ran for a 15-yard gain to set up Wright's 9-yard touchdown.

Tomlin hooked up with Hood for a 46-yard pass that set up a 17-yard touchdown pass to Beau Johnson as Georgia Southern (2-6, 1-4) took a 7-0 lead with 5:23 left in the first half. The drive started on the Eagles' 8-yard line, and Gerald Green opened it by rushing for six straight times for 38 of his 51 yards.

The Panthers (4-4, 3-1) tied the game with 8:06 left in the third when Tucker Gregg dove into the end zone from two yards out. Grainger found Roger Carter for a 29-yard pass down the left sideline to set up the score.

Gregg gave the Panthers their first lead of the game with a 3-yard touchdown with 11:19 remaining in the contest. A 29-yard run by Williams and a 30-yard pass from Grainger to Carter set up the score.

A 39-yard pass from Tomlin to Wright gave the Eagles 1st-and-goal at the Georgia State 6-yard line late in the first quarter, and two carries by Wright set up 4th-and-goal at the 1-yard line. The Eagles went for it, and Javon Denis tackled Tomlin for a 4-yard loss.

Key Stats:
The Eagles outgained the Panthers 486 to 378 but had two turnovers, one of which led to seven points for the Panthers. Georgia State was 2-for-2 in the Red Zone, while the Eagles were 2-for-3.

Scoring Plays:
GS – 2nd, 05:23 – Beau Johnson 17 yd pass from Justin Tomlin (PAT good), 7-0
GSU – 3rd, 08:06 – Tucker Gregg 2-yd run (PAT good), 7-7
GSU – 4th, 11:19 – Gregg 3-yd run (PAT good), 7-14
GS – 4th, 01:39 – Logan Wright 9-yd run (PAT good), 14-14
GSU – 4th, 00:26 – Jamyest Williams 23-yd run (PAT good), 14-21

Next Up:
The Eagles play host to No. 24 Coastal Carolina next Saturday in Paulson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on ESPN+, and it's Salute to Service Day with free tickets for active duty, retired and veteran military personnel. Tickets will be available to claim during the week.