STATESBORO – Behind a record-breaking crowd and touchdowns from five different Eagles the Georgia Southern football team downed Coastal Carolina 38-28 in Sun Belt Conference action Saturday night in Allen E. Paulson Stadium. 

On the opening drive, Coastal Carolina quickly jumped out to an early lead as quarterback Grayson McCall ran it into the end zone to go up 7-0. The Eagles responded two drives later to open the second quarter and evened the score 7-7 when Derwin Burgess Jr. recorded his 11th career touchdown reception on a 2-yard catch from Davis Brin. 

The Chanticleers regained the lead 14-7 with 7:28 left in the second quarter before the Eagles evened the score with 3:54 left in the half as Brin completed a pass to Anthony Queeley for a 16-yard touchdown reception that deflected off a Coastal defender before settling into Queeley's arms. 

Georgia Southern took their first lead of the game after Cam Williams intercepted the ball on the Coastal 24-yard line and the Eagles drove down the field with 39 seconds on the clock. The drive was completed as Brin hit Khaleb Hood for a 12-yard touchdown pass, making it 21-14 at the break. 

On its opening drive of the second half, Coastal Carolina moved quickly down the field to tie things up on a McCall 13-yard touchdown pass to Sam Pinckney. The Eagles once again responded this time with a 45-yard field goal from Michael Lantz to lead 24-21. 

The Eagle defense stepped up on the next Chanticleer drive with a pick-six by Khadry Jackson for his second career score and the first defensive touchdown of the season for its largest lead of the game. 

Coastal Carolina cut back into the lead with a touchdown, but Marques Watson-Trent sealed the game with an interception, the fourth of the day by the defense.

The Eagles had five players score touchdowns and Hood tied the school record with 12 catches for 131 yards and a touchdown. Burgess Jr., Dalen Cobb, and Anthony Queeley recorded over 50 receiving yards and Jalen White rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries. 

Watson-Trent led the Eagle defense in tackles with 14 total tackles, a quarterback hurry and an interception. TJ Smith finished with eight total tackles, including six solo tackles. Watson-Trent, Jackson, Damel Hickman, and Cam Williams each recorded an interception.  

The announced attendance was 26,483, breaking the all-time Paulson Stadium attendance record.

Next Up
The Eagles (4-1, 1-0 SBC) will have a bye week before heading to James Madison (5-0, 2-0 SBC) on Oct. 14 in Harrisonburg, Virginia.