The Georgia Southern football team opens Sun Belt Conference play Saturday in Atlanta when it takes on Georgia State at Center Parc Stadium in the first Georgia Grown Bowl. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU, as well as on ESPN+ or the ESPN app. The game will also be available via radio on the Georgia Southern Sports Network.
Here's all you need to know about the game:
Game 5: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 • 3:30 PM
Location: Atlanta, Ga. (Center Parc Stadium; 25,000)
Records:
Georgia State: 2-1, 0-0 SBC
Georgia Southern: 2-1, 0-0 SBC
Broadcast Information
Broadcast: SEC Network
PBP: TBA, Analyst: TBA, Sidelines: TBA
Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Danny Reed (@GSEaglesVoice); Analyst: Terry Harvin (@TerryHarvin); Sidelines: Frank Sulkowski and Anthony Beck II
Radio Affiliates (PDF)
GS: GAME NOTES (PDF)
Inside The Series
Overall Record: GAST leads, 6-4
In Statesboro: GAST leads, 3-2
In Atlanta: GAST leads, 3-2 (2-0 at Georgia Dome, 1-2 at Center Parc Stadium)
McGee vs. GS: Never Met
McGee as GS head coach (interim): 1-0
Helton vs. GAST: 1-1
Helton vs. McGee: Never Met
Current Streak: GS, won one (2023-)
Last Meeting: GS 44, GAST 27 (2023)
Longest GS Streak: Two (2018-19)
Longest GAST Streak: Three (twice)
Largest GS Win: 38 points (2014 in Atlanta)
Largest GAST Win: 27 points (2015 in Statesboro)
GS vs. current Sun Belt Members: 70-70-1
GS vs. teams from Georgia: 26-16-1
GS in state of Georgia: 231-67-1
Of Note:
- Southern and State have met just 10 times before with the Panthers leading series 6-4. The Eagles are 1-2 at Center Parc Stadium, dropping their past two contests in Atlanta.
- Georgia State head coach Dell McGee was an assistant coach at Georgia Southern in 2014 and 2015. He served as the interim head coach for the Eagles in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl, leading the team to a 58-27 win over Bowling Green.
- Former Eagle offensive lineman Manrey Saint-Amour serves as the offensive line coach for the Panthers.
- Georgia Southern has 87 of 125 players on its roster (69.6% )from the state of Georgia.
- This will be the first Georgia Grown Bowl between Georgia Southern and Georgia State. The Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Grown has partnered to support each institution to highlight the rivalry and showcase Georgia's No. 1 industry – agriculture. After the game, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper will present the winner of the match up with the Commissioner's Cup – a symbol of Georgia's excellence in agriculture, education, and athletics.
Countdown to Kickoff
10: The Eagles and Panthers have met 10 previous times with Georgia State holding a 6-4 lead. This will be the fourth meeting at Center Parc Stadium with the Panthers leading 2-1 in the venue.
9: Georgia Southern's kickoff return team is ranked ninth in the FBS, averaging 30.00 yards per return. DeAndre Buchannon is ranked sixth with an average of 30.4 yards per return.
8: Georgia Southern is 13-3 under head coach Clay Helton when scoring eight or more points in the second quarter.
7: The Eagles have scored 14 offensive touchdowns thus far, seven via the run and seven via the pass.
6: Georgia Southern's kickoff defense is ranked sixth in the FBS, allowing just an average of 9.14 yards per return.
5: The Eagles and Panthers have met five previous times in Atlanta with Georgia Southern winning three of those games.
4: Four players have caught at least 10 passes already this season: Dalen Cobb (19), Derwin Burgess Jr. (15), Jalen White (11) and OJ Arnold (10).
3: Junior running back OJ Arnold threw his third career touchdown pass last week at Ole Miss. He has thrown one each year he's been in Statesboro and also has six career rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown. Arnold threw, caught and ran for a touchdown in 2022, marking the first Eagle player to do that since Jerick McKinnon in 2011.
2: Jalen White's five rushing touchdowns are ranked second in the Sun Belt Conference and 16th nationally.
1: Georgia State head coach Dell McGee won his one game as interim head coach of Georgia Southern, leading the Eagles to a 58-27 win over Bowling Green in the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.
Up Next:
Bye Week, then Marshall, Oct. 12 - Paulson Stadium
