Kyle Vantrease threw for 367 yards and tied the school record with four touchdown passes as Georgia Southern opened the Clay Helton era and the 2022 season with a 59-7 victory over Morgan State Saturday evening in Paulson Stadium.
Eagles of the Game:
Vantrease completed 29 of 46 passes to 10 different receivers. Sam Kenerson caught seven balls for 99 yards, Khaleb Hood had six receptions for 88 yards and a score and Jeremy Singleton finished with five catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Todd Bradley-Glenn led the Eagle defense with six tackles, while Isaac Walker, Tyler Bride and Jalen Denton each intercepted a pass.
Key Moments:
The Eagles got some separation before halftime when Derwin Burgess Jr. made a diving 1-handed grab in the right corner of the end zone to make the score 17-7 with 1:28 left in the frame. Bride's interception gave the Eagles the ball on their own 44-yard line. Vantrease hooked up with Hood for a 24-yard gain and then found Amare Jones for a 14-yard completion.
Hood took a screen pass from Vantrease 46 yards for a touchdown with 10:11 left in the third quarter, and Jalen White capped off a 77-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run with 4:42 left in the period, extending the margin to 31-7.
The first touchdown of the Helton era came off a hustle play. Vantrease's pass hit the defender's back and bounced into the air where OJ Arnold was able to stay with the play and make a diving catch in the end zone for a 4-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
Key Stats and Notes:
- Vantrease is the first Eagle to throw for 300-plus yards since Lee Chapple threw for 323 Nov. 15, 2008, at Furman, and his total ranks as the fourth most in a game in school history. Vantrease also set the record for passing yards in a season opener and for passing yards in a first career start at Georgia Southern, and his four TD passes is the most for an Eagle since Chaz Williams had four Oct. 2, 2004, at Elon. His 46 pass attempts is the third most in a game.
- The Eagles committed just three penalties for 34 yards.
- Georgia Southern has now won 15 of its past 16 home openers and is 32-7-1 all-time in home openers (32-6 at Paulson Stadium).
- Georgia Southern now boasts a 125-17 all-time record at Paulson Stadium in non-conference contests.
- Helton became the 10th Georgia Southern head coach (full-time or interim) in the modern era to win his first game as the head man of the Eagles.
Scoring Plays:
GS – 2nd, 12:20 – OJ Arnold 4-yard pass from Kyle Vantrease (PAT good), 7-0
MSU – 2nd, 9:42 - Jordan Toles 50-yard INT return (PAT good), 7-7
GS – 2nd, 5:33 – Alex Raynor 20-yard FG, 10-7
GS – 2nd, 1:28 – Derwin Burgess Jr. 12-yard pass from Vantrease (PAT good), 17-7
GS – 3rd, 10:11 – Khaleb Hood 46-yard pass from Vantrease (PAT good), 24-7
GS – 3rd, 4:52 – Jalen White 5-yard run (PAT good), 31-7
GS – 4th, 13:41 – White 8-yard run (PAT good), 38-7
GS – 4th, 12:47 – Jeremy Singleton 8-yard pass from Vantrease (PAT good), 45-7
GS – 4th, 9:06 – Gerald Green 8-yard run (PAT good), 52-7
GS – 4th, 6:43 – Arnold 23-yard run (PAT good), 59-7
Next Up:
The Eagles open a two-game road swing at Nebraska next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised live on FS1.
