What You Need to Know:
* Georgia State destroyed Georgia Southern 34-7 on Saturday afternoon to become bowl eligible for the first time in program history.
* The 27-point loss is the worst home loss for Georgia Southern in program history.
* Georgia State will learn its bowl fate on Sunday afternoon at approximately 3 p.m.
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia State dominated Georgia Southern to cruise to a 34-7 win at Paulson Stadium and earn bowl eligibility for the first time in the program's six-year history. The Panthers handed the Eagles their worst loss at home in program history and snapped Georgia Southern's 11-game home field winning streak.
Georgia State (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt) won its fourth straight game and will learn its bowl fate on Sunday afternoon. Georgia Southern fell to 8-4 overall and 6-2 in Sun Belt play.
"I can't say enough about our young men and what they've accomplished," head coach Trent Miles said. "Our kids came in here believing they could win, and they just finished off four in a row. We talked last night that we weren't ready for this to end; we're all having too much fun."
"This program is growing and growing, and we're giving Georgia State University and the city of Atlanta something to be proud about."
Senior Nick Arbuckle finished the game 20-of-32 for 346 yards passing and three touchdowns.
One of those touchdowns went to freshman Penny Hart, who caught seven passes for 129 yards and became just the second receiver in program history to go over 1,000 yards receiving in a season. He joins current Kansas City Chief Albert Wilson as the only 1,000-yard receivers in school history. Hart also tied Wilson's GSU season records with his 71st reception and eighth touchdown reception.
Kyler Neal boosted the Georgia State running game with two rushing touchdowns, while Glenn Smith ran 13 times for 83 yards. The Panthers finished the game with 143 yards rushing, outrushing Georgia Southern.
The Georgia State defense limited the nation's top rushing team to just 135 yards on the ground and 203 yards of total offense, both school records. The seven points allowed equal the Georgia State record and are the fewest allowed under Miles. The last time Georgia Southern scored as few as seven points at home was a 2002 loss to Wofford.
Senior safety Tarris Batiste had two interceptons, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and eight tackles to lead the defensive effort, and senior linebacker Joseph Peterson had nine tackles, and 1.5 tackles for loss.
"Words can't explain the feeling," said said Peterson, a four-year starter and the team's elder statesman. "I'm just really proud of the coaches and the guys continuing to fight. I'm happy for the program."
Arbuckle added, "People are going to look back, decades from now, at us as the first team to win the rivalry and first team to go to a bowl game. It's just an incredible feeling."
With the score tied at 7-7 at half, Georgia State scored touchdowns on its first four possessions of the second half.
First, Arbuckle hit Davis over the middle for an 18-yard scoring pass, capping a 5-play, 81-yard drive and giving GSU a 13-7 lead.
After GSU forced a punt, Arbuckle moved the Panthers 85 yards on five plays. Harden made a great catch for a 27-yard gain, Smith had a 22-yard run, and then tight end Keith Rucker caught a 29-yard pass over the middle and then a 4-yard touchdown. That extended GSU's lead to 20-7.
Then Neal rushed for a pair of scores, first on a 1-yard plunge and then on a 28-yard run to give the Panthers a 34-7 lead with nine minutes left.
Arbuckle was 11-for-12 for 216 yards and two touchdowns in the second half.
After a scoreless first quarter in which the Georgia State defense allowed just one first down and 26 yards, Georgia State got on the scoreboard first on a 63-yard touchdown pass from Arbuckle to Hart with 14:07 to play in the second quarter.
On that play, Hart topped the 1,000-yard mark for the season, joining current Kansas City Chief Albert Wilson as the only 1,000-yard receivers in school history. Hart also tied Wilson's GSU season record with his eighth touchdown reception.
But the Eagles answered on their next possession, aided by three Georgia State penalities to drive 63 yards, capped by L.A. Ramsby's 1-yard touchdown run.
The Georgia State defense came up with big plays on the Eagles final two possessions of the first half. With the Eagles in field goal range, Batiste forced a fumble on a pitch. The Eagles recovered, but on the next play, Peterson had a tackle for loss, and then Georgia Southern missed a field goal.
Georgia Southern was driving again late in the first half when Batiste ended the threat with an interception at the GSU 5-yard line.
Batiste is the fourth player in GSU history with two interceptions in a game. Those two picks give him a Georgia State season record four on the season and also tied the GSU career record of five. He also broke the Panthers' career record for tackles for loss, now with 21.5.
Peterson surpassed his own GSU season record for tackles; he now has 106 on the year.
Arbuckle became only the second quarterback in Sun Belt history to top 4,000 yards. He is 72 yards behind the conference record.
