Football 10/3/2022 12:49:00 PM

It's #StateNotSouthern Week

GEORGIA STATE (1-4, 0-1) vs. GEORGIA SOUTHERN (3-2, 0-1)
Saturday, Oct. 8 | 2 p.m. | Center Parc Stadium

TV: ESPN3
RADIO: Georgia State Radio Network on WRAS-FM 88.5 and GSU Athletics mobile app

THE KICKOFF: It's #StateNotSouthern Week as Georgia State, coming off a 31-14 victory at Army, hosts Georgia Southern Saturday at 2 p.m. at Center Parc Stadium.

> Georgia State has won two in a row over Georgia Southern and holds a 5-3 lead in the series, which began in 2014.

> In the win at Army, Tucker Gregg (126) and Jamyest Williams (106) each rushed for 100 yards, while Darren Grainger passed for 157 yards on just eight completions and accounted for two touchdowns.

> Leading 17-14 in the fourth quarter, the GSU defense stopped Army on fourth down on consecutive possessions, including a fourth-and-goal inside the 1-yard line. After stopping a fake punt on Army's next possession, Georgia State sealed the win on Darren Grainger's 57-yard TD pass to Ja'Cyais Credle with 2:59 left.

> Senior ILB Jordan Veneziale led the defense with a career-high 13 tackles, two fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. Freshman ILB Jordan Jones added 12 tackles in his first start.

> Super senior running back Tucker Gregg scored his 20th career rushing touchdown at Army on a 56-yard run with a minute left. That gave the senior and former walk-on sole possession of the GSU career record for rushing touchdowns, passing Tra Barnett. He also broke Barnett's record for rushing attempts with 389.

> With 1,909 yards, Gregg ranks second to Barnett (2,156 yards, 2016-19) on the Panthers' career rushing list.

> Sophomore wide receiver Robert Lewis is No. 2 Sun Belt/No. 13 FBS with five TD receptions this season.

> Lewis had a breakout game against North Carolina with seven receptions for 115 yards, including touchdown catches of 49 and 29 yards. After catching his first career touchdown in the 2021 TaxAct Camellia bowl, he had a 17-yard TD vs. South Carolina and a 34-yard scoring play vs. Charlotte.

> GSU QB Darren Grainger passed for a career-high 343 yards and four touchdowns vs. Charlotte.

> Since taking over the starting role in Game 3 of 2021, Grainger has accounted for 32 touchdowns in 15 starts (28 passing, 4 rushing).

> Grainger leads the Sun Belt and ranks No. 4 in FBS with 15.34 yards per completion.

> Junior wide receiver Jamari Thrash broke the GSU single-game record for receiving yards with 213 yards on 10 catches vs. Charlotte. His 32-yard TD gave the Panthers a 41-35 lead with 1:39 to play, and he also hauled in a 73-yard reception for Georgia State's longest pass play since 2016.

> Thrash, who topped 1,000 career yards vs. Coastal Carolina, leads the Panthers with 25 catches for 428 yards. He is No. 2 in the Sun Belt in receiving yards.

> The Panthers have rushed for 200-plus yards in 11 of the last 13 games.

> CB Quavian White is No. 6 in FBS with three interceptions (1.0 per game). The super senior had two interceptions at South Carolina, along with two tackles for loss including a sack, a pass breakup and five tackles. He added another pick vs. Charlotte.

> White has 10 career interceptions, the Georgia State record and tied for fifth among all active FBS players. Teammate Antavious Lane is one behind with nine.

> The GSU defense has forced 10 turnovers with six interceptions and four fumble recoveries. That gives the Panthers 21 takeaways over the last nine games.

> Senior OLB Jontrey Hunter grabbed an interception vs. Coastal Carolina and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown for the longest interception return in program history. Hunter has been one of the Panthers' top defenders with 32 tackles, 4.5 TFL, a sack, an interception and a fumble recovery.

> Head coach Shawn Elliott's squad has played in three straight bowl games, including back-to-back wins in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl and 2021 TaxAct Camellia Bowl. The Panthers have played in bowl games in four of Elliott's five seasons.

THE SERIES: Georgia State has won two in a row over Georgia Southern and holds a 5-3 lead in the series, which began in 2014.

> Last season at Statesboro, Georgia State scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns, including Jamyest Williams' game-winner on a 23-yard run with 26 seconds left, to earn a 21-14 victory. After Georgia Southern tied the game with 1:39 left, the Panthers drove 73 yards in seven plays for the winning score. Williams started the drive with a 12-yard run, and QB Darren Grainger had a 5-yard completion and five rushes for 35 yards.

> In 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia State scored the go-ahead touchdown on Cornelious Brown's 1-yard run with 2:54 to play to send Georgia State to a 30-24 victory. The Panthers trailed 24-13 in the fourth quarter before scoring 17 straight points.

> In 2017 in Statesboro, Penny Hart caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Conner Manning with 2:31 to play to give the Panthers a 21-17 come-from-behind win. Hart finished with eight catches for a then-school record 191 yards.

> In 2016, in its last game at the Georgia Dome, Georgia State won its second straight in the series, 30-24. Conner Manning passed for 318 yards and the Panthers scored on their first three possessions for a 20-0 lead.

> In 2015, Georgia State recorded a record-setting and bowl-clinching 34-7 victory in Statesboro. The Panthers handed Georgia Southern their worst home loss ever as the GSU defense limited the Eagles to 135 yards rushing and a school-record 203 yards of total offense. After a 7-7 first half, the Panthers scored touchdowns on their first four possessions of the second half.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Tra Barnett: RB; 5' 10"; Senior

#26 Tucker Gregg: RB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#1 Jontrey Hunter: OLB; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#34 Antavious Lane: S; 5' 9"; Freshman

#2 Jamari Thrash: WR; 6' 0"; Freshman

#40 Jordan Veneziale: ILB; 6' 0"; Freshman

#20 Quavian White: CB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#8 Ja'Cyais Credle: WR; 6' 4"; Junior

#3 Darren Grainger: QB; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#45 Jordan Jones: ILB; 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman

#14 Robert Lewis: WR; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#21 Jamyest Williams: RB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Tra Barnett
: 5' 10"; Senior
: RB

#26 Tucker Gregg
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: RB

#1 Jontrey Hunter
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: OLB

#34 Antavious Lane
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: S

#2 Jamari Thrash
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: WR

#40 Jordan Veneziale
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: ILB

#20 Quavian White
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: CB

#8 Ja'Cyais Credle
: 6' 4"; Junior
: WR

#3 Darren Grainger
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: QB

#45 Jordan Jones
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Freshman
: ILB

#14 Robert Lewis
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#21 Jamyest Williams
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: RB