South Alabama spoiled a Georgia State comeback with a touchdown in the final two minutes to take a 38-31 lead and preserve the Jaguars’ first conference win.
The Panthers and Jaguars combined to score five touchdowns in the first quarter on 26 offensive plays. To say defense was lacking is an understatement. Four of the touchdowns covered over 50 yards.
Brendan Jenkins made a leaping, twisting catch of Bishop Davenport’s 18-yard pass to cap a 10-play drive, the most snaps of the five scoring drives. The touchdown gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead for almost a full minute and a half.
Georgia State answered the score on the third snap of the ensuing possession. Ted Hurst took a 9-yard pass from Cameran Brown 70 yards to the end zone. Hurst led all of the Panthers’ receivers with five receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns.
Jeremy Scott and Davenport improved upon their opponents’ scoring play with a 74-yard catch and run. Scott, the redshirt freshman, showed off his track and field sprinter roots, running away from several Georgia State defenders.
Two minutes and six plays later and the score was tied again. Brown found a new target in Dennis Murray, Jr. The redshirt freshman running back hauled in the five-yard pass, turned upfield, and raced 52 yards down the sideline for the tying score.
Defense was definitely on holiday.
South Alabama responded with a scoring drive that covered 75 yards in less than two minutes. Davenport dropped a perfect spiral over the shoulder and into the hands of Devin Voisin to set up Kentrel Bullock’s first touchdown of the game.
The Jags’ lead swelled to 14 on Davenport’s three-yard quarterback sneak. It would stay that way for the rest of the half as both teams missed field goals.
Scoring in the third quarter did not have the same pizzazz as the first. The Panthers’ defense finally decided to join the fray, holding the Jags to three snaps on both of their drives. Offensively, Georgia State dominated the clock, adding a 25-yard field goal on its first drive and moving into position for another score at the end of the quarter.
Ted Hurst caught his second score and Grant Hollier caught his first early in the final quarter to take the Panthers’ first lead of the game.
Davis Little tied the score for the Jags with a 23-yard field goal on the ensuing drive. The defense followed up the field goal with the play of the game. Jags linebacker Tirrell Johnson tackled Rashad Amos from behind, knocking the ball free in the process. Teammate Jayvon Henderson scooped up the loose ball and ran into the end zone. A penalty on the return nullified Henderson’s score, but the damage had been done.
A rejuvenated Bullock carried the load with six consecutive carries, including a four-yard run for the go-ahead touchdown.
Johnson made his second big play in the closing minutes. The Jags rushed three on fourth-and-five and still managed to get a hand on Brown’s jersey as the redshirt junior tried to make a play. His pass hit Johnson in the hands and ended the Panthers’ bid for a comeback.
Georgia State has 15 days off before traveling to Conway, SC, in a conference match-up with Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers defeated Appalachian State by 14 points in a shootout. App State overwhelmed the Panthers two weeks ago by a score of 41-20. The Panthers dropped their last meeting with Coastal Carolina 27-48. Whoever wins breaks the 4-4 series tie.
South Alabama returns to Mobile with two days of additional rest on the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. Louisiana sits one game ahead of the Jags in the SBC standings but has a date with Western Division-leader Troy on Saturday.