Darren Grainger passed for 191 yards, Marcus Carroll rushed for 150 yards and the Georgia State defense was outstanding as the Panthers moved to 4-0 for the first time in program history with a 30-17 win at Coastal Carolina Thursday night at Brooks Stadium.
It was another happy homecoming for Grainger, the Conway native who is 2-0 in his hometown. The senior quarterback completed 15 of 26 passes with one touchdown pass while rushing for 47 yards rushed for another. Carroll had another big game, his third 100-yard effort in four games this season and his fifth in the last eight games, including his FBS-leading eighth touchdown on a 7-yard run in the third quarter.
"Our football team played their hearts out tonight," head coach Shawn Elliott said. "They practiced their hearts out, and they've done everything we've asked them to do, and it was really evident on this field tonight. To have our first conference win and our first 4-0 start in school history really feels incredible."
Robert Lewis had three catches for 39 yards, including his fifth touchdown catch of the season. He has caught 12 touchdowns in his last 13 games.
The Georgia State defense allowed only 10 points while constantly pressuring Coastal quarterback Grayson McCall, the three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year. The Panthers were particularly effective in the red zone, holding the Chanticleers to just three point on four trips to the red zone.
"I can't say enough about our defense," Elliott said. "Coach [Chad] Staggs coming bck here, a couple of defensive players who transferred from Coastal, coming to Georgia State (Josiah Robinson and Corey Warren), they balled out tonight and got the W."
In addition to starting 4-0, Georgia State opened Sun Belt Conference play 1-0, while the Chanticleers fell to 2-2 and 0-1.
Georgia State enters the weekend as one of only two 4-0 FBS teams in the nation, along with Notre Dame.
How It Happened
Georgia State scored on the game's opening drive to take a 7-0 lead on Darren Grainger's 8-yard touchdown run, capping a 14-play, 75-yard drive. After Coastal Carolina scored to cut the Panthers lead to 7-3, Georgia State fired back with Grainger's 13-yard TD pass to Robert Lewis touchdown to make it 14-3 early in the second quarter.
After the GSU defense forced a missed field goal late in the first half, freshman placekicker Liam Rickman booted a field goal on the final play of the half for the second straight game to give the Panthers a 17-3 halftime lead.
Coastal Carolina managed a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half, but Rickman's second field goal made it 20-10 with five minutes left in the third quarter.
Georgia State continued to increase its advantage, as Carroll's 7-yard TD run with 13:13 remaining in the fourth quarter made it 27-10.
After a dropped snap on a punt led to a Coastal touchdown that brought the Chanticleers within 27-27 with seven minutes left, Georgia State's Jordan Veneziale recovered the ensuing on-sides kick, leading to Rickman's third field goal of the game for a 30-17 lead with 2:36 left.
