Georgia State topples Coastal Carolina for program’s first win over nationally ranked foe

CONWAY, S.C. – Georgia State earned its first ever win over a nationally ranked opponent by stopping a two-point conversion attempt with 1:09 to play, preserving the Panthers’ 42-40 win at No. 22/21 Coastal Carolina Saturday at Brooks Stadium.

Facing its fourth ranked opponent of the season Georgia State (5-5, 4-2 Sun Belt) snapped Coastal Carolina’s (8-2, 4-2) 12-game home winning streak and likely knocked the Chanticleers out of the polls after 22 straight weeks.

Playing in his hometown before a large contingent of family and friends, GSU quarterback Darren Grainger, who attended Conway High School, passed for 198 yards and two touchdowns, and running backs Jamyest Williams (83 yards, 1 TD) and Tucker Gregg (67 yards, 3 TD) combined for 150 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

Grainger hit Terrance Dixon with a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to give the Panthers a 35-34 lead with five minutes left. On Coastal Carolina’s ensuing possession, GSU outside linebacker Jamil Muhammad sacked quarterback Bryce Carpenter, causing a fumble that Jontrey Hunter recovered at the Coastal 8-yard line. 

Two plays later, Gregg punched in his third touchdown of the day with a 4-yard run, and Georgia State led 42-34 with 2:36 to play.

But Coastal Carolina drove 75 yards on eight plays, capped by Carpenter’s 17-yard touchdown pass to tight end Isaiah Likely with 1:07 left. On the two-point conversion, Carpenter threw incomplete in the corner of the end zone, but pass interference was called. This time, the Chanticleers ran the ball up the middle, and the Georgia State defense made the stop.

Georgia State receiver Ja’Cyais Credle recovered the ensuing onside kick, and the Panthers ran out the clock for the huge win. 

Trailing 7-0 in the first quarter, the Panthers drove 75 yards on 11 plays to tie the game on Gregg’s 2-yard run. The key play on the drive was Grainger’s 22-yard completion down to the CCU 30 to tight end Roger Carter, who finished with three catches for 70 yards. 

With that first catch, Carter became Georgia State’s career leader in receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. The Columbia, S.C., native now has (90+ receptions for 1137+ yards), passing Keith Rucker (90-1148).

After Coastal regained the lead at 14-7, Grainger directed another 75-yard drive. After Grainger found tight end Aubry Payne for a 3-yard scoring pass to tie the game at 14-all with a minute left in the first quarter. 

Three plays later, Georgia State cornerback Quavian White intercepted Carpenter at midfield and returned it 36 yards to the 1, and Gregg took it in from there, giving the Panthers their first lead at 21-14 on the first play of the second quarter.

White’s interception is the seventh career pick for the Greer, S.C., native, tying Chandon Sullivan’s school record.

After Coastal Carolina managed a safety, the Panthers added to their lead with another 75-yard drive, this one capped by Williams’ 36-yard touchdown run for a 28-16 lead with five minutes in the half. 

Coastal scored a touchdown just before the half, and then struck first in the third quarter with a touchdown and then a field goal to pull within 28-26 with five minutes in the quarter. The Chanticleers moved ahead 34-28 on Shemari Jones’ third rushing touchdown with nine minutes left.

As they had all day, the Panthers drove the length of the field as Grainger directed an 11-play, 75-yard drive. Carter again figured prominently with a 39-yard catch down to the CCU 16. After Grainger scrambled 8-yards for a first down at the 6, the Panthers needed all four downs before Dixon’s touchdown catch on 4th-and-goal at the 2.