What You Need to Know:
* The Georgia State defense established lows in the Trent Miles era for points allowed (10) and yards allowed (284) in the Panthers' 24-10 win over South Alabama.
* Nick Arbuckle passed for 311 yards with one TD rushing and one TD pass to Penny Hart to rally the Panthers from a 10-0 deficit.
* Arbuckle broke his own GSU season records for passing yards and touchdown responsibility.
ATLANTA -- Nick Arbuckle passed for 311 yards and accounted for two touchdowns to back an outstanding performance by the Georgia State defense as the Panthers earned their second straight win, 24-10 over South Alabama Saturday at the Georgia Dome.
The Georgia State (4-6, 3-3 Sun Belt) defense held South Alabama (5-5, 3-3 Sun Belt) to just 10 points and 282 yards, both lows under head coach Trent Miles. GSU shut out the Jaguars in the second half and limited USA to 110 yards on 28 plays after halftime, including just nine yards on three plays in the third quarter. South Alabama managed just one play longer than 20 yards in the game, and that was a 24-yard pass completions.
Arbuckle scored on a 2-yard run and completed 27 of 44 passes, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Penny Hart, as the senior quarterback broke his own Georgia State season records for passing yards, total offense and touchdown responsibility. Arbuckle now has 3,446 yards passing, 3,381 yards of total offense and 26 touchdowns accounted for--21 TDs passing and five rushing--with two games to play.
"I'm very excited for our young men, I thought it was an outstanding game especially on the defensive side of the ball," Miles said. "We started off a little tough with a first series touchdown but our kids responded and we battled. Not every game will be 45-42. Sometimes there will be defensive struggles, and our offense showed the resolve to be able to come back and get some scores to take the lead.
"I'm proud of the way they stuck together," Miles continued. "It's good for them to get the monkey off their back and get a home win. It's good for everybody. I'm happy for our fans and alumni who come out and support us, they were loud a group today and we're looking forward to Troy next Friday. It's good for everybody to see the development and we're proud of these guys who can now finish out a game and get the win."
After GSU fell behind 10-0 early in the second quarter, Arbuckle engineered an 18-play, 76-yard scoring drive. He completed three third-down passes on the march, the last one a 6-yard pass to Donovan Harden for a first down at the 3-yard line. On 3rd-and-goal at the 2, he dropped back to pass and then scrambled up the middle for the score, pulling the Panthers within 10-7 with seven minutes left in the half.
Still down 10-7, the Panthers took the opening kickoff of the second half and drove 63 yards on 15 plays while chewing up nearly six minutes before settling for Wil Lutz's 26-yard field and a 10-10 tie.
The GSU defense forced a three-and-out, setting up Arbuckle and the Panthers for another long scoring drive. This time, Georgia State used more than six minutes to move 78 yards on 12 plays, capped by Demarcus Kirk's 1-yard scoring run. Arbuckle converted third downs with a pair of short completions to Robert Davis, then on third-and-five from the USA 34, he hit Penny Hart for 31 yards down to the 3. Kyler Neal ran twice to move inside the 1, and then on third down, Kirk found the end zone on the first play of the fourth quarter, giving Georgia State its first lead, 17-10.
The defense again forced a punt, this time after one first down, and the Panthers were on the move again. Arbuckle again converted crucial third downs, including a 30-yard pass to tight end Keith Rucker down to the 11-yard line. On the next play, Arbuckle connected with Hart on a short pass in the flat, and the GSU freshman scampered 11 yards for the touchdown, putting the Panthers up 24-10 with nine minutes to play. That drive covered 85 yards on 10 plays.
Georgia State's three second-half scoring drives covered 226 yards on 45 plays and ate up 17 minutes on the clock. The Panthers were eight of 11 on third downs in the second half.
With South Alabama driving the ball for the first time in the second half and moving to a third-and-six at the GSU 37, senior safety Tarris Batiste came up with his second interception of the season to end the threat.
South Alabama had one more possession, taking over at its own 26 with 4:28 to play, but defensive end Michael Shaw sacked South Alabama quarterback Cody Clements on fourth down as he forced an intentional grounding penalty. GSU took over on downs, and the Panthers were able to run out the clock.
Arbuckle spread the ball evenly to his three primary targets as Harden finished with seven catches for 94 yards, Hart caught seven for 77 yards, and Davis finsihed with seven receptions for 67 yards. The Panthers netted 73 yards rushing, including 46 yards on 14 carries by Glenn Smith.
Georgia State now hosts Troy next Friday at 2 p.m. at the Georgia Dome.
