The 2019 season marked the 10th season of competition for the Georgia State football program, but the year proved to be memorable for many more reasons.
 
From the historic, season-opening victory at Tennessee, through record-setting offensive performances seemingly every week, to a trek across the country for the Panthers' third bowl game in five years, 2019 provided so many watershed moments.
 
Georgia State (7-6, 4-4 Sun Belt) tied its school record with seven victories and earned its second bowl berth in three seasons under head coach Shawn Elliott, with a trip to the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl. The Panthers posted their best home record at 5-1 while setting a program-record for home attendance.
 
Elliott's Panthers accomplished all this while overcoming significant adversity due to injuries. Not only did quarterback Dan Ellington play the final four games of the season with a torn ACL in his right knee, but defensive captains Ed Curney and Remy Lazarus suffered season-ending injuries, along with starting receivers Terrance Dixon and Sam Pinckney and starting defensive end Jordan Strachan.
 
Georgia State opened the 2019 season with one of the biggest victories in school history as the Panthers went into historic Neyland Stadium and knocked off the Tennessee Volunteers 38-30 before 100,000 orange-clad fans for the program's first win over a Power-5 opponent. GSU was honored as the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week by the FWAA.
 
The home opener at Georgia State Stadium in Week 2 provided more drama as Ellington threw a school-record five touchdown passes to engineer the largest comeback in school history with the Panthers rallying from a 20-3 deficit for a 48-42 win over Furman.
 
After a pair of tough road losses, Georgia State rebounded with a four-game winning streak in the which the offense put up record-setting numbers in victories over Arkansas State (52-38), Coastal Carolina (31-21), Army (28-12) and Troy (52-33), including
 
In the win over Troy, senior running back Tra Barnett rushed for a school-record 242 yards. In doing so, he broke the Georgia State records for rushing yards in a game, season and career, all in one day and led the victory that made the Panthers bowl eligible for the third time in the last five years.
 
The final four games of the regular-season proved to be the most challenging stretch after Ellington went down with a knee injury on the final play of the first half at ULM, a game in which GSU broke its single-game rushing record for the fourth time with in five games with 414 yards.
 
Despite the injury, Ellington started the next week as  Appalachian State (No. 24 Coaches/No. 25 CFP) became the first nationally-ranked opponent to visit Georgia State Stadium. Ellington led the Panthers to a 21-7 first-quarter lead before App State rallied for the win.
 
On Senior Day at Georgia State Stadium, the Panther earned a gritty 28-15 win over South Alabama to reach seven wins in the regular season for the first time.
 
Although Georgia State fell to Wyoming in the NOVA Home Loans Arizona Bowl, the trip to the desert was a reward for a very successful season and a celebration of a senior class that has done so much to move the program forward.
 
More highlights and milestones:
 
> During the 2019 season, 25 season records, 17 single-game records and seven career marks were set or broken (see chart below for complete list).
 
> Under first-year offensive coordinator Brad Glenn, Georgia State produced the most prolific offensive season in program history, setting school records for points, scoring average, total offense, total offense per game, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, rushing yards per attempt and first downs.
 
> Led by running back Tra Barnett, quarterback Dan Ellington and a strong offensive line, the Panthers broke their single-game rushing record four times in five games, leading to a season total of 3,141 yards, improving on last year's then-season record by more than 1,000 yards.
 
> Georgia State ranked No. 13 in FBS in rushing with 241.6 yards per game.
 
> Ten Panthers earned All-Sun Belt Conference honors, including first-team selections Tra Barnett (RB) and Hunter Atkinson (LT).
 
> Starting right tackle Travis Glover was named to the FWAA-Shaun Alexander Freshman All-America team, the second Freshman All-America in school history.
 
> Barnett literally re-wrote the GSU record book for rushing and now holds the records for rushing yards in a game, season and career, rushing attempts in a game, season and career, rushing touchdowns in a season and career, and 100-yard games in a season and career.
 
> Barnett led the Sun Belt and ranked No. 11 in FBS with 111.8 rushing yards per game. He is Georgia State's first season 1,000-yard rusher and career 2,000-yard rusher.
 
> Ellington set the GSU record for highest career completion percentage while finishing second in school history with 34 TD passes and 45 touchdowns responsible for. He ranks third in passing yards and completions.
 
> The offensive line quintet of LT Hunter Atkinson, LG Shamarious Gilmore, C Malik Sumter, RG Pat Bartlett, RT Travis Glover started every game and played nearly every snap.
 
> Punter Brandon Wright set GSU career records for punting average and field goals made as well as the season scoring record.
 

PROGRAM MILESTONES
Most Wins in a Season *	7
Most Regular-Season Wins	7
Best Home Record	5-1
First Power 5 Win	38-30	at Tennessee
Highest Home Attendance Average	17,186
Largest Comeback	17 points	vs. Furman
TEAM RECORDS - SEASON
Points Scored	406
Points Per Game	31.2
Touchdowns	53
Total Offense Yards	5718
Total Offense Yards Per Game	439.8
Total Plays	981
Rushing Yards	3141
Rushing Yards Per Game	241.6
Yards Per Rush	5.27
Rushing Attempts	596
Rushing TDs	30
First Downs	305
Fewest Turnovers	16
PAT Kicks Made	50
TEAM RECORDS - SINGLE GAME
Points vs. FBS Opponent	52	vs. Troy, Arkansas State
Touchdowns *	7	vs. Troy, Arkansas State
Total Offense	722	vs. Arkansas State
Plays	99	vs. Arkansas State
First Downs	39	vs. Arkansas State
Time of Possession	39:19	vs. Arkansas State
Rushing Yards	414	vs. ULM
Rushing Attempts	58	vs. Arkansas State
Rushing TDs	6	vs. Arkansas State
TD Passes	5	vs. Furman
PAT Kicks Made *	7	vs. Troy, Arkansas State
INDIVIDUAL GAME RECORDS
Yards Rushing	242	Tra Barnett	vs. Troy
Rushing Attempts	34	Tra Barnett	vs. Troy
Rushing Touchdowns *	3	Destin Coates	vs. Arkansas State
Yards Per Carry (min. 10)	14.6	Tra Barnett	vs. Coastal Carolina
Most Consecutive 100-yard Games	5	Tra Barnett
Touchdown Passes	5	Dan Ellington	vs. Furman
Most Tackles	20	Trajan Stephens-McQueen	vs. Army
Most PAT Kicks Made *	7	Brandon Wright	vs. Arkansas State
INDIVIDUAL SEASON RECORDS
Yards Rushing	1453	Tra Barnett
Rushing Attempts	248	Tra Barnett
Rushing Touchdowns	12	Tra Barnett
Rushing Yards Per Game	111.8	Tra Barnett
100-Yard Games	7	Tra Barnett
Touchdowns Scored	12	Tra Barnett
PAT Kicks Made	48	Brandon Wright
INDIVIDUAL CAREER RECORDS
Yards Rushing	2156	Tra Barnett
Rushing Attempts	387	Tra Barnett
Rushing Touchdowns	19	Tra Barnett
100-Yard Games	8	Tra Barnett
Highest Completion Percentage	62.0	Dan Ellington
Field Goals	32	Brandon Wright
Punting Average	43.32	Brandon Wright
* Tied Record

 
2019 HONORS
TEAM
FWAA Reveal Suits Team of the Week, Sept. 2 (GSU 38, Tennessee 28)
 
HEAD COACH SHAWN ELLIOTT
Dodd Trophy National Coach of the Week, Sept. 2 (GSU 38, Tennessee 28)
 
OC BRAD GLENN
Nominee for Broyles Award (assistant coach)
 
QB DAN ELLINGTON
All-Sun Belt Conference (2nd team)
Sun Belt Offensive Player of Week: Sept. 2 (Tennessee); Oct. 7 (Arkansas State)
Manning Award Star of the Week
Manning Award Midseason Watch List
Davey O'Brien Foundation Great 8 (Oct. 30)
 
RB TRA BARNETT
All-Sun Belt Conference (1st team)
Sun Belt Offensive Player of Week: Oct. 28 (Troy)
 
OT HUNTER ATKINSON
All-Sun Belt Conference (1st team)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference (1st team)
 
TE AUBRY PAYNE
All-Sun Belt Conference (2nd team)
 
WR CORNELIUS McCOY
All-Sun Belt Conference (3rd team)
 
T TRAVIS GLOVER
FWAA-Shaun Alexander Freshman All-America
 
TE ROGER CARTER
All-Sun Belt Conference (HM)
 
C MALIK SUMTER
All-Sun Belt Conference (HM)
 
DE HARDRICK WILLIS
All-Sun Belt Conference (HM)
 
NG DONTAE WILSON
All-Sun Belt Conference (HM)
 
LB TRAJAN STEPHENS-McQUEEN
Sun Belt Defensive Player of Week: Oct. 21 (Army)
 
DE TERRY THOMAS
NFF Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
CoSIDA Academic All-District
 
WR SAM PINCKNEY
FWAA Freshman All-American Team Midseason Watch List
 
P BRANDON WRIGHT
Preseason All-Sun Belt (1st team)        
Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List