GEORGIA STATE (3-4, 2-4 SBC) at SOUTH ALABAMA (3-5, 2-3 SBC)
Nov. 21, 2020  |  3:30 p.m. ET  |  Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, Ala.
TV: ESPNU  |  Radio: WRAS-FM 88.5
 
THE KICKOFF: Georgia State plays its final road game of 2020 Saturday with a trip to South Alabama for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPNU. The Panthers will be making their first appearance at USA's new on-campus facility, Hancock Whitney Stadium.

The Panthers (3-4, 2-4 Sun Belt) turned in an outstanding defensive performance but came up just short in a 17-13 loss at App State. The GSU defense allowed just 310 yards to the Mountaineers.
 
GAME NOTES:
> The Panthers average 33.3 points per game (No. 2 in the Sun Belt) and have scored 52 points, the program high against an FBS opponent, twice this season and four times in the last two years.
 
> Redshirt freshman quarterback Cornelious Brown IV was the Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week Nov. 9 after his performance vs. ULM. He passed for 241 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, including two scoring passes to Cornelius McCoy.
 
> Brown is averaging 224.4 yards of total offense per game (191.4 passing/33.0 rushing) while accounting for 18 touchdowns. (13 pass/5rush). He is third in the Sun Belt in total offense and second in points responsible for.
 
> Junior running back Destin Coates is the Sun Belt's No. 2 rusher, averaging 96.8 yards per game. He has topped the 100-yard mark in four games this season. As a team, the Panthers are No. 30 in FBS in rushing (205.1 ypg).
 
> Coates now ranks fifth in GSU history with 1,264 rushing yards (No. 4 Dan Ellington, 1,293 yards) and tied for second with 13 rushing touchdowns (Record is 19 by Tra Barnett).
 
> The Panthers' top receiver is Sam Pinckney with 29 catches for 451 yards and six touchdowns. Over a two-game span vs. East Carolina and Arkansas State, Pinckney totaled 13 receptions, 280 yards and five TD.
 
> Tight end Roger Carter (13-164-4) caught his 10th career touchdown pass against ULM, tying Keith Rucker for the most by a GSU TE.
 
> Defensive end Hardrick Willis has had 2.5 sacks in the last two games to raise his career total to 10.0. The GSU career record is 10.5 by Mackendy Cheridor (2013-17).
 
> Outside linebacker Jordan Strachan recorded his sixth sack of the season vs. App State to set a new the GSU season record. The previous mark was set by Christo Bilukidi in the 2010 inaugural season. Strachan is tied for the Sun Belt lead with 0.89 sacks pg.
 
> Led by Strachan (6.0 sacks) and Willis (4.0 sacks), Georgia State has 23 sacks on the season, just behind the GSU season record of 24, set in 2017.
 
> Strachan is one of two Panthers to earn the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honor (Oct. 26 vs. Troy), along with redshirt freshman safety Antavious Lane following the East Carolina win.
 
> Lane leads the GSU defense with 50 tackles and three interceptions--the most ever by a Panther freshman--including a pick-six. He also has six pass breakups, two tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
 
> Georgia State has won two in a row and three of the last four against South Alabama to even the series at 4-4, including 3-3 in Sun Belt games.
 
> All four GSU wins have come in Atlanta, including last season's 28-15 victory at Center Parc Stadium.
 
> In last year's GSU win, Tra Barnett rushed for 128 yards and one TD, and the Panthers' defense held South Alabama to 326 yards of total offense. TE Roger Carter had career highs with seven catches for 87 yards with a 4-yard TD.
 
> Quarterback Cornelious Brown IV and safety Antavious Lane, both redshirt freshmen, were named to the FWAA Freshman All-American Watch List. Junior center Malik Sumter has been tabbed to the Rimington Award Watch List.
 
> Placekicker Noel Ruiz, the grad transfer (North Carolina A&T), ranks fifth among all active FBS kickers (sixth among all players) with 303 points. He is fourth with 168 PAT and 13th with 45 career field goals.