Bowl Victory Secures First Back-to-Back Winning Seasons

Notes from a Memorable Win

After winning the LendingTree Bowl 39-21 over Western Kentucky, Georgia State evened its bowl record at 2-2, including 2-1 under head coach Shawn Elliott, who has guided the Panthers to bowls in three of his four seasons. Both wins have come against WKU.

Georgia State's 6-4 final record is the best winning percentage in program history and gives the Panthers back-to-back winning seasons for the first time.

The Panthers will enter the 2021 season with a three-game winning streak (South Alabama, Georgia Southern, Western Kentucky).

Georgia State's average of 33.3 points per game is the highest scoring average in program history, bettering last year's mark of 31.2 ppg. The 2020 squad ranks second in rushing yards per game (194.0) and third in total offense per game (424.3).

The defense allowed an average of 136.7 rushing yards per game, just missing the school record of 136.4 ypg, set in 2017. This year's average of 3.86 yards per opponent rush is a record, well ahead of the 4.13 yards per rush allowed in 2017.

The Panthers held WKU to 284 yards of offense, which ranks among the top 10 performances in school history.

Over the final four games, the GSU defense allowed averages of 19.0 points and 322.0 yards of total offense in wins over South Alabama, Georgia Southern and Western Kentucky and a four-point loss at App State.

With three sacks, the season total is 35 (3.5 pg/No. 7 FBS), which is 11 more than the previous season record of 24 (set in 12-game season in 2017). That includes 21 sacks over the final five games.

Jordan Strachan now has 10.5 sacks, currently more than any other player in the nation (with some behind him still playing). He is officially No. 5 in FBS with 1.05 sacks per game.

Strachan finished with 14.0 TFL, also the GSU season record.

Hardrick Willis (12) and Jordan Strachan (10.5, tied with Mackendy Cheridor) rank 1-2 in career sacks.

With three turnovers, GSU forced 21 on the season (12 int/9 FR), No. 8 in FBS and one shy of the school record of 22 in 2015.

Antavious Lane grabbed his fourth interception to tie the GSU season record, also held by Bryan Williams (2017) and Tarris Batiste (2015). Lane now leads the Sun Belt and ranks No. 8 in FBS with 0.5 interceptions per game.

Georgia State was the only team to intercept WKU QB Tyrell Pigrome all season. Lane's pick snapped his string of consecutive passes without an interception at 278.

Cornelious Brown IV finished second in the Sun Belt in passing (227.8) and total offense (257.9) per game.

Quad's last three games (all wins):
63-for-97 (65%)
312.7 passing yards pg
336.0 total offense yards pg
4 TD/5 Int

Destin Coates recorded his fifth 100-yard game of the season and sixth of his career. He finished with 769 yards, the second-best season total in program history. He moved into third place on the GSU career rushing list with 1,452 yards and is second with 15 rushing touchdowns.

Noel Ruiz has made eight straight field goals, a new school record. He led Sun Belt kickers with 1.44 field goals and 8.0 points per game.

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Players Mentioned

#4 Cornelious Brown IV: QB; 6' 5"; Redshirt Freshman

#17 Destin Coates: RB; 5' 11"; Junior

#34 Antavious Lane: S; 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

#7 Jordan Strachan: OLB; 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior

#90 Hardrick Willis: DE; 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior

#92 Noel Ruiz: PK; 5' 11"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#4 Cornelious Brown IV
: 6' 5"; Redshirt Freshman
: QB

#17 Destin Coates
: 5' 11"; Junior
: RB

#34 Antavious Lane
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman
: S

#7 Jordan Strachan
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Junior
: OLB

#90 Hardrick Willis
: 6' 3"; Redshirt Junior
: DE

#92 Noel Ruiz
: 5' 11"; Senior
: PK