When the Panthers travel to Columbia, S.C., this Saturday to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first game of the season, it'll be extra special for Michael Hayes, the Georgia State punter and placekicker. For Hayes, it's not just the season opener — it's a homecoming.

"This is the game that I've been looking forward to the most since I came to Georgia State," Hayes said.

The Florence, S.C., native, an All-Sun Belt Conference punter last season, wasn't heavily recruited out of high school. He caught the attention of Head Coach Shawn Elliott — a fellow South Carolinian — right before National Signing Day in 2019.

CLICK HERE to read more on Michael Hayes in the GSU Magazine.