Football 9/19/2022 5:04:00 PM

THERS-day Night on National TV vs. Coastal Carolina

GEORGIA STATE (0-3, 0-0) vs. COASTAL CAROLINA (3-0, 0-0)
Thursday, Sept. 22 | 7:30 p.m. | Center Parc Stadium

TV: ESPN2
RADIO: Georgia State Radio Network on WRAS-FM 88.5, GeorgiaStateSports.com and GSU Athletics mobile app.

THE KICKOFF: Georgia State opens Sun Belt Conference play by hosting Coastal Carolina in a Thursday night, nationally-televised game at Center Parc Stadium.

The Panthers (0-3) are hosting a Thursday night game at Center Parc Stadium for the first time since 2017.

> Georgia State quarterback Darren Grainger passed for a career-high 343 yards and four touchdowns vs. Charlotte. Since taking over the starting role in Game 3 of 2021, Grainger has accounted for 31 touchdowns in 14 starts (27 passing, 4 rushing).

> Junior wide receiver Jamari Thrash broke the GSU single-game record for receiving yards with 213 yards on 10 catches vs. Charlotte. His 32-yard TD gave the Panthers a 41-35 lead with 1:39 to play, and he also hauled in a 73-yard reception for Georgia State's longest pass play since 2016.

> Thrash leads the Panthers with 19 catches for 336 yards. He is No. 7 in FBS with 112 receiving yards per game.

> Sophomore wide receiver Robert Lewis has five touchdown catches in his last four games. He is No. 2 in the Sun Belt and No. 9 FBS with four TD receptions this season.

> Lewis had a breakout game against North Carolina with seven receptions for 115 yards, including touchdown catches of 49 and 29 yards. After catching his first career touchdown in the 2021 TaxAct Camellia bowl, he had a 17-yard TD vs. South Carolina and a 34-yard scoring play vs. Charlotte.

> Super senior Tucker Gregg, who rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns vs. Charlotte, ranks second on the GSU career rushing list, trailing only Tra Barnett (2,156 yards, 2016-19). Gregg's 18 career rushing touchdowns are one behind Barnett's record of 19.

> Georgia State ranks No. 17 in FBS in rushing with 231.3 yards per game. The Panthers have rushed for 200-plus yards in 10 of the last 11 games.

> Cornerback Quavian White is tied for No. 1 in FBS with three interceptions (1.0 per game). The super senior had two interceptions at South Carolina, along with two tackles for loss including a sack, a pass breakup and five tackles. He added another pick vs. Charlotte.

> White has 10 career interceptions, the Georgia State record and tied for fourth among all active FBS players. Teammate Antavious Lane is one behind with nine.

> The GSU defense has forced six turnovers in the first three games with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. That gives the Panthers 16 takeaways over the last seven games.

BACKFIELD DUO: Senior running backs Tucker Gregg (second) and Jamyest Williams (seventh) both rank among the top seven career rushers in GSU history.

Gregg (1,763 yards) has moved into the No. 2 position, while Williams (1,256) ranks seventh.

Since the start of the 2020 season, Gregg (1,624) and Williams (1,276) have combined for 2,900 yards, including 1,812 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2021.

MAKE THAT BACKFIELD TRIO: Junior Marcus Carroll has added a third weapon to the GSU backfield, along with super seniors Tucker Gregg and Jamyest Williams.

Carroll rushed for 94 yards on 15 carries vs. Charlotte. He is averaging 7.6 yards per carry on the season.

SERIES VS. COASTAL: Georgia State holds a 3-2 lead in the series, which began in 2017.

Last season at Coastal Carolina, Georgia State earned its first win over a ranked opponent with a 42-40 victory over the No. 22/21 Chanticleers.

Playing in his hometown of Conway, S.C., QB Darren Grainger, passed for 198 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 2-yard TD pass to Terrance Dixon with five minutes left. RBs Jamyest Williams (83 yards, 1 TD) and Tucker Gregg (67 yards, 3 TD) combined for 150 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

The Georgia State defense stopped Coastal's attempt at the game-tying 2-point conversion with 1:09 left as NG Thomas Gore tackled RB Shermari Jones shy of the goal line. The Panthers recovered the ensuing onside kick to preserve the win.

The visiting team has won all five games in the series.

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Players Mentioned

#5 Tra Barnett: RB; 5' 10"; Senior

#27 Terrance Dixon: WR; 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore

#59 Thomas Gore: DL; 6' 0"; Freshman

#26 Tucker Gregg: RB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

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

#2 Jamari Thrash: WR; 6' 0"; Freshman

#20 Quavian White: CB; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#23 Marcus Carroll: RB; 5' 10"; Junior

#3 Darren Grainger: QB; 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior

#14 Robert Lewis: WR; 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore

#21 Jamyest Williams: RB; 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

#5 Tra Barnett
: 5' 10"; Senior
: RB

#27 Terrance Dixon
: 5' 7"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#59 Thomas Gore
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: DL

#26 Tucker Gregg
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: RB

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

#2 Jamari Thrash
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: WR

#20 Quavian White
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: CB

#23 Marcus Carroll
: 5' 10"; Junior
: RB

#3 Darren Grainger
: 6' 4"; Redshirt Senior
: QB

#14 Robert Lewis
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Sophomore
: WR

#21 Jamyest Williams
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Senior
: RB