ATLANTA - Georgia State scored 14 points in the fourth quarter but couldn't erase the deficit, falling 31-20 to Coastal Carolina at Center Parc Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Ayden Pereira threw for 200 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, completing 20 of 37 passes. He also added 33 yards on the ground.
Qwantavius Wiggins led the rushing attack with 96 yards on 11 carries (8.7 per carry), including a 58-yard run in the second quarter. He added two catches for 21 yards and a two-point conversion in the fourth, finishing with 117 all-purpose yards. Grant Hollier caught three passes for 52 yards and a touchdown, and DJ Riles had six receptions for 44 yards and a score.
Defensively, Jaden Kelly and Alex Mullings each logged an interception, and Antonio Wesley recovered a fumble. Jaydon Hood had a sack and a forced fumble, and Coby Owens led the team with nine tackles, including two tackles for loss.
The Panthers won the turnover battle 3-1 and held Coastal Carolina to 73 rushing yards, out-rushing the Chanticleers by 87. The defense also broke up three passes and logged two sacks.
How It Happened
Georgia State scored first on a 32-yard Samer Layous field goal with 2:12 left in the first quarter, capping a 61-yard drive that ate up 6:53.
Coastal Carolina scored 17 straight in the second quarter on a 21-yard touchdown, a 53-yard field goal and a 25-yard touchdown. The chanticleers ended the second quarter with a 32-yard field goal to make it 17-6.
The Chanticleers added two touchdown in the third on a 31-yard catch and a 2-yard run to lead 31-6 heading into the fourth.
The Panthers answered with 14 straight in the final period. Pereira found Hollier from nine yards out with 11:59 left, and Wiggins caught the two-point conversion to make it 31-14. After Wesley recovered a fumble at the Coastal Carolina 18, Pereira hit Riles for an 18-yard score with 7:38 to play to cut it to 31-20.
Georgia State got the ball back at its own 15 with 1:05 left and drove to the Coastal Carolina 35, but time expired on a sack.
Game Notes
» Coastal Carolina outgained Georgia State 375-360 in the contest.
» Georgia State won the turnover battle 3-1 after intercepting two passes and recovering one fumble.
» Georgia State tallied 14 points in the fourth quarter, accounting for 70% of their total score.
» Georgia State converted 5 of 15 third downs while Coastal Carolina was successful on 4 of 13.
» The Panthers had two players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by
Coby Owens, who had nine.
» Georgia State went 1-for-2 on fourth down, converting on 50 percent of attempts.
» The Panthers ended the game on a high note, scoring 14 unanswered points to close out the contest.
Up Next
Georgia State hits the road next Saturday, Nov. 7, to face Appalachian State in Boone, N.C., with kickoff set for 2:30 p.m.
