ATLANTA -- Georgia State had a record-breaking season opener, defeating North Carolina A&T 59-10 in a Friday night showdown at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium.
In a 49-point win, the Panthers set the program record for most points scored in a game, largest margin of victory, highest attended game, and largest student-body attendance in program history. Seven different players reached the end zone, including two touchdowns from Dennis Murray Jr. to aid the Panthers in the win.
The 59 points broke the previous program mark of 55, set against ULM in 2021 and against Savannah State in 2010. The 49-point margin of victory is also the largest in program history, and Georgia State's 35 first-half points ties for the second-most in a half in program history, matching the 35 the Panthers put up against East Carolina in 2020. The 24-point third quarter ties for the second-most points scored in a single quarter in program history, a mark now shared against Texas State from 2016. A blocked punt in the third quarter, Georgia State's first since 2023, helped set up one of nine Panther scoring drives.
Cameran Brown led Georgia State's passing attack, completing 15 of 20 attempts for 190 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Lanear McCrary Jr. paced the ground game with 75 yards and a touchdown on 9 carries (8.3 per carry), while Savion Hart added 61 yards and a score on just 4 totes, including a 41-yard touchdown burst. Murray Jr. found the end zone twice, once on a 30-yard touchdown catch from Brown to open the scoring, and again on a 14-yard touchdown run.
Jabriel Rhodes-Nelson anchored the Georgia State defense with three tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and two sacks. Xavier Esqillion added four tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack, and Aaron Moore chipped in a sack of his own.
Offensively, Georgia State piled up 563 total yards, 284 rushing and 279 passing, averaging 7.9 yards per play. The Panthers converted 7 of 12 third downs and were 1-for-1 on fourth down. Defensively, Georgia State limited NC A&T to just 209 total yards (84 rushing, 125 passing) while sacking Aggies quarterbacks five times for 28 yards and totaling nine tackles for loss.
How It Happened
Cameron Brown found Murray Jr. deep down the right sideline for a 30-yard touchdown, capping a lightning-quick, one-play, six-second drive to make it 7-0 with 7:17 left in the first quarter.
The Panthers weren't done in the opening frame. Georgia State put together an 11-play, 90-yard march, finishing it off when McCrary Jr. punched in an 8-yard touchdown run as time expired in the first, extending the lead to 14-0.
NC A&T got its first answer in the second quarter, with a 61-yard catch-and-run touchdown to make it 14-7, but Georgia State answered right back. The Panthers put together an 11-play, 70-yard drive, and capped it with a 2-yard touchdown run from Qwantavius Wiggins to push the margin back to 21-7. Murray Jr.'s second score of the night, a 14-yard scamper, and an 8-yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jamari Miller with 19 seconds left in the half rounded out a three-touchdown second quarter for Georgia State, and the Panthers took a commanding 35-7 lead into the break.
Georgia State kept its foot on the gas out of the locker room. Ayden Pereira, filling in at quarterback, capped a 60-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown scramble on the third play of the second half to make it 42-7. Two drives later, after NC A&T's punt was blocked and recovered at the Aggies' own 8-yard line, the Panthers' offense stalled in the red zone but Samer Layous connected on a 26-yard field goal to make it 45-7. Savion Hart then broke a 41-yard touchdown run on the very next Georgia State snap, and Xavier Butler capped the third-quarter outburst with a 20-yard touchdown run with 1:42 left, pushing the score to a staggering 59-7 and completing a 24-point third quarter for the Panthers.
NC A&T's lone points of the second half came on a 39-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter, the culmination of a 13-play, 53-yard drive, the Aggies' longest of the night. Georgia State's offense went quiet in the fourth as the Panthers ran clock, and NC A&T was unable to find the end zone again, kneeling out the final possession from inside its own 10-yard line.
Game Notes
» Georgia State's 59 points set a new program record for a single game, surpassing the previous mark of 55 (vs. ULM, 2021 and vs. Savannah State, 2010).
» The 49-point margin of victory is the largest in program history.
» Georgia State's 35 first-half points tie for the second-most in a half in program history, matching the total against East Carolina in 2020.
» The Panthers' 24-point third quarter ties for the second-most points in a quarter in program history, marked against Texas State in 2016.
» The Panthers' 21-point second quarter ties for the third-most points in a quarter in program history, now done against 18 different opponents.
» Georgia State's blocked punt in the third quarter was the program's first since 2023.
» Georgia State outgained NC A&T 563-209, including a 284-84 edge on the ground.
» The Panthers scored first with 7:17 left in the first quarter and never trailed.
» Seven different Georgia State players scored a touchdown with Dennis Murray Jr. scored twice.
» Georgia State converted 7 of 12 third downs, compared to NC A&T's 4 of 14.
» Christian Teeter punted twice for Georgia State, averaging 45.0 yards per punt with two of his kicks downed inside the 20.
» Georgia State won the time-of-possession battle 32:46 to 27:14.
» The Panthers did not allow a sack all game while recording five of their own.
» Cameran Brown completed 75 percent of his passes (15-of-20) for 190 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Up Next
The Panthers travel to Kennesaw, Ga. to face Kennesaw State inside Walens Family Field at Fifth Third Stadium on Sept. 12 at 7 p.m.
