Sun Belt Conference recap
Published 10:41 pm Saturday, November 11, 2017
Georgia State 33, Texas State 30
SAN MARCOS, TEXAS – Georgia State won a school-record fifth-straight road game with a 33-30 victory over Texas State on Saturday afternoon to become bowl eligible for the second time in program history.
Georgia State improved to 6-3 and 5-1 in the Sun Belt and remain just a half-game out of first place in the conference standings.
Kyler Neal’s touchdown run with 6:01 to play put the Panthers ahead for good. It marked the 12th career rushing touchdown which tied the school career mark.
Brandon Wright kicked a school-record four field goals, including two 48-yarders.
After Texas State drove for a touchdown on the game’s opening possession, the Panthers answered with Brandon Wright’s career-long 48-yard field goal. The big play on the drive was a 34-yard reception by Todd Boyd.
On GSU’s next possession, Manning hit Devin Gentry for a short gain, and Gentry broke a tackle and raced for the end zone, completing a 34-yard scoring play that put the Panthers up 10-7 with six minutes to go in the first quarter.
After a Texas State touchdown early in the second quarter, Georgia State got in position for another 48-yard field goal by Wright, this one bringing the Panthers within 14-13 with 7:39 left in the second quarter.
Trailing 14-13, Georgia State opened the second half with another big play by Hart, who caught a pass over the middle and raced down to the 10-yard line for a 61-yard gain. But on the next play, freshman Tamir Jones had the ball knocked loose as he tried to reach the goal line, and Texas State recovered. The Bobcats converted the turnover into a field goal to lead 17-13 with nine minutes in the third quarter.
Troy 42, Coastal Carolina 17
CONWAY, S.C. — Marcus Jones scored twice on kickoff returns, Jordan Chunn set a school record with his 46th touchdown and Troy defeated Coastal Carolina 42-17 on Saturday night.
Jones opened the game with a 91-yard return and made the score 14-7 later in the first quarter with an 87-yarder, tying an FBS record held by many.
Chunn ran in from 8 yards out to give the Trojans a 28-10 halftime lead. Chunn passed Danny Grant, who played for Troy in the 1960s when it was an NAIA school, for most touchdowns scored, all of Chunn’s coming on the ground.
Blace Brown made two interceptions, his third career two-pick game for Troy (5-1, 8-2 Sun Belt), which has won four straight.
The Chanticleers (0-6, 1-10) have lost eight straight.
Troy’s Brandon Silvers threw for 206 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Coastal Carolina’s Kilton Anderson had 157 yards passing with two scores and two interceptions.
South Alabama 24, Arkansas State 19
MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Cole Garvin threw for 343 yards and two scores and South Alabama’s defense denied Arkansas State on its last two drives blunting the Red Wolves’ comeback with a 24-19 win on Saturday night.
With third-and-goal at the Jaguars’ 4-yard line, Justice Hansen took a shotgun snap and headed to the end zone before Bull Barge forced a fumble and Malcom Buggs recovered it in the end zone for a touchback with three minutes left.
The Red Wolves forced South Alabama (4-6, 3-3 Sun Belt) to punt and took over at their own 33-yard line with 2:06 to go, but Jeremy Reaves ended Arkansas State’s (5-3, 2-3) comeback attempt by intercepting Hansen with 90 seconds remaining.
Garvin’s 39-yard touchdown pass to Sam Harris to put South Alabama (4-6, 3-3 Sun Belt) ahead 17-6 before the end of the third quarter. Hansen countered and led a quick, 79-yard drive in four plays that ended with an 18-yard touchdown toss to Christian Booker before the quarter ended to pull within 17-12.
Each team scored TDs in the final quarter for the final margin. Hansen threw for 285 yards and two scores but had four interceptions.
Ole Miss 50, Louisiana 22
OXFORD, Miss. — Jordan Ta’amu threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more as Ole Miss scored on their first five possessions Saturday to defeat Louisiana 50-22.
Ta’amu finished 28 of 36 for 418 yards, opening with nine consecutive completions and was 14 of 15 midway through the first half. Ta’amu added scoring runs of 1 and 8 yards as the Rebels (5-5, 2-4 SEC) raced to an insurmountable 35-7 lead early in the second quarter.
In three starts and six appearances, Ta’amu is 86 of 117 for 1,246 yards and 7 touchdowns, adding 4 touchdowns on the ground.
Louisiana (4-5, 3-2 Sun Belt) scored on a 31-yard run by Raymond Calais during the first half surge by the Rebels. Reserve quarterback Jordan Davis added fourth quarter scoring runs of 10 and 31 yards.
“We knew coming in that 22 points would not be enough,” Louisiana coach Mark Hudspeth said. “They’re outstanding, especially offensively. They’ve got a lot of weapons and we could not show them down enough in the first half.”
The Rebels finished with 641 yards of total offense, 441 in the first half. Louisiana finished with no turnovers and 437 yards of total offense.