TODAY’S GAME
GEORGIA STATE vs. COASTAL CAROLINA
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oming off a hardfought road win at Troy, Georgia State hosts undefeated and No. 20-ranked Coastal Carolina in a nationally-televised game at Centre Parc Stadium. Cornelious Brown IV threw two touchdown passes to tight end Roger Carter and rushed for a third score as the Panthers (2-2, 1-2 Sun Belt) scored 20 straight points in the third quarter and then survived a late Troy rally to win 36-34. “We showed a lot of poise coming back in the second half,” head coach Shawn Elliott said. “We had a really good third quarter, and then we held on long enough to get that win. It came right down to the end, but we’ve come to expect that around here.” Coastal Carolina (5-0, 3-0 Sun Belt), coming off a 28-14 victory over Georgia
Southern, will be the third nationally-ranked opponent to visit Center Parc Stadium in the last five games, following No. 24 Appalachian State (the first ranked team to play on GSU’s home field) last November and No. 19 Louisiana earlier this season. “We’ve got a really good Coastal Carolina team coming in here,” Elliott said. “Coach [Jamey] Chadwell and his staff do a great job. “They’ve got a very creative scheme on the offensive side, and defensively, I think they’re one of the best in our league.” GAME NOTES >> Outside linebacker Jordan Strachan is the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week after collecting three tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, and recovering two fumbles, one of which he also caused,
in the win over Troy. In the third quarter, he sacked and stripped the quarterback and recovered at the Troy 8-yard line, setting up a touchdown for a 33-21 lead. Strachan’s first fumble recovery came in the second quarter as he scooped up a loose ball and returned it 63 yards to the Troy 20 for the fourth-longest fumble return in GSU history. >> Strachan leads the Sun Belt with 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, which has already tied the GSU season sack record. In the last two games alone, he has four sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, two fumble recoveries and two caused fumbles. >> The GSU defense held Troy to just 40 yards rushing, the second-lowest figure in school history. The Panthers have held three straight opponents to 60 rushing yards or less, and GSU leads