GSU pulls out OT win

By Ken Sugiura

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A game that began in a quagmire ended with an exuberant midfield pile and a jubilant kicker on the shoulders of his teammates.

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Kent D. Johnson, kdjohnson@ajc.com GSU kicker Iain Vance kicks a field goal from the hold of Brandon Lupo in the second quarter of the Georgia State game vs. North Carolina Central at the Georgia Dome Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010.

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Georgia State's 20-17 overtime win over North Carolina Central rolled a sleepwalking first half, a resilient defensive effort and a redemption quest all into one ungainly pile.

"In order to be a decent program, you've got to win these games," Georgia State coach Bill Curry said. "You've got to win the games when you come out and you just don't have it."

The Panthers (5-2) won their fourth consecutive game Saturday at the Georgia Dome, coming back twice from second-half deficits and then winning on their first possession of overtime on kicker Iain Vance's 33-yard field goal. They got some help from the Eagles (2-4), who undoubtedly left the dome as aggravated over lost opportunities as the Panthers were relieved to have used just enough of theirs.

"Everyone pulled together," defensive coordinator John Thompson said. "It was one of the greatest sidelines that I've ever been a part of."

Indeed, the action seemed to play out on the Georgia State bench as it did between the sidelines. After cornerback Jamal Ransby was beaten for a 47-yard touchdown pass that gave North Carolina Central a 14-10 fourth-quarter lead, linebacker Jake Muasau told Ransby, "Hey, it's over. I still believe in you. You can still make a big play."

In overtime, when the Eagles took the ball first, Ransby deflected a third-down pass in the end zone to force a field-goal attempt, which went wide.

Running the team's Wildcat package, backup quarterback Kelton Hill fumbled away his first two carries. After the second, he was met by Curry, who told him to forget the fumbles and that he was going to help the team win. Following the second fumble, early in the third quarter, Hill gained 45 of his team-high 71 rushing yards. He gained his final 12 in overtime, dashing to the North Carolina Central 16-yard line on third down to set up Vance's game-winner.

"He was a huge reason why we were able to win [Saturday]," offensive coordinator John Bond said of Hill.

At halftime, the Panthers were tangled in the Eagles' schemes. Georgia State's coaches were out-foxed in the first half, vexed by the split-backs formation the North Carolina Central offense showed and a series of unpredictable defensive looks.

The Eagles had outgained Georgia State 143-28 on the ground and led only 7-3 because of  three interceptions. Curry said his offensive players looked "vacant-eyed."

Yet, when Curry approached starting quarterback Drew Little at halftime, Little had his own material ready.

"I started to say something, he just looked up and said, ‘We're going to win this game. Don't you worry,'" Curry said.

The defense rose up, allowing just 32 rushing yards after halftime. Little led touchdown drives of 85 and 66 yards in the second half, both of which erased North Carolina Central leads. Running back Travis Evans finished the first with a 15-yard touchdown run. Little completed the second by hitting Danny Williams on a stutter-and-go route for a 24-yard score that put Georgia State ahead 17-14 with 5:36 to play.

Said Williams, who registered his second 100-yard receiving game, "Drew's just a great, great quarterback."