The Georgia State defense has not had a great start to the season.
After allowing 31 points to Ball State (3-1) in the season opener, the Panthers (0-3) gave up 48 to Air Force (3-0) in a 34-point beatdown. The unit showed some promise in Madison, Wisconsin where it was able to hold the No. 8 Badgers (4-0) to just 13 points late into the fourth quarter, but GSU could not hold on and surrendered 10 points in the final 7 minutes 25 seconds to seal a 23-17 defeat.
With star sophomore receiver Penny Hart returning from injury this week and the offense looking ready to put some more points on the board, the Panthers still need to see marked improvement from their defense going into their contest with Appalachian State (2-2), who hung 37 points on GSU en-route to a 34-point blowout last season.
"They've owned us," coach Trent Miles said.
The matchup is the first conference game of the year for both teams and is especially critical for the Panthers as they are trying to prove they belong among the conference's elite despite starting the year with three straight losses and having lost to Appalachian State by a combined score of 81-3 over the past two years.
Senior safety Bobby Baker said the score is not a motivator though, just the fact that GSU has not been able to knock off the Mountaineers.
"No matter what you beat us by, if you ever beat us, we're motivated to beat you," Baker said. "If you haven't beat us, we're still motivated to beat you."
Baker has been singled out by teammates and Miles for his performance in practice leading up to the matchup. Before the season, he was named to the Preseason Watch List for the Jim Thorpe Award and also earned a spot on the preseason All-Sun Belt first team roster.
It will be important Baker steps up this week and shows why he received so much preseason love as he and fellow senior safety Bryan Williams will have to deal with Appalachian State's balanced offense.
Williams said the defense is prepared for what the Mountaineers will throw at them, which will make it a bit easier to make plays and force turnovers, and he is expecting a challenge going up against Appalachian State tight end Barrett Burns, who leads the team in receiving yards.
"Me as a safety, playing that tight end, we should know the ball is coming to him … and just try to make turnovers," Williams said.
Williams said he is expecting the Mountaineers to attack the air through play-action passes, so it would be beneficial for the Panthers to find a way to contain the opposition's running game.
In the first two games of the year GSU surrendered a combined 789 rushing yards. Against Wisconsin the team only allowed 187 yards on the ground, but another test awaits the unit in Boone, North Carolina.
Last year Appalachian State had the nation's sixth best rushing offense, and the Mountaineers averaged 5.89 yards per carry. GSU held Appalachian State to just 184 rushing yards and 4.5 yards per carry in their contest, so the Panthers have reason to believe they can contain the Mountaineers' rushing attack.
In order to make that happen though, GSU will need another big game from senior linebacker Alonzo McGee. McGee had 11 total tackles and a forced fumble against Wisconsin and if the Panthers are to reverse their fortune against Appalachian State, they will probably need similar production from him this week.
With GSU looking to jump start its season against a familiar opponent, McGee said he is not looking at the past results.
"It's a whole new year, we're throwing last year out the window," McGee said. "But best believe it's going to be a dog fight. We aren't going up there to play no games."
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