BUIES CREEK, N.C. -- Iain Vance's moment in the sun took five years and three schools. He isn't complaining.
Before this season, Georgia State's kicker had last played in a game in 2005, as a senior at Duluth High. He walked on at Georgia Tech and then Alabama before enrolling at Georgia State last fall.
Vance's 30-yard field goal with .5 seconds remaining -- which followed Campbell's attempt to ice him with a timeout -- was true, giving the Panthers their winning margin. Credit long snapper Scott McQueen and holder Brandon Lupo for their work, as well.
"Pretty much, I didn't want to let my teammates down more than anything," Vance said. "It wasn't really about the kick."
On the quarterbacks
Quarterback Drew Little was 9-for-10 passing for 82 yards on the two scoring drives in the fourth quarter. He was aided by a spectacular one-handed catch by Danny Williams, who also caught a touchdown pass from Little.
"I know [Little will] get us in the right run checks," offensive coordinator John Bond said. "I feel like he's going to make the right read on his progressions and passes."
Bond said he had hoped to play backup Star Jackson, but didn't have an opportunity. Little's superior play, along with the plan to play backup Kelton Hill for two series, as well as Campbell's long possessions, prevented it from happening.
In the stands
About 150 Georgia State fans made it to Campbell, including GSU grad Justin Cotton, who earned a word of appreciation from coach Bill Curry before the game. Cotton had a sign that read, "Camel Soup, mmm good." Campbell's nickname is the Camels.
The cheering section got a big boost from the family of running back Parris Lee. About 30 of his relatives came to the game from New York, Pennsylvania, Florida and North Carolina. Lee has a cousin on the Campbell roster, defensive back Jared Hart, and the family had been planning a football-themed reunion since the schedule came out last fall.
Etc.
Georgia State scored its first special-teams touchdown, a 96-yard kickoff return by Darren McCray to open the game. McCray scored last Saturday on a 41-yard reverse. … Players said there was hollering and screaming on the team plane that took the team from Atlanta to Raleigh on Friday. Some players, for whom it was their first time on a plane, raised their hands in the air as on a roller coaster.
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