Who: Georgia State (6-6, 5-3 Sun Belt) vs. San Jose State (5-7, 4-4 Mountain West), Cure Bowl
When: 7 p.m. Saturday
Three things to know
1. Georgia State is riding a four-game win streak that included a 34-7 win over rival Georgia Southern. That win clinched the Panthers’ bowl eligibility, which later came with an invitation to its first bowl game in its sixth year playing the sport. The Spartans have lost three of their past four games.
2. Georgia State features the Sun Belt coach of the year in Trent Miles, the student-athlete of the year in quarterback Nick Arbuckle and 11 other players on various all-conference teams. That group includes wide receivers Penny Hart, Robert Davis, Donovan Harden and tight end Keith Rucker, linebackers Joseph Peterson and Alonzo McGee, safeties Tarris Batiste and Bobby Baker, defensive lineman Shawanye Lawrence, cornerback Chandon Sullivan and specialist Wil Lutz.
3. Georgia State is averaging 27.8 points and 450.5 yards per game, while allowing 28.4 points and 415.6 yards. The Panthers’ passing attack is averaging 346.6 yards per game with Hart the leading receiver with 70 receptions for 1,085 yards. Five receivers have at least 22 catches. The Spartans are averaging 28 points and 414.5 yards per game, while allowing 28.2 points and 369.2 yards per game.
Player to watch: Georgia State offense
QB Nick Arbuckle. Arbuckle has passed for 4,160 yards and 26 touchdowns. His 11 interceptions are six fewer than he threw last season. He has thrown at least one touchdown in every game this season except for one. He finished first in the Sun Belt in passing, total offense (340.3 yards per game) and completion percentage (64.1). He needs 95 yards passing in the Cure Bowl to become the Sun Belt's all-time single-season leader, breaking the mark set by Troy's Levi Brown in 2009.
Player to watch: Georgia State defense
LB Joseph Peterson. Peterson leads the team in tackles for the fourth consecutive season and is the leading tackler in school history. With Peterson as its leader, Georgia State's defense allowed an average of 16 points and 323.8 yards per game in its past five games.
Player to watch: San Jose State offense
RB Tyler Ervin. He is averaging 122.4 rushing yards per game, with an average 5.6 yards per carry. He has scored 13 touchdowns. He also is the team's second-leading receiver, with 44 receptions for 337 yards and two more touchdowns. He is the only FBS player to post two games with at least 250 rushing yards this season.
Player to watch: San Jose State defense
DB Cleveland Wallace III. The Spartans rank second in FBS in pass defense, allowing 153.6 yards per game. Wallace and senior Jimmy Pruitt became the starting cornerbacks in the third game of the 2014 season, and in six games since, opponents have failed to pass for more than 100 yards. They have combined for six interceptions this season.
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