Georgia State’s football team kept alive its hopes of reaching bowl eligibility with a 31-21 victory over Troy on Friday at the Georgia Dome.
The Panthers (5-6, 4-3), who have won three consecutive games for the first time since the 2010 season, must defeat rival Georgia Southern next week in Statesboro to earn the sixth win necessary to be selected by a bowl.
Here are five observations from Friday’s game:
Georgia State's defense is good. Coming off last week's win over South Alabama in which it gave up season lows for points (10) and yards (282), the Panthers' defense had another solid showing against Troy.
Troy had difficultly converting third downs (5 of 14) when the result was still in doubt against a defense that was mostly disciplined against myriad looks and plays, including wildcat formations, passes back to the quarterback and a catalog of other tactics. The Trojans totaled 374 yards, including just 81 rushing. Troy was averaging 27.3 points and 349.7 yards per game, including scoring at least 41 points in three of their last four games.
“For the most part our defense was outstanding, again,” coach Trent Miles said. “They’ve (Troy) been lighting it up offensively.”
Georgia State’s improvement can be partially traced to its stinginess against big plays, allowing only 19 plays of 15 yards or longer in four of its previous five games. Troy had some success with six pass plays of at least 15, but some of those were fluky. For example, the Trojans’ 58-yard touchdown pass came against a blitz and was aided by a missed tackle that would have resulted in a very short gain.
Defensive lineman Shawayne Lawrence said he is still trying to figure out the difference in the defense the past few games compared to the one from the first few game sin the beginning of the season.
“I’m still trying to put my finger on it,” he said. “Everybody bought in and it’s starting to show.”
Rucker steps up. Tight end Keith Rucker was a weapon in the middle of the field for Nick Arbuckle, with career-highs in receptions (10) and yards (154).
He was open because Georgia State has Robert Davis, Donovan Harden and Penny Hart on the edge, which forced the Trojans to pick someone to be left in single coverage, or in some cases uncovered.
Rucker has always shown his athletic ability in practices, but played behind NFL prospect Joel Ruiz last season and the beginning of this season. The decision for Ruiz to sit out the rest of the season to rehab his injury opened the door for Rucker. He has responded with 26 receptions for 320 yards and five touchdowns before Friday’s game.
“With how may good receivers we have you can’t double cover everybody,” Arbuckle said. “My job to find the guys that’s single.”
Arbuckle said he rarely looks at stats, but knew that Rucker had a good game so the first thing he did when he got to the locker room was grab a stat sheet, find Rucker’s stats, find him and make sure he knew what he did.
Rucker’s forays up the middle of field softened the defense for Georgia State’s running game.
“He brings such an added dimension to us,” Miles said. “I believe we have gthe best two tight ends in the conference.”
Smith takes advantage of opportunity. Georgia State's coaches have been trying to find a home for the athlete for the past two seasons. He played some at wide receiver last season and the start of this season, but the group was so deep he couldn't earn consistent playing time.
He was moved to running back — the position he grew up playing and a move the coaches considered last year — earlier this season when injuries to Taz Bateman and Kyler Neal decimated the group. Smith played well, rushing for 82 yards on 16 carries at Arkansas State. He was then eclipsed by Demarcus Kirk and the return of Taz Bateman.
After Kirk and Bateman fumbled early in the first half against Troy, Smith got a lot of playing time and put it to use.
He rushed for 62 yards in the first half, including a 39-yard touchdown.
“I saw the hole and I hit it,” Smith said.
The Panthers had almost as many rushing yards in the half (112) as Troy did passing yards (114). Smith finished with 87 yards on 19 carries. The Panthers rushed for 151 yards.
Smith said the running game was successful becaues the Trojans would often overpursue, leaving cutback lanes open.
“He’s a tough guy with explosiveness,” Miles said. “He ccan change direction, lower his pad level and run through you.”
The seniors go out well. Georgia State honored its seniors before the game, and several of them put in solid performances.
Arbuckle tied his single-season record for touchdown passes (23) with a 46-yard bomb to Robert Davis in the third quarter. He added a 1-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Panthers a 31-7 lead.
Linebacker Joseph Peterson, the school’s all-time leading tackler, recovered a fumble on the 43-yard line in the third quarter.
Miles said the contributions made by the seniors can’t be measured.
“They’ve walked around, putting up with people putting them down,” Miles said. “I’m very excited that they can move this program forward.”
Turnovers and finishing. Georgia State should have had this game put away much earlier, but turnovers and conservate play-calling prevented them from doing so. On the first drive, Kirk fumbled and lost the ball to Troy on the 30-yard line.
Later in the half, after three consecutive solid runs totaling 32 yards, Bateman got the ball one more time on first-and-goal at the 4-yard line and fumbled into the end zone as he was approaching the goal line. That turnover denied Georgia State at least a field-goal attempt.
Leading 31-14, Georgia State’s offense couldn’t move the ball, totaling 40 yards in three drives. Troy took advantage to score one more touchdown.
Arbuckle said the team’s didn’t finish as well because it stopped converting on third downs. Georgia State converted 8-of-13 in the first half and 10-of-18 in the game.
Georgia State failed to convert a fourth-and-1 on the 18-yard line with 2:26 that would have ended the game had the first down been successfully picked up.
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