BOISE, Idaho — One of the biggest obstacles facing Georgia State when it came to building a football program was name recognition. That has started to change, and this season the Panthers made eight appearances on national TV.
Their latest appearance Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl – a 45-22 win over Utah State – may have done even more to heighten the awareness of the program, which has been playing football for only 14 seasons and competing at the FBS level only since 2014.
“Our brand went out to a lot of people. There’s a lot of people who watched us,” coach Shawn Elliott said. “I promise you, there are kids that may not have known about Georgia State, but they saw that offense was up and down the field, the defense was lights out. Did you see how much fun they were having? That big ol’ Panther on the side of the helmet.”
The story line didn’t hurt, either. The Panthers were playing without five offensive starters and three defensive starters because of injuries, transfers and opt-outs. Despite the adversity, Georgia State secured its third consecutive bowl win and finished with a winning season for the fifth time in Elliott’s seven years.
“It went in a lot of households, so you can’t put a price on what it did for us,” Elliott said. “I hope everybody understands that. For whatever reason, people think these bowl games don’t matter. They matter. They matter to me. They matter to everyone in that locker room. It’s going to pay dividends for us.”
In an ever-changing world of college football, where the Power Five schools cherry-pick players they covet from Group of Five programs like Georgia State, it has become increasingly difficult to stockpile talent. Unless the NCAA changes the transfer portal rules, it likely will remain that way and make it more difficult to build sustainable success.
“It’s sad to see you can pour so much into something and just walk away from it,” Elliott said. “I don’t know what that teaches us. I’m just happy to have the guys that are here with us. Those are the guys that I want to be here regardless of the NCAA, regardless of anything else. Those are the guys that matter.”
Georgia State’s performance validated the work that Elliott’s staff has been doing since January to regain the program’s edge and to prepare the reserves for their moment. And the backups who were thrust into the spotlight in the bowl game responded better than many expected. Running back Freddie Brock, who had only six carries all season, set a school record by rushing for 276 yards, and he scored one touchdown. Many of those holes were opened by rookie tackles Ben Chukwuma and Trevor Timmons and center Alex Johnson. Those new faces, who will all return, give the Panthers a head start on 2024.
Perhaps this group can help the program take the step from being a perennial bowl participant to a Sun Belt Conference contender.
“We’re moving in the right direction, just with the culture shift,” quarterback Darren Grainger said. “You just continue to add pieces. Us being able to bring in guys that could contribute like we did this year. I feel like those are going to be the key to building the culture and moving in the right direction.”
Gavin Pringle, an all-conference cornerback who transferred in this season, said, “We’re working in the right direction. We didn’t finish the way we wanted (in the regular season), but everybody is on the same page and everybody knows what the main goal is.”
The biggest graduation loss will be Grainger, the unanimous Potato Bowl MVP after throwing for 257 yards and three touchdowns and running for 111 yards and two touchdowns. He completed his career as the school’s all-time leader in touchdown passes (57), total offense (8,709), touchdown responsibility (76) and second in passing yardage (6,779) and fourth in rushing yardage (2,130).
Grainger made a case for being the first Panther to have his number retired.
Grainger’s understudy has been Mikele Colasurdo, a junior who has not had many chances to play. The Panthers likely will bring in an experienced quarterback through the portal, but Colasurdo will have an opportunity this spring.
The only other significant losses from the bowl roster are linebacker Jordan Veneziale, a top tackler and inspirational leader, and hard-hitting safety TyGee Leach. Georgia State added four players in the transfer portal on signing day and is expected to add others. Elliott vets all the transfers to ensure they are a proper fit before making an offer, so the process could take time to play out.
But right now he and the staff plan to take a break for a few days over the holidays.
“We started Aug. 1 (and) (Saturday) was our 143rd day this season,” Elliott said. “We look like we started Day 1. Did you see the energy and effort out there? Looked like we just walked on the field for the first time. Now we get to end it with a bowl championship, take that back and celebrate it until the next Aug. 1.”
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