Georgia State runs wild on blue turf

Grainger, Brock savor big days as Panthers rout Utah State in Boise

Darren Grainger threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more as Georgia State handled Utah State 45-22 Saturday in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Freddie Brock rushed for a career-best 276 yards and a score for the Panthers on Boise State’s blue artificial turf. Georgia State (7-6), which had lost five of its last six contests entering the game, scored 31 straight points to break it open.

“To get this bowl win and see how we prepared and got this bowl win,” Panthers coach Shawn Elliott said, shaking his head. “We had three new offensive linemen. … We had a new running back starting for us and new wide receivers. But there wasn’t a single person who blinked an eye. They went out there and executed and got the job done.”

Utah State (6-7) fell apart after rolling up 161 yards of offense in the first quarter, tallying just 186 yards in the final three periods.

Grainger, a senior who transferred from Furman in 2021, was 19-of-22 passing and rushed for 111 yards, accounting for 368 yards of total offense to earn MVP honors.

Brock, who assumed a starting role after leading rusher Marcus Carroll transferred to Missouri following the regular season, ripped off runs of 31, 43, 58 and 60 yards. He broke the previous school record of 242 yards set by Trae Barnett against Troy on Oct. 26, 2019.

“I wasn’t worried about the record,” said Brock, a transfer from Maine who hadn’t carried the ball more than three times in a game for Georgia State. “I just came here to play and take advantage of the moment. I didn’t know about it until the last two runs.”

But Grainger knew.

“Before the last drive, I told the whole offensive line that we needed Brock to get that record right now,” Grainger said.

South Alabama 59, Eastern Michigan 10: Freshman Gio Lopez threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and South Alabama trounced Eastern Michigan 59-10 in the 68 Ventures Bowl.

Playing on their home field at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, the Jaguars (7-6) scored on their first three possessions, led 38-3 at halftime and outgained Eastern Michigan (6-7) 627 yards to 150. It was the first bowl victory for South Alabama, which joined the FBS in 2012.