The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GSU revels in first bowl win
Panthers set several Cure Bowl records, team victory mark.
ORLANDO, FLA.— For the first time, the Panthers can call themselves bowl champions.
GSU dominated in all three phases, defeating Western Kentucky 27-17 in the Cure Bowl on Saturday. Quarterback Conner Manning was selected the game’s
MVP after going 20 for 28 for 276 yards and a touchdown.
“When you do things you’ve never done before, you remember it the rest of your life,” GSU coach Shawn Elliott said. “We’ve set the standard for the rest of this program’s history.”
Here are five things to know about the Panthers’ biggest win in school history and where the team goes from here:
Best they’ve ever had: With the win, the Panthers finish 7-5, the most wins in program history. It did so in Elliott’s first season.
Elliott said his team is made of “misfit players and misfit coaches.” The players said they’ve been impressed with Elliott from the first day they met him.
“Energy,” senior defensive back Bryan Williams said about his coach’s most captivating trait. “He came in and just started yelling.”
“I thought he was the realest coach I’ve ever been around,” senior pass rusher Mackendy Cheridor said.
“We weren’t really selling anything,” Elliott said. “It was either get it or get out.”
The Panthers set Cure Bowl records in total yards (419), first downs (21), rushing yards (143) and thirddown conversions (8 for 16). They did so against a school that had made four consecutive bowls and won the past three.
The defining drive: The Panthers failed to capitalize on the opening drive of the second half, turning it over on downs at the WKU 21. The defense forced a punt, and the Panthers’ offense responded.
On third-and-4, Manning found Penny Hart, playing on an injured ankle, for 27 yards. Hart faked out and sped by the cornerback before turning around and stretching out for the catch.
“Guys around me stepped up,” Manning said. “My only goal (this season) was to help lead this team to a bowl victory.”
Elliott pulled out a trick on the next play with a reverse flea-flicker. Receiver Devin Gentry flipped the ball to running back Glenn Smith, who tossed it back to Manning. Tight end Roger Carter was wide open for a 42-yard touchdown that put GSU up 20-10 and completed a momentum shift.
Winning with defense: Considering the quality of opponent and the stage, Saturday may have been the defense’s best showing of the season.
Hilltoppers quarterback Mike White has been one of the most prolific passers in college football, producing without any semblance of a run game (WKU statistically had the worst rushing attack in FBS). White was third nationally in passing efficiency a year ago and had surpassed 300 yards in each of seven consecutive games.
That didn’t matter. The Panthers sacked White six times, including two from Cheridor. With 10.5 career sacks, Cheridor set the school high in his final game. WKU finished with minus-2 rushing yards on 21 attempts.
White surpassed the 300yard mark again, albeit with much of the damage coming in the final quarter while down 27-10. Chase Middleton picked White, GSU’s second interception of the day, on the Hilltoppers’ last drive.
Overcoming adversity: A recurring theme in the Panthers’ final two losses of the regular season was self-inflicted wounds. Manning was adamant the team couldn’t leave plays on the field, and while the team still had some miscues, it overcame them.
Brandon Wright had a solid day, and it’s hard to blame him for the team coming away with nothing on the final drive of the first half. On third-and-10 at the Hilltoppers’ 36, Manning hit Jonathan Ifedi on a screen for a touchdown. But it was overturned after a review concluded Ifedi’s knee had tapped the ground before he hit the hole.
Wright then missed a 54-yarder, leaving GSU with a 13-10 lead at half. Wright converted a 42-yarder and 37-yarder earlier.
The Panthers were driving to open the second half, but rather than attempt a 38-yard field goal, the team went for it on fourth-and-1, with Smith getting stuffed. The defense forced a punt, and two big throws from Manning later, GSU had pulled away.
Hart remains: The Panthers will require a retool next season after losing Manning, Sullivan, Smith and several other key contributors. But their best player will return for his junior season.
The Panthers’ star receiver, Hart was limited by an ankle injury that occurred in the first half of the Dec. 2 loss to Idaho. Despite saying he would be full-go, Hart wasn’t healthy enough to make much of an impact, though his third-down catch on the first scoring drive of the second half proved vital.
Hart’s season ends with a school-record 74 catches and 1,121 yards, 56 shy of Albert Wilson’s record.