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Coastal Carolina looks to get back on track Saturday afternoon as the Chanticleers travel to Atlanta to take on Georgia State in a Halloween matchup at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium.
Following its bye week, Coastal enters the contest with an overall record of 2-5 and 1-2 in conference play after suffering a narrow 35-32 loss at home against App State on Oct. 16. The Chanticleers will aim to regroup and earn their second conference victory of the season against a Georgia State team that has established itself as one of the Sun Belt’s more productive offensive units so far this season.
Head Coach Ryan Beard emphasized that the team’s record has not affected its belief in what it can accomplish moving forward.
“We are beaten but not broken. We are a team that will continue to fight. We have players that believe, the players are together and united in this,” Beard said during his weekly press conference.
The Panthers enter Saturday’s matchup at 4-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, coming off a 38-32 road loss to Arkansas State, marking their second consecutive defeat. Despite the recent setbacks, Georgia State has averaged 35.9 points and 449.3 total yards per game this season.
Key Matchups on Both Sides of the Ball
A key storyline heading into Saturday will be how first-year defensive coordinator L.D. Scott and the Coastal Carolina defense prepare for Georgia State’s senior dual-threat quarterback, Cameran Brown, who has been among the Sun Belt’s most efficient passers this season.
The Chanticleers will look to lean on their defensive playmakers, including junior linebacker Marcellius Pulliam, who ranks second in the Sun Belt with 68 total tackles, and veteran Ibrahim Diawara, who continues to establish himself among the conference leaders in both sacks and tackles for loss. Their presence will be especially important against a deep Georgia State rushing attack that has averaged 205.3 yards per game this season.
Coastal’s offense will once again be led by quarterback Deuce Bailey. Entering the game, he has thrown 16 touchdowns and thrown four interceptions, but has faced his share of growing pains throughout his rookie campaign, completing just 53.4 percent of his passes. While Bailey has worked through some inconsistencies, the receiving corps has also struggled to provide consistent support, with several dropped passes limiting opportunities for the freshman quarterback.
It will be interesting to see how Bailey executes against a solid Georgia State defense that has excelled at getting off the field on third down. The Panthers have allowed opponents to convert just 28.7 percent of their third-down opportunities this season, making it especially important for Bailey and the Coastal offense to stay ahead of the chains and avoid putting themselves in difficult situations.
Historically, Coastal Carolina has held the upper hand in the series, leading Georgia State 5-4 through the first nine meetings between the programs. The Chanticleers have won each of the last two matchups, including a 40-27 victory at Brooks Stadium last season. Coastal has also enjoyed considerable success in Atlanta, entering Saturday’s contest with a perfect 4-0 record against the Panthers on the road.
With both teams looking to snap their respective losing streaks, Saturday’s matchup presents an opportunity for Coastal to regain some momentum as it enters the second half of its conference schedule. The Chanticleers will look to put together a complete four quarters of football on both sides of the ball and come away with a win.
Coastal Carolina Chanticleers @ Georgia State Panthers
Center Parc Credit Union Stadium — Atlanta, GA
Kickoff: Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Chanticleer Sports Network WRXZ 107.1 / WRAS-FM 88.5