2023 Georgia State Panthers football team explained

Year:	2023
Team:	Georgia State Panthers
Sport:	football
Conference:	Sun Belt Conference
Division:	East Division
Short Conf:	Sun Belt
Record:	7–6
Conf Record:	3–5
Head Coach:	Shawn Elliott
Hc Year:	7th
Off Coach:	Trent McKnight
Oc Year:	2nd
Def Coach:	Chad Staggs
Dc Year:	1st
Stadium:	Center Parc Stadium
Champion:	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl champion
Bowl:	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Bowl Result:	W 45–22 vs. Utah State

The 2023 Georgia State Panthers football team represented Georgia State University as a member of the Sun Belt Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Panthers were led by seventh-year head coach Shawn Elliott and played their home games at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta.

After a win against UConn on September 9, Georgia State became 2–0 for the first time since the 2019 season.^[1] One week later, on October 16, the program improved to 3–0 for the first time in its history after beating Charlotte on the road, 41–25.^[2] The victory against Charlotte featured the longest play in GSU program history, a 97-yard TD pass from quarterback Darren Grainger to WR Robert Lewis. Following another victory the following week at Coastal Carolina, GSU earned its first 4–0 start in program history, as well as its first vote in a national college football poll (coaches poll).

Preseason

Media poll

In the Sun Belt preseason coaches' poll, the Panthers were picked to finish in sixth place in the East division.^[3]

Media poll (East division)
1	James Madison	78 (4)
2	Appalachian State	75 (4)
3	Coastal Carolina	71 (1)
4	Marshall	68 (1)
5	Georgia Southern	52 (1)
6	Georgia State	31
7	Old Dominion	17

Offensive lineman Travis Glover was named to the preseason All-Sun Belt first team. Defensive lineman Javon Denis, linebackers Jontrey Hunter and Jordan Veneziale, and defensive back Bryquice Brown were named to the second team.

Schedule

The football schedule was announced February 24, 2023.^[4]

Game summaries

No. 21 (FCS) Rhode Island

See also: 2023 Rhode Island Rams football team.

Statistics	URI	GSU
First downs	22	20
Total yards	520	424
Rushing yards	112	231
Passing yards	408	193
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	24–40–2	16–20–0
Time of possession	36:19	23:41

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Rhode Island	Passing		24/40, 408 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT
Rushing	Deon Silas	10 carries, 50 yards
Receiving	Marquis Buchanan	2 receptions, 101 yards, TD
Georgia State	Passing		16/20, 193 yards, 2 TD
Rushing	Marcus Carroll	23 carries, 184 yards, 3 TD
Receiving	Robert Lewis	7 receptions, 97 yards, TD

UConn

See also: 2023 UConn Huskies football team.

Statistics	UCONN	GSU
First downs	19	19
Total yards	326	394
Rushing yards	50	250
Passing yards	276	144
Turnovers	3	1
Time of possession	32:32	27:28

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
UConn	Passing	Ta'Quan Roberson	19/30, 216 yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing	Victor Rosa	10 att, 17 yds
Receiving	Brett Buckman	9 receptions, 93 yds, 1 TD
Georgia State	Passing	Darren Grainger	15/26, 144 yds, 1 TD
Rushing	Darren Grainger	12 att, 145 yds, 1 TD
Receiving	Ja'Cyais Credle	3 receptions, 45 yds

at Charlotte

See also: 2023 Charlotte 49ers football team.

Statistics	GSU	UNC
First downs	23	18
Total yards	568	356
Rushing yards	102	88
Passing yards	466	268
Turnovers	0	2
Time of possession	31:32	28:28

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing	Darren Grainger	27–33, 466 YDS, 3 TD
Rushing	Marcus Carroll	20 CAR, 67 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving	Robert Lewis	6 REC, 220 YDS, 2 TD
Charlotte	Passing	Trexler Ivey	20–28, 257 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Jalon Jones	6 CAR, 80 YDS, 1 TD
Receiving	Jack Hestera	7 REC, 109 YDS, 1 TD

at Coastal Carolina

See also: 2023 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team.

Statistics	GSU	CCU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Coastal Carolina	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Troy

See also: 2023 Troy Trojans football team.

Statistics	TROY	GSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Troy	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Marshall

See also: 2023 Marshall Thundering Herd football team.

Statistics	MRSH	GSU
First downs	23	25
Total yards	457	474
Rushing yards	156	240
Passing yards	301	234
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	24:43	35:17

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Marshall	Passing		27/34, 301 yards, TD
Rushing		19 carries, 103 yards, 2 TD
Receiving	Rasheen Ali	4 receptions, 71 yards, TD
Georgia State	Passing	Darren Grainger	21/31, 234 yards, TD
Rushing	Marcus Carroll	28 carries, 159 yards, TD
Receiving	Tailique Williams	6 receptions, 129 yards, TD

at Louisiana

See also: 2023 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team.

style=	Pregame line!	style=	Over/under
LA –3.5	61.5

Statistics	GSU	ULL
First downs	16	15
Total yards	343	289
Rushing yards	129	165
Passing yards	214	124
Turnovers	2	1
Time of possession	27:48	32:12

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing	Darren Grainger	17/22, 211 yards, 2 TDs
Rushing	Marcus Carroll	26 carries, 110 yards
Receiving	Tailique Williams	6 receptions, 81 yards
Louisiana	Passing		14/28, 106 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing	Zeon Chriss	17 carries, 119 yards
Receiving	Jacob Bernard	3 receptions, 30 yards

at Georgia Southern

See also: 2023 Georgia Southern Eagles football team and Modern Day Hate.

Statistics	GSU	GASO
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Georgia Southern	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

James Madison

See also: 2023 James Madison Dukes football team.

Statistics	JMU	GSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
James Madison	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Appalachian State

See also: 2023 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team.

Statistics	APP	GSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Appalachian State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at No. 15 LSU

See also: 2023 LSU Tigers football team.

Statistics	GSU	LSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
LSU	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

at Old Dominion

See also: 2023 Old Dominion Monarchs football team.

Statistics	GSU	ODU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Turnovers
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Old Dominion	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

vs. Utah State (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl)

See also: 2023 Utah State Aggies football team and 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Statistics	GSU	USU
First downs	24	18
Total yards	643	347
Rushing yards	386	159
Passing yards	257	188
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	36:12	23:48

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing	Darren Grainger	19/22, 257 yards, 3 TD
Rushing	Freddie Brock	24 carries, 276 yards, TD
Receiving	Cadarrius Thompson	5 receptions, 117 yards, 2 TD
Utah State	Passing		12/21, 131 yards, TD, INT
Rushing	Davon Booth	4 carries, 71 yards, TD
Receiving	Terrell Vaughn	8 receptions, 86 yards, TD

Notes and References

1. News: Stan. Awtrey. Darren Grainger, improved defense spark Georgia State past UConn. September 22, 2023. September 9, 2023. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. en.
2. News: Stan. Awtrey. A record night for Georgia State in 41-25 win over Charlotte. September 22, 2023. September 16, 2023. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. en.
3. Web site: 2023-07-24 . Sun Belt Announces Football Preseason Awards & Poll . 2023-08-08 . sunbeltsports.org . en.
4. Web site: 2023 Georgia State Football Schedule . FBSchedules . 4 March 2023.