Coastal Carolina beat Georgia State 31-20 on Saturday at Center Parc Stadium, and the passing game decided it. The Chanticleers averaged about 9 yards per throw against about 5 for the Panthers. That gap was wide enough to cover for three Coastal Carolina turnovers.

Georgia State won the ground game easily, running for 160 yards against just 73 for Coastal Carolina. It didn't matter. The Chanticleers moved the ball through the air, and the Panthers never found a counter until the game was out of reach.

How It Happened

Georgia State struck first. Samer Layous hit a 32-yard field goal with 2:12 left in the first quarter for a 3-0 lead.

The second quarter belonged to Coastal Carolina. Bailey found Clayton Coppock Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown, Nico Cavanillas Alti drilled a 53-yard field goal, and Bailey hit Zach Courtney from 25 yards out with 1:51 left. Layous answered with another 32-yard field goal as time expired, but the Panthers still went to the locker room trailing.

The third quarter put it away. Bailey and Coppock connected again, this time from 31 yards, and Jaden Allen-Hendrix punched in a 2-yard run with 1:14 left in the period. Coastal Carolina had all 31 of its points before the fourth quarter began.

Georgia State made it respectable. Ayden Pereira threw a 9-yard touchdown to Grant Hollier, then hit Qwantavius Wiggins for the two-point conversion. Pereira added an 18-yard scoring pass to DJ Riles with 7:38 left, but the two-point try failed and the Panthers got no closer.

Key Performers

Deuce Bailey, CCU: 3 passing TD (21, 25, 31 YDS)
Clayton Coppock Jr., CCU: 2 receiving TD (21, 31 YDS)
Ayden Pereira, GAST: 2 passing TD (9, 18 YDS), 1 two-point conversion pass
CCU passing: 23/33, 302 YDS, 9.2 YDS per pass
GAST passing: 20/37, 200 YDS, 5.4 YDS per pass
GAST rushing: 32 ATT, 160 YDS, 5.0 per carry
CCU rushing: 35 ATT, 73 YDS, 2.1 per carry

Bailey's 3 touchdown throws all came from 21 yards or longer. Coastal Carolina didn't need to sustain long drives when its quarterback was finishing them in chunks.

Georgia State's offense was more balanced, but its passing game couldn't keep pace. The Panthers completed barely more than half their throws and converted just 5 of 15 third downs.

What It Means

Coastal Carolina improves to 3-5 and 2-2 on the road. The Chanticleers gave the ball away three times, including 2 interceptions, and still won by double digits. They were also perfect on fourth down, going 2-for-2, which kept drives alive on a day they converted only 4 of 13 third downs.

Georgia State falls to 4-4. The bigger concern is where this one happened. The Panthers are now 3-1 at home and 1-3 on the road, and home has been where they win. Losing at Center Parc Stadium takes away the one edge their record has shown.

Discipline hurt, too. Georgia State committed 9 penalties for 96 yards, and its 160 rushing yards never turned into enough points. Two field goals before the fourth quarter tell the story of a team that moved the ball without finishing.