Georgia Southern pulled off a gritty 23-15 victory over Old Dominion on Thursday night, thanks in large part to quarterback Turner Helton slinging a touchdown pass and Tripp Bryant absolutely nailing three clutch field goals. It was a grind, but the Eagles got it done.
Georgia Southern’s Steady Grind
Helton was efficient, completing 23 of 30 passes for 205 yards, keeping the chains moving all night for Georgia Southern, now sitting at 3-4 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt play. They started slow, letting Old Dominion jump to a 7-0 lead after Quinn Henicle hit Leon Haughton Jr. for a 20-yard score. But the Eagles weren’t shaken. Terrance Gibbs answered with an 11-yard touchdown run on their very first possession, tying things up 7-all after the first quarter. That’s the kind of immediate response you love to see!
The Eagles really started to take control in the second. Aaron Sears came up huge with a fumble recovery from Devin Roche, setting up Tripp Bryant for a 33-yard field goal and a 10-7 lead. Bryant wasn’t done, though, connecting from 43 yards with 4:43 left, then again from 31 yards in the final minute of the half, sending Georgia Southern into the break with a commanding 16-7 advantage. Helton then hooked up with Gibbs for an 11-yard touchdown pass late in the third, pushing the lead to 23-7. This team just kept finding ways to score and build a lead.
Old Dominion’s Offensive Struggles
Old Dominion, now at 2-5 overall and 1-3 in conference, started with a spark. That opening 11-play, 75-yard drive ending in a Henicle touchdown had Monarchs fans hyped. But after that, it was tough sledding. Helpless on the ground, Old Dominion managed a measly 65 yards on 32 rushes all game. You just can’t win when you’re that one-dimensional.
Henicle finished with 86 yards on 6-for-10 passing before backup Ryan Huff stepped in, completing 9 of 14 for 115 yards. Huff did connect with TJ Johnson for a big 71-yard touchdown, and with the two-point conversion, they cut the lead to eight with 10 minutes left. But that was it. They just couldn’t punch it in again. When your ground game disappears like that, it’s an uphill battle every single play.
Georgia Southern gets to ride this momentum into a home game against Appalachian State on October 31. Old Dominion, on the other hand, needs to figure out their rushing attack before they head to Louisiana Tech on October 24. That’s a must-win game if they want to turn their season around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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