Coastal Carolina just delivered a statement, taking down Georgia State 31-20, and it was all thanks to quarterback Deuce Bailey absolutely tearing it up with three touchdown passes and nearly 300 yards through the air. The Chanticleers were down early, but Bailey flipped the script hard.
Bailey’s Mid-Game Takeover Left Panthers Reeling
This game didn’t start hot for Coastal Carolina, trailing Georgia State 3-0 after the first quarter. But then Deuce Bailey decided it was go time. He connected with Clayton Coppock Jr. for a 21-yard touchdown early in the second, getting them on the board. Then, before you could even blink, he found Zach Courtney for another score, this one from 25 yards out. Nico Cavanillas Alti nailed a monster 53-yard field goal, and just like that, the Chanticleers were sitting pretty with a 17-6 lead at halftime. They dropped a massive 31 points over those middle two quarters, which is just incredible.
Bailey wasn’t done showing off, either. In the third quarter, he hit Coppock again, this time for a 31-yard touchdown, pushing that lead further. Jaden Allen-Hendrix punched in a 2-yard run right after, stretching the lead to a dominant 31-6. Coppock had himself a day, pulling in six catches for 100 yards and those two crucial touchdowns. Courtney wasn’t far behind, snagging four receptions for 89 yards and his own score. Coastal Carolina finished with 302 yards passing, even if the run game only managed 73 yards. When your quarterback is throwing dimes like that, who needs a run game, right?
Georgia State’s Late Push Couldn’t Bridge the Gap
Give Georgia State some credit, they didn’t just roll over. Quarterback Ayden Pereira tried to spark a late comeback, throwing fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Grant Hollier and DJ Riles. Pereira ended the day with 200 yards passing and two scores, showing some fight when it counted. Qwantavius Wiggins was a workhorse on the ground for the Panthers, racking up 96 yards on 11 carries. But that massive 31-6 deficit was just too much to overcome. The Chanticleers moved to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the Sun Belt, while the Panthers dropped to 4-4, 1-3.
Coastal Carolina has to keep this momentum going, as they host Old Dominion next Saturday. For Georgia State, they’ll need to regroup quickly before visiting App State next Saturday. Both teams have work to do, but this win for Coastal Carolina showed what their offense can do when Deuce Bailey gets cooking.
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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