Panthers Drop Home Opener Against Memphis

After falling to Ole Miss in their season debut, Georgia State returned to Center Parc Credit Union Stadium looking to reset in front of their home crowd. The Panthers showed flashes of promise, but missed chances and a second-half slide led to a 38-16 loss to Memphis.

Georgia State’s first drive ended with a setback when quarterback TJ Finley was sacked on third down at the 34-yard line, leading to a missed field goal attempt by Braeden McAllister. Memphis responded immediately. On their first possession, quarterback Brendon Lewis found Jamari Hawkins wide open for a 50-yard strike, and running back Sutton Smith soon followed with a touchdown run to give the Tigers an early edge.

The Panthers nearly answered with a score of their own, but a touchdown to receiver Ted Hurst was wiped away by penalty. Two possessions later, Hurst made up for it with a 27-yard catch from Finley. GSU pressed forward but came up empty on a fourth-down attempt in the red zone. The defense quickly swung momentum back, sacking Lewis in the end zone for a safety.

Quarterback Cameron Brown then electrified the crowd with a 22-yard touchdown run, giving GSU a 9-7 lead after the first quarter. Early in the second, Brown connected on a 52-yard pass to Grant Hollier that set up a field goal try from Liam Rickman, which missed. Memphis capitalized minutes later when Makari Bodiford broke through for a seven-yard rushing score. Georgia State didn’t back down. Finley launched a 44-yard touchdown pass to Javon Robinson, putting the Panthers back in front, 16-14.

But Memphis had the final word of the half. With no time left on the clock, kicker Gianni Spetic drilled a 55-yard field goal to give the Tigers a 17-16 lead. The halftime box score told the story of missed opportunities: Georgia State led in total yards (313-179) and passing yards (242-95), yet two missed field goals left them trailing.

The third quarter proved decisive. Lewis punched in a five-yard keeper, and with 15 seconds remaining in the period, Bodiford added his second touchdown on a one-yard run. Memphis piled up 128 yards in the quarter, while Georgia State’s offense stalled with just 18 total yards.

The Panthers caught a late break when Spetic missed a 46-yard attempt, but the comeback never materialized. With only 11 seconds to play, Finley’s final throw was intercepted by Demarco Ward and returned for a touchdown, sealing Memphis’ 38-16 victory.

The Tigers finished with 401 total yards, balanced evenly between 196 passing and 205 rushing. Georgia State leaned almost exclusively on the air attack, collecting 340 of their 389 total yards through passing.

Now 0-2, the Panthers will look for their first win of the season on September 13 when they host Murray State at Center Parc Credit Union Stadium for $5 Ticket Night and Education Day. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EDT.