WILLAIMSBURG, Va. — It was the breakout game everybody’s been waiting for.

Saturday in Georgia Southern’s 31-15 win over No. 2 seed William and Mary in the second round of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, Robert Brown rushed for a career-high 178 yards on 24 carries.

And for the first time in his young career, the true freshman didn’t fumble.

Brown, who played tailback in an I-formation offense at Westside-Macon last season, said things started to come together around the Samford game, when GSU’s hopes of making the playoffs were still in doubt.

"It was probably after we were trying to decide if we were going to be in the playoffs," said Brown. "Two games before that, I realized I have to hit it where the coaches tell me to hit it. That’s where the holes are."

All it took was a little bit of time.

"At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t too comfortable with the offense because I didn’t really know it, coming from an I-formation offense," he said. "As the season progressed, I was able to practice day after day, time after time with my offensive line. Just knowing where the holes are going to be, you play faster when you know where you’re going."

Unhappy home

William and Mary saw an 11-game home winning streak come to an end at the hands of the Eagles. The announced attendance was 8,243, and an estimated 1,500 GSU fans were present.

The last time the Tribe lost in Zable Stadium was the season finale in 2008, when Richmond came away with a 23-20, overtime win.

Costly mistakes

Entering the contest, William and Mary was the least-penalized team in the Colonial Athletic Conference.

The Tribe committed eight penalties for 80 yards against the Eagles, and two were holding penalties that put the offense in 1st-and-20 situations and ultimately resulted in ending drives.

More record breaking

Laron Scott already holds the Georgia Southern record for kick return yards in a season.

In Saturday’s game, Scott broke the record for attempts in a season. He entered the game with 32, and his 37 breaks the previous record of 33, held by Nay Young and set in the 1986.