LINCOLN, Neb. – Kyle Vantrease ran for the go-ahead touchdown with 36 seconds left as Georgia Southern outlasted Nebraska, 45-42, to pick up its second win over a P5 program in school history on Saturday evening at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb.
Eagles of the Game:
Vantrease completed 37-of-56 passes for 409 yards and a touchdown, and ran for the game-winning 8-yard TD. Derwin Burgess Jr. notched a Georgia Southern single-game record 12 catches for 119 yards. Gerald Green rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 carries, while Jalen White rushed for 87 yards and two touchdowns. Marque Trent-Watson recorded a team-high 10 tackles, including seven solo, while Justin Ellis had five tackles, including a sack and a tackle for loss.
Key Moments:
After a three-and-out by the Eagles on defense to start the game, Vantrease led Georgia Southern on a 13-play, 74-yard drive for the game's opening score. White's two-yard TD run capped the drive that featured a heavy dose of Burgess Jr., who had three catches for 27 yards on the drive and also drew a key pass interference penalty on a flea flicker. After Nebraska answered with a TD, White put the Eagles back in front with a 26-yard TD run on 3rd and 10 to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead to end the first quarter.Nebraska again tied the score with a 75-yard drive, then picked off Vantrease early in the second quarter for the game's first turnover. The Huskers then escaped a 2nd and 20 situation to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 4-yard run by Anthony Grant midway through the second quarter.
The Eagles quickly answered as Gerald Green busted through the line for a 67-yard scamper on his first carry of the game, then finished off the quick scoring drive with a 1-yard plunge to tie the game at 21-all. Green continued as the hot hand on the next Eagle possession, breaking free down the right sideline for a 47-yard TD run to put Georgia Southern back in front, 28-21. Thompson tied the game at 28-all with a 2-yard run, sending the game to halftime tied.
Georgia Southern marched down the field with the first drive of the second half, retaking the lead on Vantrease's 10-yard TD pass to Amare Jones. Ajay Allen responded with a TD run for Nebraska to even things up at 35-all, then Alex Raynor put the Eagles back in front with a chip shot field goal just seconds into the fourth quarter. Two crucial official reviews overturning calls made on the field midway through the fourth quarter led to Nebraska's go-ahead drive as the Cornhuskers' Thonmpson punched in a one-yard TD run to make the score 42-38. Georgia Southern marched 75 yards down the field for the go-ahead touchdown as Vantrease called his own number for an 8-yard TD run that made the score 45-42. Nebraska's Timmy Bleekrode missed a 52-yard field goal as time expired that would have sent the game to overtime.
Key Stats and Notes:
- Georgia Southern defeats its second P5 opponent in program history, joining the 26-20 win at Florida in 2013
- The game featured five ties, five lead changes and 1,217 yards of total offense between the two teams. The 1,216 yards of total offense between the two teams breaks the previous record of 1,216 yards, set vs. Northern Arizona on 11/27/99
- Vantrease is the first Eagle to throw for 300-plus yards in consecutive games in school history. He threw for 367 yards in the season opener vs. Morgan State on September 3, an he is just the second Georgia Southern QB with multiple 300-yard passing games, joining College Football Hall of Famer Tracy Ham (3)
- Burgess Jr.'s 12 receptions broke the single-game record of 10 previously held by Raja Andrews, set twice during the 2008 campaign
- The Eagles were 9-for-13 on third downs
- White recorded his third career two-touchdown game, while Green notched his second multiple-touchdown game after recording three touchdowns vs. Louisiana on 9/25/21
Scoring Plays:
GS – 1st, 8:02 - Jalen White 2-yard run (PAT good), 7-0
NEB - 1st, 4:17 - Casey Thompson 8-yard run (PAT good), 7-7
GS - 1st, 2:21 - White 26-yard run (PAT good), 14-7
NEB - 2nd 13:40 - Brody Belt 21-yard pass from Thompson (PAT good), 14-14
NEB - 2nd 8:25 - Anthony Grant 4-yard run (PAT good), 14-21
GS - 2nd 7:27 - Gerald Green 1-yard run (PAT good), 21-21
GS - 2nd 4:00 - Green 47-yard run (PAT good), 28-21
NEB - 2nd 1:50 - Thompson 2-yard run (PAT good), 28-28
GS - 3rd 12:12 - Amare Jones 10-yard pass from Kyle Vantrease (PAT good), 35-28
NEB - 3rd 3:18 - Ajay Allen 7-yard run (PAT good), 35-35
GS - 4th 14:42 - Alex Raynor 19-yard FG, 38-35
NEB - 4th 3:05 - Thompson 1-yard run (PAT good) 38-42
GS - 4th 0:36 - Vantrease 8-yard run (PAT good) 45-42
