By E. Marcel Pourtout, Editor
Serving as the first contest of the FBS season, Abilene Christian and Georgia State put on a thriller at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta as the Panthers scored 17 fourth-quarter points to emerge with a 38-37 victory. Georgia State sealed the win with a game-winning 26 yard field goal by Wil Lutz with four seconds remaining. The win snapped Georgia State’s 16-game losing streak and was the program’s first victory since a 41-7 win over Rhode Island on Oct. 13, 2012.
“We’re very excited for our young men,” Georgia State coach Trent Miles said. “Our kids fought through a lot of adversity and never quit believing in the fact that we were going to win the game no matter what.”
In his first game for Georgia State, quarterback Nick Arbuckle threw for a game-high 413 yards and four touchdowns. It was the fifth 300-yard passing game in program history and one yard short of the school record.
Trailing 30-21 heading into the fourth quarter, The Panthers made a crucial defensive play as an interception by Joe Peterson early in the quarter fourth quarter gave them the ball in Abilene territory. The turnover lead to a 27-yard touchdown pass by Arbuckle to LynQuez Blair, making the score 30-28 with 10:42 left in the game. Blair finished the contest with a team high eight catches for 118 yards.
After a Wildcat’s touchdown made the score 37-28, Georgia State continued its comeback attempt on the next drive, culminating with a nine-yard touchdown catch on the right side by Joel Ruiz, cutting the lead to 37-35 with 4:31 left. Ruiz had two touchdown receptions in the victory.
The Panthers began their game-winning drive from their own 19 with 2:41 on the clock. The drive included a 56-yard scoring pass to Donovan Harden that was called back on a holding penalty. Georgia State recover, converting on two fourth downs. The first conversion came on a 4th-and-5 at the GSU 24 when Arbuckle found Ruiz for 12 yards and on 4th-and-19 at the GSU 27, he hit Blair for 24 yards. Arbuckle also had a 17-yard run during the drive to get the Panthers in field goal range.
“This is a team that’s going to find a way to win at all costs,” Arbuckle said. “Individually, we’re not perfect, but as a team we’re 1-0 and we are perfect right now.”
On Abilene’s first drive of the game, the Wildcats drove down to the Panther’s eight-yard line but wasn’t able to score a touchdown. Nik Grau converted a 25-yard field goal to give Abeline a 3-0 lead early in the first quarter.
The Panthers got on the board on a 34-yard touchdown pass from Arbuckle to tight end Ruiz down the right side, giving them a 7-3 lead. Georgia State outgained Abilene 136-85 in the first quarter.
Georgia State increased its lead to 14-3 on a two-yard touchdown run by Jonathan Lytle, capping off a 12-play, 73-yard drive that took 3:29.
The Wildcats cut into the lead with 7:31 left in the second quarter when Grau kicked a 42-yard field goal, making the score 14-6 in favor of the Panthers.
Abilene continued the offensive momentum when Parker McKenzie completed a 60-yard touchdown pass down the middle to Marcus Ellis, cutting the lead to 14-13 with 3:52 mark in the first half.
The Wildcats took their second lead of the contest at 16-14 lead with 1:11 to go in the second quarter on another field goal by Grau, this one from 33 yards.
The Panthers weren’t done scoring as a 41-yard touchdown pass down the middle from Arbuckle to Avery Sweeting made the score 21-16 with 14 seconds left in the first half.
“I was going for the home run play,” Arbuckle said. “I knew I was throwing that post route whether the safety was back there or not. I have full trust in Avery [Sweeting]. I’ve thrown to some fast Division-I receivers in my time, but I’ve never thrown to anyone as fast as Avery. I know he can beat anybody. I just had to buy myself sometime in the pocket.”
Both teams had strong offensive efforts as Georgia State amassed 302 total yards while Abilene Christian had 243.
After a sluggish start to the third quarter by both teams, the Wildcats took a 23-21 lead on a 23-yard TD reception by Jamie Walker with 6:27 left in the third quarter.
Jace Hudson’s 24-yard TD reception increased Abilene’s lead to 30-21 with 1:41 left in the third quarter.
On the game, the Panthers combined for 566 total yards, including 153 on the ground. Krysten Hammon finished with 74 yards while Kyler Neal added 46.
Peterson led the way on defense with 11 tackles, a QB hurry and the interception while Bruce Dukes had eight tackles and pass breakup.
McKenzie led Abilene Christian with 403 passing yards by hitting 30 of 40 attempts with four touchdowns. Demarcus Thompson reeled in 156 receiving yards.
The Panthers return to action next Saturday as they welcome in the Aggies of New Mexico State.
The Sports Inquirer 
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