@gsupanthers @But_ImNOT named @sunbelt Player of the Week

Release from Georgia State Athletics:

Senior safety Tarris Batiste was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week after leading the Panthers to the best defensive performance in school history in Georgia state’s 24-10 win over South Alabama. The victory is GSU’s second in a row and the Panthers’ first Sun Belt Conference win at the Georgia Dome.

Batiste had an interception and a pass breakup, along with three tackles, as the GSU defense held the Jaguars to just 10 points and 282 total yards, both program lows against an FBS opponent.

GSU shut out the Jaguars in the second half and limited USA to 112 yards on 28 plays after halftime, including just nine yards on three plays in the decisive third quarter.

South Alabama managed just one play longer than 20 yards in the game, and that was a 24-yard pass completion. The one touchdown that Georgia State allowed came after a 69-yard kickoff return gave the Jaguars possession at the GSU 31-yard line.

Batiste’s fourth-quarter interception was the crucial defensive play in the game. After Georgia State scored to take a 24-10 lead, South Alabama took over with nine minutes left in the game. The Jaguars drove into Georgia State territory and had a third-and-six at the GSU 37 with six minutes to play when Batiste grabbed his interception to end the threat.

One of only two senior starters on the GSU defense, Batiste ranks fourth in the Sun Belt with 8.3 tackles per game.

He is the second straight Panther and third this season to be named Sun Belt Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week, following Chandon Sullivan last week and Bobby Baker for Week 1. Quarterback Nick Arbuckle has twice been named Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week.