(Tucson, AZ) The skies cleared and the sun was out for the fifth Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl
Both teams (7-5) put their game faces on after the pomp and circumstances concluded.
Georgia State won the toss and elected to receive. In just six plays, the Panthers were on the board with a four yard run from quarterback Dan Ellington. On the third play of the drive, Ellington took off on a keeper and there was no sign of the torn ACL that he sustained in the Louisiana – Monroe game. Panthers drew first blood and went up 7-0.
On Wyoming’s first crack on offense, they drove to the Panther thirty six yard line and settled for a Cooper Rothe fifty three yard field goal. GSU 7 Wyoming 3 at the 9:01 mark of the opening quarter.
Wyoming came in a “ground and pound” team and they played to their strength, but the Panther defense had it locked in to stop.
The Cowboys would mix in a pass or two, but was stopped and had to attempt a forty six yard field goal which sailed wide right.
By forcing Wyoming to go to the air, that got them out of their comfort zone, or so they thought.
Georgia State had a pass was not controlled and was snatched away for a thirty eight yard return for a touchdown but was overturned when the officiating crew deemed the receiver didn’t have control of the pass and ruled it incomplete.
The Cowboys still cashed in by scoring on a Levi. Williams pass to Austin Conway on the third play of the drive. Pokes 10. Panthers 7.
Ellington was snake bitten with an interception by Alijhah Halliburton and Wyoming took full advantage with another three play drive. Williams to Xazavian Valladay put the Cowboys up ny ten, 17-7 to end the quarter.
After their opening drive, Georgia State couldn’t move the ball the rest of the first quarter.
Both teams were almost even in total yards 108-104, but as all coaches will tell you, “the turnovers will kill you.”
The Panthers Caleb back on their first drive of the second quarter and scored on a chip shot twenty five yard field goal by Brandon Wright.
As expected, Valladay was the Pokes bread and but a twenty two yard completion to Raghiob Ismael Jr put Wyoming back in business in Panther territory.
GSU Cornerback Quavian White picked off Williams to thwart the drive and gave the Panthers the ball back with 3:44 left in the half.
Tha Panthers had to punt and Wyoming had one last chance to make something happen before the half.
The Pokes took advantage of the opportunity with a touchdown on a broken play fifty one yard touchdown play, Williams to Ayden Eberhardt to give Wyoming a two touchdown lead going into the half.
Wyoming 24 Georgia St. 10.
The halftime stats seemed flip-flopped as the Panthers had 131 rush yards to 72 for the run happy Cowboys.
Wyoming led in passing 133-32 in another anomaly. The difference in the first half was the GSU turnover and the inability to sustain offensively.
The third quarter Williams continued to show he can use his arm as he hit Valladay in stride down the for sixty three yards to the one yard line. The next play, Valladay took it into put GSU in a huge hole 31-10 with 8:12 left in the the third quarter.
The next possession, the Panthers took just two plays to go seventy five yards on a Ellington to Cornelius McCoy hookup that saw a wrestling match for the ball in the end zone but Georgia State was back within two touchdowns 31-17 and still had 7:43 left in the quarter.
Georgia State had difficulties figuring out the Cowboy’s defensive looks on read plays.
Valladay continued to chew up the Panther defense, his sixty two yard burst out the ball on the GSU four yard line as he was caught from behind. A holding penalty took it back to the fourteen yard line.
Williams got the edge on the right side and scored standing up and the Pokes took a commanding 38-17 lead.
Georgia State recovered their own punt with :31 seconds left in the third quarter but once again came up empty.
The fourth quarter was back and forth but uneventful with the exception of Valladay who broke off another long run of fifty five yards that put him over the 200 yard rushing mark.
Wyoming had a very balanced attack unlike they showed during the season, and because of several miscues by GSU, the Pokes won the fifth Arizona Bowl.
After the contest in the post game press conferences, both Shawn Elliott of Georgia State (7-6) and Craig Bohl of Wyoming (8-5) praised the Bowl Committee on a memorable time in Tucson and the first class treatment their teams received.
Arizona Bowl attendance was 36,892. A great showing for the fifth edition and the last year of Bowl’s affiliation with the Sun Belt Conference. Next year the Arizona Bowl welcomes the Mid America Conference (MAC) to take on the Mountain West Conference.
