The South Carolina Gamecocks will look to avoid a major upset when they take on the Georgia State Panthers on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium in the 2022 season opener. Georgia State is coming off its best FBS season to date with an 8-5 record and triumph in the Camellia Bowl. South Carolina went 7-6 under first-year head coach Shane Beamer while picking up a nice win in the Duke's Mayo Bowl.
This is the first-ever meeting between these two programs.
It's taken some time for Georgia State to get going at the FBS level, but the Panthers put together a solid 2021 campaign under fifth-year head coach Sean Elliott, winning eight games for the first time in program history. That included a nice win over a ranked Coastal Carolina team, and the Panthers closed out the year by destroying Ball State in the Camellia Bowl.
Georgia State's offense is a form of the option, and while not as strict as those seen at the service academies, still calls on the Panthers to run the ball at one of the highest rates in the nation. Darren Grainger is set to start under center again after going 136 of 228 for 1,715 yards, 19 touchdowns and four interceptions while recording 133 carries for 660 yards and three scores last year.
Tucker Gregg returns as the teams leading rusher, having carried the ball 192 times for 953 yards and nine scores in 2021. Jamari Thrash is the teams' top receiver after racking up 32 catches for 452 yards and three scores last year. Thomas Gore is a key piece in the middle of the defense as he piled up nine tackles and 2.5 sacks in 2021.
The offense finished last season right around the national average with 28.2 points and 389.6 yards per game. Georgia State's defense graded out around the same level, allowing 27.1 points and 402.9 yards per contest.
No injury information is available out of Georgia State camp.