Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green: GoDaddy Bowl Recap, Score, What’s Next


Georgia Southern vs. Bowling Green GoDaddy Bowl recap, score and what’s next for the Eagles and Falcons.


GoDaddy Bowl Recap

Score: Georgia Southern 58, Bowling Green 27

Prediction:Georgia Southern 45, Bowling Green 40, Line: Bowling Green -7.5, o/u: 66

And You Care Because … The Georgia Southern offense got rocking and rolling tearing off 452 rushing yards with QB Favian Upshaw taking off for scores from three, 80, eight and 42 yards out as part of a run of 35 unanswered second half points. Bowling Green had a 27-23 halftime lead with Matt Johnson throwing three touchdown passes including a 45-yarder to Roger Lewis and a 51-yard play to Gehrig Dieter, but the wheels came off in the second half with miscues and too many stalled drives. GSU got touchdown runs from LA Ramsby and Wesley Fields in the first half, and a two-point conversion on a blocked extra point with Matt Dobson taking it the distance.

What Else?

– Georgia Southern QB Favian Upshaw ran 12 times for 199 yards and four scores, and completed one of his three passes for 17 yards.

– Georgia Southern RB Matt Breida ran 15 times for 68 yards and a score.

– Bowling Green QB Matt Johnson completed 15-of-34 passes for 246 yards and three scores.

– Bowling Green RB Travis Greene ran ten times for 79 yards and a score.

– Georgia Southern CB Caleb Williams made three tackles and broke up five passes.

– Time of possession: Georgia Southern 40:39 – Bowling Green 19:21

Game Rating: B- It got sloppy with Bowling Green screwing up a bit too much, but the Georgia Southern offense was breathtaking once it got rolling. It was fun, even if it was a blowout.

What’s next for Georgia Southern?

What’s new head coach Tyson Summers going to do with the offense? Apparently, he’s not going to mess around too much with what works. Will star RB Matt Breida stick around another year? L.A. Ramsby is more than good enough to fill in, while quarterbacks Kevin Ellison and Favian Upshaw are around for yet another season – and now they really know what they’re doing. The passing game is just along for the ride, but B.J. Johnson and Myles Campbell are back. The interior of the O line needs some work, but the tackles – Jeremiah Culbreth and Tommy Boynton – are young, good, and experienced.

LB Antwione Williams and SS Antonio Glover are next-level prospects, but just about everyone else is back – on the front seven. The secondary is decimated with the four top starters gone, but Darius Jones Jr. can play a bigger role. Ironhead Gallon and Chris DeLaRosa lead a nice-looking linebacking corps. The placekicking should be terrific with Younghoe Koo taking over a bigger role, while Matt Flynn should be fine as the full-time punter.

What’s next for Bowling Green?

Alright, defending MAC champion, what do you do now after that ugly bowl loss? Will new head coach Mike Jinks get QB Matt Johnson back? The leader of the whole show might get a medical hardship, but the offense loses RB Travis Greene and TE Derek Lee. All-star WR Roger Lewis is back along with the top three receivers in the high-powered attack. Fred Coppet can take over for Greene and do a decent job behind a line that gets four starters back.

The front four takes a hint with the loss of tackle Zach Colin, but most of the back seven is intact with the linebacking trio of Austin Valdez, Trenton Greene and James Sanford forming a potential wall. The secondary loses some key hitters in Eliar Hardy and Derard Turner, but Clint Stephens and Alfonso Mack should form a terrific corner tandem. PK Tyler Tate was just okay – he can be replaced. P Joseph Davidson is a star coming off a huge season averaging 45.6 yards per boot.

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