ATLANTA — Georgia State Panthers fans packed Center Parc Stadium hoping for a big night, but turnovers and a stalled run game turned it into a long one. Despite outgaining the visiting Pittsburgh Panthers 435 to 308 in total offense, Georgia State couldn’t overcome a rough night of mistakes, falling 45-20.
All Air, No Ground
Georgia State came in ready to air it out, but their run game never showed up. The Panthers managed just 20 yards rushing on 9 carries all night. That one-dimensional offense put quarterback Christian Veilleux in the hot seat, and Pitt’s defense was more than ready for it.
Veilleux tossed four interceptions, giving Pitt’s offense short fields and prime chances to run up the score. After the fourth pick, head coach Grayson Hulett turned to backup Zach Gibson, who brought some much-needed juice to the field.
Gibson led a sharp touchdown drive, hitting a well-timed throw in the end zone to give the home crowd something to cheer about. But just as things started looking up, Gibson threw a pick of his own, snuffing out the Panthers’ momentum.
The Defense Had Some Dawgs
On the other side of the ball, Georgia State’s defense put in work to keep the team alive as long as they could. Linebacker Justin Abraham was everywhere, racking up 11 tackles with 4 tackles for loss, bringing the energy the Panthers needed to stay in the fight.
The defense even managed two interceptions of their own, keeping the door cracked for a potential comeback. But with five total turnovers from the offense, the defense was stuck on the field too long to hold the line.
Pitt Played It Smart
Pitt didn’t blow anybody away with their offense—they just played smart football. They only had 308 total yards but capitalized on Georgia State’s turnovers to build a big lead. When you’re set up with a short field that many times, you don’t have to work hard to find the end zone, and Pitt made sure to cash in.
ATL Energy, But No Finish
For all the flashes Georgia State showed, they couldn’t string it together. The air game had some big moments, but without a run game to back it up, Pitt’s defense could sit back and wait for mistakes—and mistakes came in bunches.
There’s no doubting the talent on this team, but Georgia State’s Panthers have to figure out how to run the ball and protect the football if they want to turn this season around. With standout players like Abraham anchoring the defense and Gibson showing promise in relief, there’s something to build on.
But as ATL knows, potential doesn’t count for much if you can’t finish the job.
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