In front of their home crowd at Brooks Stadium, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers struggled offensively and suffered a decisive 26-6 loss to Georgia Southern on Saturday night. With the defeat, the Chanticleers fell to 5-6 on the season and 2-5 in Sun Belt Conference play, setting up a must-win situation in their regular-season finale at Georgia State to secure bowl eligibility.
Georgia Southern (7-4, 5-2 Sun Belt) was led by quarterback JC French, who completed 25 of 38 passes for 294 yards and a touchdown. French’s 30-yard scoring pass to Marcus Sanders Jr. gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead in the first quarter, setting the tone for a game controlled by their defense and special teams. Kicker Gavin Stewart played a pivotal role, converting four field goals, including a 39-yarder to seal the victory late in the fourth quarter.
Running back Jalen White added a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to further extend Georgia Southern’s lead. Wide receiver Derwin Burgess Jr. was French’s favorite target, hauling in eight receptions for 98 yards.
The Eagles' defense was stifling, allowing Coastal Carolina just 12 first downs and two field goals while forcing three interceptions. They also limited the Chanticleers to a paltry 127 passing yards.
For Coastal Carolina, the offense was uncharacteristically stagnant, failing to score a touchdown for the first time in 13 years. Kade Hensley provided the team’s only points with field goals in the first and third quarters. Despite a strong showing on the ground—thanks to Braydon Bennett’s 138 rushing yards, including a 67-yard burst in the third quarter—the Chanticleers could not convert drives into touchdowns.
Coastal’s quarterback duo combined for a disappointing 11-for-32 passing performance with three interceptions, highlighting the team’s difficulties in sustaining drives against a swarming Georgia Southern defense.
Defensively, Coastal was led by Matthew McDoom and Barry Brown, who combined for 21 tackles. The Chanticleers held a 163-90 advantage in rushing yards, but their struggles in the passing game and three turnovers proved insurmountable.
The loss not only dropped Coastal Carolina to 2-5 in conference play—securing their first losing Sun Belt record since 2019—but also marked their second consecutive defeat and sixth in their last eight games after starting the season 3-0.
Now sitting at 5-6, Coastal Carolina will travel to Atlanta on Nov. 30 to face Georgia State in their final game of the season. A win against the 2-8 Panthers would give the Chanticleers their sixth victory, making them eligible for a bowl game for the fifth consecutive year. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
With their season hanging in the balance, the Chanticleers must regroup quickly to avoid a disappointing end to their 2023 campaign.
Comments