Eagles bring it home on homecoming 69-26

The Eagles, who had held a commanding lead since going into halftime up 35-13, looked to go into the fourth quarter and put the Bison away by a score of 69-26 by the end of the game.

To begin the final quarter of the homecoming game, the Bison take over and start their drive on the Eagle 45 yard line from the previous quarter.

In the same drive, the Bison failed to convert on downs after a long incomplete pass from McGhee to freshman wide receiver Matthew Colvin. The Eagles take over on downs at the same spot HU left off on.

In that drive, the momentum for GSU came from junior running bank William Banks who wooed the crowd with a 36 yard run to the Bison 11 yard line. Two plays later, McKinnon completes a pass to senior tight end Tyler Sumner for a seven yard touchdown with 12:12 to go in the game. Sumner’s touchdown kept the Eagles ahead of their opponents 56-26.

The Eagles were able to extend their lead six more points after HU’s failed drive attempt. They answered back on their next possession with a touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Matt Dobson to Walker. Dobson’s pass was complete for 29 yards making the score 63-26.

After the GSU score, the Eagles kick it off back to the Bison who then failed to convert their drive on downs and are forced to punt it back. However, the Bison regain possession after recovering a fumble on the return by junior back Tray Butler.

HU’s drive is unable to convert on downs due to an eight yard sack by GSU junior linebacker Carlos Cave. The sack forces the Bison to punt the ball away to the Eagles once again.

The Eagle’s drive led by senior quarterback Russell DeMasi ended up in a touchdown with a failed two point conversion. The drive took eight plays and consumed 3:51 seconds.

The game clock expired with HU in possession and the Eagles on top 69-26.

Eagles tackle third quarter, leading 49-26

Now up 35-3 and because the Eagles won the coin toss at the beginning of the game, they received the right to have possession first in the third. With McKinnon at quarterback for the Eagles, he leads his team to the red zone and scores with 12:00 left in the third. The Eagle’s drive resulted in a total of six plays for 70 yards and consumed 2:45 of the quarter.

After the Eagles scored and kicked off to the Bison, HU started their drive on their own 25 yard line. HU quarterback McGhee was able to carry his team down field into Eagle territory. From then, McGhee snapped the ball and carried the ball 15 yards to the end zone putting another six points on the score board for the Bison. McGhee’s score made the score 42-20 with 8:38 to go in the third quarter.

When the Bison got set to kick off to the Eagles after their score, HU lines up to do an onside kick. The kick is recovered by the Bison, however, the officials throw an off sides penalty against HU. The penalty granted the Eagles possession and a ball spot half the distance to the goal line.

On that possession, GSU quarterback McKinnon was able to get his offense inside the end zone. On the next snap, McKinnon handed the ball off to senior running back Darreion Robinson who ran ten yards through the goal line for a touchdown. Robinson’s touchdown bumped the Eagles up six more points making the score 49-20 with GSU still on top.

After the punt from the Eagles after their score, the Bison answer back with a touchdown of their own with a 35 yard touchdown pass from McGhee with 4:17 to go in the third and a score of 49-26.

Two possessions later, the Bison are able to run time out in the third quarter.

Howard responds but GSU remains on top 35-13 at the half

From GSU’s three scores and the return of running back Dominique Swope in the first quarter, the Eagles continue their drive from where they ended. Here, GSU was unable to convert on downs and were forced to punt the ball away to the Bison.

Throughout the second quarter, both teams we unable to convert on downs until the 4:17 mark when Eagle quarterback McKinnon took the snap, held it and ran it 16 yards into the end zone. The kick after by freshman kicker Alex Hanks was ruled good and added an extra point on to McKinnon’s touchdown score.

Showing  that the Bison would not go down with out a fight, HU quarterback McGhee was able to get his tea, into the red zone to score a touchdown with a seven yard run making the score 28-13 with GSU still ahead.

With time winding down to go to the half, GSU gained possession of the ball inside Bison territory. From there, McKinnon took the snap and passed it to sophomore wide receiver Zach Walker for a 25 yard touchdown with :29 left to go in the half. GSU’s score before the end of the half made the score 35-13 with the Eagles leading.

Eagles up three touchdowns in the first quarter

With the start of the homecoming game against Howard University Bison, the Georgia Southern University Eagles win the coin toss and choose to defer until the second half.

Right off the bat, the Eagles score two touchdowns on their first and second possessions of the quarter. On only his second touch of the game, sophomore running back Dominique Swope sprinted 58 yards to the end zone for his team’s first touchdown. Minutes later after the Bison failed to convert on downs, GSU quarterback junior Jerick McKinnon handed the ball back off to Swope who ran 34 yards through the goal line for GSU’s second touchdown of the game.

From then on, possessions traded off between the two competitors until the Bison were able to get into the red zone with under two minutes left in the quarter. HU sophomore quarterback Greg McGhee was able to run the ball by himself four yards to the goal line for a touchdown for his team.

Although the Eagles were still ahead 21-7, there was not enough time in the quarter to finish the drive and the clock expired .