After losing nine consecutive games to start the season, Georgia Southern football won its second game in a row under interim head coach Chad Lunsford, beating Louisiana 34-24 on the road, led by a big game from junior running back Wesley Fields.

Game at a glance

The Eagles rode a strong first half defensive effort, along with a Fields 8-yard touchdown run and a 55-yard passing touchdown from freshman quarterback Shai Werts to tight end Ellis Richardson, to a 17-7 halftime lead.

After nabbing a 24-7 lead early in the third quarter, GS got another chance to do what Lunsford says is the key to holding a lead late in the game.

“Choke ’em out.”

The headlock was tightened when Eagle freshman slotback Wesley Kennedy III ripped off a 77-yard run that put GS at the 1-yard line. Senior L.A. Ramsby then scored a short touchdown on fourth and goal to make it 34-17 early in the fourth quarter.

But Louisiana quarterback Jordan Davis wasn’t letting his team go down quietly, as he led a drive right back down the field and hit Jarrod Jackson for a 26-yard touchdown to cut the GS lead back to 10.

However, the foot (or talon) was placed firmly on the Cajuns’ collective throat when GS junior safety Josh Moon picked off Davis’ pass just as Louisiana started its drive with about 3 minutes to go.

By the numbers

Fields had his best game of the season, rushing for 186 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown and wearing down the Louisiana front seven.

Ramsby had 20 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown as well, and Kennedy showed his speed in picking up 77 rushing yards and 45 return yards on special teams.

On defense, junior safety Josh Moon led the charge with seven tackles and the key interception in the fourth quarter. Junior linebacker Tomarcio Reese chipped in five tackles including 1.5 sacks on the day.

Next up

The Eagles will be in Conway, S.C. next Saturday to take on 2-9 Coastal Carolina. The Chanticleers beat Idaho last week.