Boise, Idaho -- When Darren Grainger won the MVP trophy at the Camellia Bowl two years ago, he gave it to his father. The one he earned on Saturday at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl? He’s keeping it for himself.
Under circumstances that required a hero, Grainger delivered again, and in his final college game directed the Panthers to a 45-22 win over Utah State to earn their third straight bowl victory.
“This was a great way (to end my career),” Grainger said. “I feel like the whole team went out there and played an excellent game. We showed what we did early on in the year. What a way to go out. Continued to build and create memories as the game went along, create those memories that I’ll hold onto for the rest of my life. It was just a great way to go out.”
Grainger completed 19 of 22 passes for 257 yards and three touchdowns and ran 24 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
“I thought our quarterback played pretty dang good,” Georgia State coach Shawn Elliott said. “He was a great leader for us.”
But he had plenty of help from guys who had been understudies for most of the season. Two rookie tackles, Ben Chukwuma and Trevor Timmons, and center Alex Johnson played as well as the veterans they replaced and running back Freddie Brock set a single-game record in his first start.
Brock, a transfer from Maine who had only six carries all season, rushed 24 times for 276 yards and one touchdown.
“It was their turn to step in there and play,” Elliott said. “It was just next man up. I think they felt they could move the line of scrimmage and once they get that feeling, if you’re an offensive lineman and you know you can move the pile, watch out.”
Brock said he wasn’t aware he was close to the record of 242 yards set by Tra Barnett against Troy in 2019. But Grainger knew the circumstances and he was determined that Brock got the record.
“Before that last drive, I told the whole O-line, ‘We need 16 more yards. We need to go get this record right now,’” Grainger said.
Cadarrius Thompson led the receivers with five catches for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Eight Panthers caught passes, with Tailique Williams grabbing the other touchdown.
Elliott admitted after the game that he wasn’t certain what to expect, with five new starters on offense and three new starters on defense thanks to players opting out, quitting and entering the transfer portal. But he knew this team wasn’t going to mail it in based on what he saw in practices leading up to the game. In fact there was almost a fight between a couple of linemen during practice on Friday.
“There were a lot of unknowns coming into this game,” Elliott said. “A lot of new guys having to step up and take control, be the guys. It was incredible to watch them play. There wasn’t a single person blinking an eye. They went out and executed and got the job done. Sometimes its very hard in life to wait your turn, so to speak, to be behind someone. When it was their time to shine, the way these guys performed today, it’s incredible.”
Utah State had no answer for the Georgia State offense, which scored on six of its seven first-half possessions. The Panthers rushed for 386 yards, two more than in their three previous games combined. Georgia State led 31-14 at halftime, the most first-half points in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl history.
Georgia State’s defense was just as good. After allowing touchdowns on two of the first three possessions, the Panthers forced Utah State to try a field goal, which was missed, and used an interception by Ronald Cooper to change the momentum. The Aggies punted on five of their next six possessions -- turning it over on downs on the other occasion – before scoring a late touchdown.
“You know what helps a defense – an offense. We were clicking offensively and once you get up by 10 or 14, you just gain more confidence,” Elliott said. “But our defense played incredible. Our Friday practice was good. Our defense was flying around and I said that may have been the best Friday practice I’ve ever seen.”
Kevin Swint, Justin Abraham and Izaiah Guy each had six tackles for Georgia State. Abraham, Javon Denis and Justin Veneziale each had a sack, with Veneziale finishing his career with five tackles.
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