Panthers snap losing streak

        One day after celebrating his 69th birthday, Georgia State head coach Bill Curry received a gift from his team in the form of a sticky Gatorade bath and a thrilling double overtime victory at homecoming in front of more than 14,000 fans.

        As outside linebacker Mark Hogan sat down beside Curry and Kelton Hill at the postgame press conference, he inhaled, exhaled and then let out a loud "whew!" Hogan's sigh of relief encapsulated the emotions behind the Panthers 27-20 homecoming win over the South Alabama Jaguars better than any words Curry could offer up after the game.

      The win was the Panthers' first in seven weeks and improved their record to 2-5. As a result of an odd sequence of events at the end of regulation, Hogan was forced to play hero for the Panthers twice.

After trailing for the entire second half, South Alabama matriculated the ball deep into the Panthers' red zone in the final four minutes. With eight seconds remaining in the game, Hogan picked off a desperation pass by the Jaguars' CJ Bennett, who struggled for most of the game.

       However, the officials ruled that the offense had not been set and that a false start infraction by the Jaguars nullified the play. The ruling was even more controversial because of a new NCAA rule that requires a mandatory ten-second runoff for an offensive penalty committed in the final minute. A ten second runoff would have ended the game. Oddly enough, South Alabama's delay of game penalty meant the play never happened and there was no 10 seconds to run off the clock.

       "We've gotten some of the strangest and most difficult calls I have ever seen in all my six years just in the last couple of weeks," joked Curry after he explained the officials ruling.

Instead, the Jaguars were given another opportunity from the nine- yard line. On the fifteenth play of their drive, Bennett threw a dart into the chest of receiver Corey Waldon in the end zone. The ensuing extra point forced overtime.

       On the first possession of over- time, South Alabama kicker Jordan Means booted it wide left. Needing just a field goal for the win and starting at the 25-yard line, Georgia State running back Donald Russell carried the offense to the seven-yard line. On first down Curry elected to bring out the kicking unit. South Alabama blocked the kick to send the game into a second overtime.

       In the second overtime Curry allowed Russell to finish the drill. Russell responded by scoring a touchdown in just three plays. South Alabama was unable to match as linebacker Bennett's pass attempt inside the ten was tipped into the air and ultimately intercepted by Hogan at the 1-yard line. "I saw a lot of blue jerseys in the area, so I knew it might be tipped up in the air," Hogan said. Coach Curry was especially jubilant after the win as he hugged both Hill and Hogan. "In the last couple of weeks we've learned a lot about the rules of football and learned a lot about life," Curry said. "I want the men to enjoy it from now until about 7 p.m. then I want them to go study. I'm pretty sure they will do that."

         Nobody's life had more up and downs this season than sophomore quarterback Kelton Hill's. After nearly getting dismissed from the team in the offseason, Hill had a masterful performance in his first career start. Hill threw for 209 yards, two touchdowns and finished with an 80 percent completion percentage. He also ran for 60 yards on 14 carries and most importantly, was sacked just once.

       Hill attributed the offensive line's performance to a promise he'd made to his blockers earlier this week. While the offense gained yardage in bulk, Hill's wallet like- ly got lighter. After buying pizza for the offensive line earlier in the week, Hill promised to buy dinner at Houston's Steakhouse for his line- man if the offense gained more than 400 yards. The offense gained 429.

      Aside from his three fumbles, Hill also proved he could operate the offense as more than an occasional Wildcat option. Whenever Drew Little's injuries heal, the Panthers may have a quarterback controversy brewing if Hill continues to per- form at this level. Bruising tailback Donald Russell also had another big game after rushing for 137 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries.

      Wide receiver Albert Wilson caught five passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Wilson scored his first touchdown of the afternoon after grabbing a screen pass from Hill, taking off along the sidelines and hurdling a fallen defender en route to a 78-yard touchdown. Wilson's catch-and-run touchdown was the longest play from scrimmage in Georgia State's short history. Wilson scored again on a 64-yard pass from Hill.

     Defensively, the Panthers' front-seven played much stronger and had a trio of goal line stands in regulation. The Jaguars turned the ball over on downs after getting stuffed by the Panthers at the 1-yard line on the game's first possession. On their first two possessions of the second quarter, South Alabama committed turnovers inside the Georgia State 10.

     "We got in there three times in- side the 10 and came up with nothing," South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said. "Obviously, our chances to score early, we let them go. I thought that was a big factor in the game, I really did."