Georgia Southern Defeats Coastal Carolina at Home, 45-40

STATESBORO, GA — The Georgia Southern Eagles escape Paulson with a narrow, 45-40, victory over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. The victory sees the Chants snap their four-game win streak. The Eagles cover the 2.5-point spread and the game total goes clear over the 60.5-point closing line in a game filled with touchdowns and trick plays.

Georgia Southern vs. Coastal Carolina: 2025 College Football Recap

A Fiery First Half

Although it ended up being an offensive-dominated game, each defense started the contest by forcing a punt. Eagles starting running back OJ Arnold would run in the first touchdown of the game on Georgia Southern’s second drive, right after he took a carry 51-yards to get them into scoring position. The Chanticleers responded with a trick play on the first snap of their second drive, a double-pass, that went for a 75-yards and a touchdown.

Eagles quarterback JC French found Camden Brown, for a deep 42-yard completion to get down the field. Then, backup quarterback Weston Bryan came in at the goal line to throw Brown the touchdown. Up to this point, Bryan had only been used as a rusher. It was a creative wrinkle by Southern and the offense.

The Georgia Southern defense stepped up to get a stop. However, Arnold fumbled the ball on the following possession and put the Chanticleers in scoring position. The dynamic dual-threat Chanticleer quarterback, Samari Colliers, capitalized on the fumble and ran in his own touchdown to tie the game.

The first play of the Eagle’s fifth drive, following the fumble, they handed it right back to Arnold. This time, he took the ball 62 yards for his second touchdown of the night. In just one quarter, Arnold had 100 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns – and he was far from done.

Colliers was playing incredibly well, but after a long run and awkward fall on the next drive, he had to go to the bench. The backup, and former starter for the Chanticleers, Tad Hudson, took his place. Collier’s big run got his team in field goal range, but Hudson was not able to find the endzone. Coastal was forced to settle for a field goal. After just one quarter, the score was 21-17.

Georgia Southern wasted no time when they got the ball back. A six-play drive ended with a screen pass to Arnold, who kindly took the ball 41 yards into the endzone for his third touchdown in just two quarters.

Hudson and the Chanticleers made their way down the field, trying to answer Arnold’s hat-trick. Although they could not find the endzone, they were able to kick a 51-yard field goal to make it an eight-point game. The Eagles next drive was similar to their first of the game and, just like that drive, they had to punt.

On a third down and 13, backed up in his own territory, Hudson was forced out the pocket before throwing an interception right to Eagle linebacker Brendan Harrington. The defensive captain, and locker room leader, read the quarterback’s eyes well and returned the ball inside the Chanticleer 10-yard line. French and the offense stepped in and finished the job with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Brown, his second touchdown of the first half. The celebration was short-lived, however.

Coastal Carolina kick returner Malcolm Gillie returned the kickoff 96-yards for the touchdown. And just like that, the Chanticleers were right back in it.

That’s how the game went. Anytime the Eagles looked to be pulling away, Coastal found a way to get back into the ballgame. The half ended with a French desperation heave into the endzone for an interception.

The halftime score of 35-27 was already over the full game point total.

A Suspenseful Second Half

Coastal Carolina got the ball to open the second half. A nine-play drive ended with another double-pass trick play touchdown, thrown by wide receiver Robby Washington. The Chanticleers went for the two-point conversion in an attempt to tie the game at 35, but failed.

The Eagles had enough of the trick plays, so they ran one of their own. Running back OJ Arnold got the handoff before stepping back to throw it to Camden Brown, who ran it all the way to the endzone for a 73-yard touchdown, and his third of the game. Two Eagles now had a hat trick (three touchdowns) in the third quarter (though Arnold technically had four, if you count the throw). And with that throw, Arnold made history for the Eagles as the first player to run, catch, and pass for a touchdown in one game.

The Chanticleers were far from done, though. Hudson rallied his team back down the field and got Coastal Carolina in position to attempt a field goal. However, the Eagles special team’s unit had other plans, and blocked the 34-yard attempt. 

To begin the fourth quarter, Georgia Southern kicked a chip-shot, 29-yard field goal to extend their lead. Just when fans thought Southern had it all but wrapped up, Coastal put together a 10-play drive that ended in a 16-yard touchdown run by backup running back Dominic Knicely. Once again, they were separated by only one score.

After trading punts, the Eagles were backed up and faced a third down and 12. It looked like Coastal was going to get one final shot to score. Instead of passing for 12-yards, the Eagles handed it back off to Arnold, who capped off his historic night with a 55-yard burst that effectively sealed the game. Arnold ended his night with 320 total yards, and four total touchdowns.

Look Ahead: Final Home Game Versus ODU

The Eagles will now prepare for their final home game of the season, hosting Old Dominion. The Monarchs have been impressive this season, but not impossible. They lost to the Heisman favorite, Fernando Mendoza, and Indiana by only 13 to start their season. The Monarchs then upset Virginia Tech after hanging 54-points on NC Central. Both James Madison and Marshall (the Eagle’s final opponent) found a way to beat ODU. Georgia Southern is just one win away from bowl-eligibility.

Monarch quarterback Colton Joseph has 2378 passing yards on the year, ranking 28th in FBS. In his last two games, Joseph has rushed for five touchdowns and thrown for 378 yards. He will be the best dual-threat quarterback the Eagles have seen since James Madison’s Alonza Barnett III, who gave them serious trouble.

Shrine Bowl Prospects: Jameson Tucker and OJ Arnold

Despite losing his starting quarterback, Coastal Carolina’s go-to receiver Jameson Tucker still kept his team afloat. The 6-foot-2 senior ended his night with 107 yards on four receptions alongside a 75-yard touchdown. Tucker has the size and speed to be an NFL-caliber wide receiver.

It would be criminal to mention anyone else for the Eagles that is not named OJ Arnold. Coach Helton said in his post-game press conference that he has never seen a single player dominate a game like Arnold did tonight. While that sounds hard to imagine coming from someone who has coached Drake London and Armon Ra St-Brown, Arnold was uniquely dominant against Coastal.

With 320 total yards, there was nothing the senior could not do. He had four plays that went for 40 yards or more, including the 55-yard run at the end of the game to secure the victory on third down. Although not all this season, Arnold is now 5-of-5 for five touchdowns as a passer, according to Helton. Whatever an NFL team would need him to do, there is no doubt that he could do it.