Georgia Southern runs all over ULM on homecoming
Georgia Southern has yet to taste defeat in the Sun Belt Conference and won’t for at least another week.
ULM came the closest to delivering that all-elusive “L” last season in Statesboro in a game that went down to the wire and was decided on the final play.
That didn’t change on Saturday night. And neither did the final result.
The Warhawks (1-3, 0-1) were able to pull within seven at the start of the fourth quarter, but Georgia Southern rode a dominant performance on the line of scrimmage and 455 yards rushing to a 51-31 win.
The Eagles (4-1, 2-0) put the game away with two L.A. Ramsby and Matt Breida rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter after the majority of the homecoming crowd filed out of Malone Stadium at halftime.
Breida led Georgia Southern’s four-pronged attack with 19 carries for 149 yards, while Ramsby (13 carries for 98 yards) and Wesley Fields (17 carries for 92 yards) just missed the century mark. Each ran for two touchdowns.
Clinging to a 14-point lead, Georgia Southern quarterback Kevin Ellison was picked off by cornerback Junior Williams, who raced 56 yards and got ULM within striking distance at 31-24. Undeterred, Georgia Southern stayed with its successful formula and let its stable of running backs eat.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver D’Marius Gillespie caught his first career touchdown pass with four minutes to play.
Garrett Smith completed 21 of 36 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns, but was also intercepted three times. Compared to Georgia Southern’s big day running the football, the Warhawks ran only 26 times for 47 yards.
ULM was able to score on its first possession of the third quarter after Smith went up-top to Jared Mapps to cut the Eagle advantage to 31-17. Mapps’ touchdown was set up by Ajalen Holley’s 69 yard reception.
Both teams played a sloppy first quarter that saw a combined 12 penalties for 90 yards, but Georgia Southern was able to build a 10-0 lead.
Special teams — a continued source of frustration for ULM head coach Todd Berry — cost ULM a touchdown when Ironhead Gallon scooped up a blocked punt and took it back 26 yards. Alex Hanks added a 29-yard field goal at the 5:22-mark.
Breida gave Georgia Southern a 17-0 lead before Craig Ford finally put ULM on the board with a 44-yard field goal with 7:07 to go before the half.
The Eagles took to the ground on their next possession and didn’t let up until adding two more touchdowns on the ground from Ramsby and Wesley Fields.
ULM was able to cut into Georgia Southern’s lead and make the score 31-10 at halftime on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Smith to Harley Scioneaux.
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