A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans
Does this look like real football? It sure as heck felt like it. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
If Georgia State never wins another game or scores another point, the Panthers and their fans can say this: On Sept. 2, 2010, a start-up college-football program outdrew a first-place big-league baseball club head to head. On its first time out of the box, GSU served notice that there’s enthusiasm in this city for this brand new team.
And that wasn’t always a given. Indeed, there were those — that’s my hand you see raised — who feared GSU would unveil its football team to an intimate gathering of friends and family beneath the cavernous Georgia Dome. But there was nothing small about the crowd Thursday night, and there was nothing intimate about the setting.
The Dome’s lower bowl was full, and the overflow spilled upward into the second tier. Cheryl Levick, GSU’s athletic director, reported that there were 11,000 students on hand, and certainly her estimate didn’t seem fanciful. The students arrived early and yelled all night — they even shrieked after a successful Panthers fair catch — and they roared their approval when the school president took a pregame walk in front of their end zone.
Said Mark Becker, the president in question, recalling his promenade: “Our student section was already full; their bodies were painted. I’ll never forget the excitement of those kids. … To see the student excitement and to see them fill the student section straight away will be with me forever.”
Someone asked Becker if he could have imagined such a crowd. “Two months ago, no,” he said. “A week ago, yes. Just the buzz around the city has been electric. … In the last couple of days, I predicted at least 25,000.”
He got it, plus 5K. Attendance was announced as 30,237. (The Braves, by way of contrast, drew 24,895 for their game against the Mets.)
Said Levick: “I am shocked and excited to do 30,000.”
About the game: The Panthers beat Shorter 41-7. They scored on their first drive and scored on their last, eight seconds from the end. They stopped themselves with some penalties, but this was, after all, the first time they had done this. (And it’s not as if established programs can’t be penalized. Ask the folks in Athens.)
Bill Curry, who had coached at Georgia Tech, Alabama and Kentucky, was so moved by this Opening Night that he gathered his family for photos before the game in front of the GSU students, who already were roaring. And his players were so stoked that they nearly injured themselves taking the field for warmups, so furiously were they leaping and smacking one another and waving to the crowd.
On the field for the coin flip — for history buffs: GSU won the toss and took the ball — and the kickoff, Levick said she looked into the expectant eyes of her players and “felt chills.” And it wasn’t, she noted, just the players. Walking the concourse, she kept being stopped by gray-haired alums who wanted to say thanks.
And then there were the folks who actually attend GSU. Said Levick: “[The students] are electric down there. They finally have a team, and they’re proud of it.”
When it was done, GSU was a 41-7 winner. The Panthers sprinted to the end zone and sang with the band — to go with a new team, Georgia State had to assemble a marching band — and celebrated with those wearing blue body paint, and it felt like a real football game had just been played and won.
“When you come to the moment of truth, you don’t know what’s going to happen when the lights come on,” Curry said. Then, pointing to the “incredible turnout,” he said: “I wondered if [the crowd] would unglue us. It did not.”
If anything, the crowd emboldened the new team. Forty-five minutes before kickoff, a cluster of Panthers gathered in the tunnel, and one shouted, “This is our house!”
Fancy that. The Georgia Dome — not Deion Sanders’ house, and not Arthur Blank’s, either. Instead it belonged, at least on this night, to a team that had never played, and darned if the Panthers didn’t make themselves at home.
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231 comments Add your comment
mmgtfan
September 2nd, 2010
10:59 pm
First
Mark Bradley
September 2nd, 2010
10:59 pm
Kudos yet again, mmgtfan.
Gonna Miss Bobby, That's for Darn Sure
September 2nd, 2010
11:01 pm
Nice, Mark, and thanks for the blog.
GT Trumpet
September 2nd, 2010
11:03 pm
Here’s to a great season GA State!
Directions
September 2nd, 2010
11:03 pm
Will this excitement continue for Lambuth next weekend in the Dome. C’mom, GSU fans the Panthers will need your support against mighty Lambuth. They recently hired the legendary Ron Dickerson and their 750 student body is fired up. Don’t let Lambuth outdraw us.
Mark
September 2nd, 2010
11:06 pm
Good to see them win, but I can’t hop on board just yet. They played Shorter who is a Div.III program. Waiting to see how they do against teams in their own division
Coach291
September 2nd, 2010
11:07 pm
Will GSU become another Tulane or UAB? or because of the size and the location of the school in one the best recruiting areas in the nation ….can it become something special?
ButlerGSU
September 2nd, 2010
11:08 pm
I’m hearing rumors that GA State will be scheduling NAIA foe Emmanuel College next season in order to build a great in state rivalry!
Mark Bradley
September 2nd, 2010
11:12 pm
OK, folks. I’m headed home. Thanks for sticking with me all night. It’s been even more fun that I would have envisioned.
Bryan
September 2nd, 2010
11:15 pm
You forget to mention that the GSU game outdrew the Braves game because Georgia State gave away 11,000 FREE tickets to students. I bet the braves could sell-out every night if tickets were free. What a joke.
5150 P.O.A.D
September 2nd, 2010
11:18 pm
Well Paid RESPECT MARK. I am almost crying thinking about the passion of being the FIRST. My heart swells with pride and my eye cloud with tears to know some 80+ young men get to keep pleying football for a few more years. To know that those young men get to learn about LIFE from Bill Curry is an even greater gift in my opinion
Hairy Dawg
September 2nd, 2010
11:20 pm
Congrats to the Panthers on their first win.
Hairy Dawg
September 2nd, 2010
11:22 pm
Thanks for the coverage, Mark.
My parents are a couple of GSU grads who couldn’t be there. I’m sure a lot of them appreciated the attention tonight.
Tim
September 2nd, 2010
11:24 pm
I’m not going to get cocky after the resounding win by GSU …. but now we know who the REAL GSU is in this state!!! Sorry ga southern … it ain’t U !!!
Tim
September 2nd, 2010
11:25 pm
Hey Bryan …… “L”
Panther fan
September 2nd, 2010
11:26 pm
Excellent execution all the way around. Top notch experience. It’s difficult to believe that this could be pulled off. The entire experience was nothing short of attending a I-A game from an established program. The Athletic department and administration should be proud!
Tim
September 2nd, 2010
11:33 pm
Georgia State University established who the real GSU is in this state tonight.
Georgia Southern …. just go away. why are you wasting your money sending your kids to a hick-town college in Statesboro. Heck. you’d be better off sending them to Shorter.
E-Roll
September 2nd, 2010
11:34 pm
Bryan actually the cost of the “tickets” is the increased student / athletic fees that every student is paying to field the team. So if you really think about it, GSU “sold” another 14,000 tickets due to the students that are currently enrolled that didn’t attend.
Kickoff Kid's Dad
September 2nd, 2010
11:37 pm
Sealing the special night was watching my son, Pete Tatum, hustle on the field and pick up the FIRST EVER GSU Kickoff! Being an Alumnus of G-STATE, my pride was overflowing and emotions pouring from my eyes. To my wife, a UGA Dawg — Honey, I’m not going to Athens anymore!
GO G-STATE!
GSU FAN
September 2nd, 2010
11:37 pm
Like the write-up suggested, I don’t care if they never win another game. Tonight was amazing and they deserved it! They’ve worked their tail ends off and got the result that proved it. No, they didn’t play a powerhouse. But they played LIKE a powerhouse! Good for them!! Oh, and for all the naysayers and party poopers… you can’t take away the feeling they all have tonight… it’s theirs and they earned it! GO GSU!
Reality Check
September 2nd, 2010
11:38 pm
It was a lot of fun and are there really people on this blog talking down Georgia State? Please name any school who on their very first football game had 30k fans in the seats. Heck Teck struggles to get 50k now.
It was a great night and like you said Mark, it was much more fun than I expected.
Panther Prowler
September 2nd, 2010
11:44 pm
I was there in the front row, and the GEORGIA STATE DOME was ELECTRIC!!!
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK WHEN WE DESTROY LAMBUTH!!!
LET’S GO STATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dannyboy
September 2nd, 2010
11:57 pm
Mark,
I’m a GT grad, and a GT football fan through and through…and it hurts me to say this, but the city of Atlanta has been looking for a team to call their own for years. Unfortunately, because of GT fans’ apathy towards non “Tech people”, GT could never fill the role of Atlanta’s college team.
I attended tonight’s game, and what I saw were a bunch of GSU students, alums, and general fans that beamed with pride that they finally have a team to call their own.
GT will always be an elite institution, but the attitude of their fanbase towards “sidewalk” fans will give GSU every opportunity to make Panther football Atlanta’s college team. I hate to say this, the day GSU outdraws GT in attendance is in the not too distant future.
G-STATE!!!!!!!
September 3rd, 2010
12:06 am
Bryan you are a DOPE! You do know the student did pay for the ticket via the increased athletic fees right?
Tim
September 3rd, 2010
12:10 am
Mark, Mark, Mark. You media types kill me. Before I start, yes, I am a GSU fan and thank you for your coverage of GSU.
Now, then, to compare the opening night attendance of GSU’s game to the Braves attendance tonight is sophomoric at best. Something tells me if you were to go back and look at the record for Atlanta Stadium (yes….before Fulton County was inserted and yes I searched for it!!) I bet the attendance for their opening game was around 56,000, as that is what the stadium held. And I am sure there were many thousands who were turned away at the gate. Mark, I expect more out of you than that. You should be embarrassed and owe the Braves an apology. Mark, this does nothing for your credibility …. stick to the subject.
Didn’t they teach you this in Journalism school?? yes….. sophomoric.
Chief Wiggum
September 3rd, 2010
12:13 am
Mark, can you kill all the idiotic trackbacks from what appear to be spam sites?
Congrats to Georgia State. They probably aimed a little low with their opener, but when you start a program from scratch, you have to guess how good you will be (or won’t be). Pleasant surprise.
Emily
September 3rd, 2010
12:21 am
Not to sound redundant, but anyone who saw their tuition bill lately knows how much we’ve paid for our tickets! And even though a little bit (ha!) came out of my pocket, I am still so proud of our Panthers!!!! Go State!!!
Jughead Obama
September 3rd, 2010
12:24 am
You only get one chance to see the first ever football game; This will be the 15th chance to see Booby blow it.
GSU_Alum
September 3rd, 2010
12:27 am
Wow! The game was amazing, the crowd was amazing… I’ve been waiting years for tonight. So much fun. As for those trying to rain on our parade, it’s pretty laughable. You play/beat whomever is on your schedule. GSU’s just played their first game in their history and won handily. Who cares who they played. Who cares who they play next week. Just win, baby! The conference schedule will hit them next year. In the meantime, get some experience and some measure of swagger.
Edlver
September 3rd, 2010
12:28 am
congrats to Ga State. Nothing compares to college football. I think the lower bowl dome set up is great for now but what about the future
Panama
September 3rd, 2010
12:32 am
Mark ay 11:06
If you’re going to jump on the bandwagon NOW for YOUR school you never will. I tailgated today and had the time of my life and I for one am happy to not be a college football orphan any longer. Maybe you should go see if Terrance Moore needs a roommate. GO PANTHERS!
http://www.panthertalk.com
Panama
September 3rd, 2010
12:34 am
Bryan, before you start popping off do some research and know what youre talking about,
red holtzman
September 3rd, 2010
12:43 am
The crowd was electric and the dome was filled with excitement what a memory! The first game ever only happens once. Thought they executed very well. Should be an interesting first season. time for the other GSU sports teams to step up to the plate and get some national and regional recognition. Hey Mark did your fellow employee who wtote the other article here actually attend the game. His article sure doesn’t sound like it
Hammer22
September 3rd, 2010
12:44 am
Bryan, as everyone else said the students already paid for their tickets through the increased students fees.
Bottom line, people HATE to see us succeed and no matter what we do, some nut will talk down on it. Research b/f you talk and you will know that some students paid the increase starting 2 yr ago b/f any game was played.
dawg day afternoon
September 3rd, 2010
12:49 am
Great job, G State!! I’m pretty sure you’ll have better attendance than the North Avenue Nerds all season. Congrats on finally bringing college football to Atlanta (not counting the women’s team at the Joke by Coke)!!!
GStateBen
September 3rd, 2010
12:50 am
Just returned from the game and as an alum (B.A. ‘03) a booster and fan, this was my greatest sports night of my life.
The crowd was amazing and a credit to the need for football at Georgia State. Just to give you some perspective, it was the largest crowd for an FCS (formerly 1-AA) opener since South Florida opened in 1997. 2nd All Time Folks. Can you believe it?
Lambuth will provide a bigger challenge as they throw the ball all over and will provide our DBs with a challenge but for tonight. We are undefeated and I’m filled with more pride than I have ever been.
Thanks for the coverage MB!
UGAJD
September 3rd, 2010
12:51 am
Congrats to the Panthers! Love the enthusiasm Best wishes for a successful season.
A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans … Book university
September 3rd, 2010
12:54 am
[...] here to read the rest: A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans … By admin | category: GEORGIA STATE | tags: GEORGIA STATE, its-inaugural, state | [...]
Ken
September 3rd, 2010
12:57 am
I first entered GSU back in 1984. At the time, it was said there were two things that would never be seen at GA State: dormitories and a football team. As the ever-so-mature 18 year old I was, I didn’t want to attend GSU initially, because I wanted to go to a “real” school such as UGA or GA Tech, or at least one that had a true campus and football team. Thankfully, as I grew older and a little wiser, I realized what a great institution GSU is, and I appreciated it far more than I had at first.
Well, three degrees later, I have finally seen my alma mater hit the big time. I was skeptical when I first heard that GSU was building a football program, but darned if they haven’t done it right. Everything went perfectly tonight, from the outstanding marching band to that amazing singer who did a dynamite rendition of our national anthem.
I can remember leading cheering sections at our basketball games back in the 80’s and early 90’s where we were lucky to have 500 people show up (and that included the “free” student tix). I remembered the pride I felt when we made it to the NCAA tourney, and how great it was to feel you were a part of something special.
Perhaps we aren’t destined to win a BCS championship in the next century, but 30,000 people to see a GSU athletic event? I am still shaking my head in disbelief.
And I am so proud of my school right now.
Dawg day afternoon
September 3rd, 2010
1:00 am
For those wondering, yes I went to UGA-milledgeville
Trae
September 3rd, 2010
1:00 am
Congrats to all McCaslin Georgia State alumni. Let’s hope Georgia State survives Alabama to play next year, too.
Tide Rising
September 3rd, 2010
1:05 am
That’s pretty awesome for Georgia State. 30,000 for a first ever game is flat out impressive. There are a lot of D-1 teams that don’t seem to draw 30k that have been playing forever. I know that our game with GSU later in the season will be a mismatch and we’re getting a lot of criticism for it. But I’m glad for it because of the exposure it will give GSU not to mention the money to keep building their program.
Congrats to the panthers.
Oh, and Bryan. You are classless punk.
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
September 3rd, 2010
1:07 am
Since there is already a GSU in Georgia(Statesboro) with a football team, which one is going to be able to use that designator? Sounds confusing to me and maybe to others also. When I see GSU I think it’s Georgia Southern.
messin with...........
September 3rd, 2010
1:08 am
dogboi, what a assinine comment.
John Trotter
September 3rd, 2010
1:13 am
Great article, Mark! I love stories like this! I am a UGA alum but I am pulling for the Concrete Panthers all the way! Or, perhaps the “Pavement Panthers” has more alliteration. Go GSU! Hey, what about GUS the Blue Panther…like UGA? I hope two of my Southside Boys, Jamal Ransby and Blake Wyatt, both freshmen, had a great game. I watched them play regulary at Newnan and Landmark Christian respectivefully. Great kids who can play! Congrats to Coach Curry, another Southside Boy from College Park High School!
Paco
September 3rd, 2010
1:28 am
Enter your comments here
Real GSU Alum
September 3rd, 2010
1:32 am
@TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
http://www.gsu.edu
That should answer your question.
GSU Alum
September 3rd, 2010
1:33 am
GSU! GSU! GSU! Thanks for the blog, Mark. I’m excited for the entire season!
I_Was_There
September 3rd, 2010
1:38 am
What are these programs you people keep talking about? I didn’t see any programs! I would have liked to keep one…
Ace
September 3rd, 2010
1:45 am
A football team like Georgia State plays 1 day a week (usually on a weekend) and a baseball team which plays 4 to 5 times a week. I wonder who wins the weekly attendance battle if that’s of interest?
Car77
September 3rd, 2010
1:54 am
Well, Georgia State’s website is gsu.edu… I think that shows who owns claim to the abbreviation GSU. It made sense for sports sites to abbreviate Georgia Southern as GSU because obviously that was their abbreviation… but we were first, and we own GSU. It was annoying looking up ESPN scores because of this, that abbreviation is soon to be ours!
Give Georgia Southern “GSO”
OnceInALifeTime
September 3rd, 2010
3:03 am
Amazing! I’ve been to professional ATL games that didn’t have a crowd that size – or that enthusiastic. Congratulations to the team, the coaching staff, and the students – this has been a long time coming and it was worth the wait. Nexxxxt…
KakNiqueTree
September 3rd, 2010
3:31 am
Can see it now (well, maybe someday, G-State and G-Tech, the next great intracity rivalry. USC and UCLA won’t have nothing on this!
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September 3rd, 2010
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A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) « Furniture Store USA
September 3rd, 2010
4:05 am
[...] A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fansAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Indeed, there were those ? that's my hand you see raised ? who feared GSU would unveil its football team to an intimate gathering of friends and family …and more » [...]
mike
September 3rd, 2010
4:08 am
congrats to georgia state football team, university, alumni, staff, and current students.. one more local football team can’t be a bad thing, right?
-gsu alum ‘05
Cardog
September 3rd, 2010
4:09 am
Georgia State’s website is GSU.EDU… they are the original GSU. It made sense for the only school with those abbreviations (GA Southern) to be called that. It makes it difficult to find ga state’s info on espn, and we are going to surpass them in popularity and recognition. I say change Georgia Southern to GSO….
You would think with the gsu.edu website, we have some claims to the trademark.
mike
September 3rd, 2010
4:11 am
also, although i am still a gstate supporter and alumni, it is still deion’s house.
bozydeco
September 3rd, 2010
4:16 am
Congrats to GSU, Bill Curry, the players, the students, and the alums. A shining start.
F9F
September 3rd, 2010
4:22 am
I’ve always thought you were an excellent writer, but I wasn’t happy with that column you wrote when GSU announced it’s intention to field a football team. All is forgiven, though. Great job, Mark!
Class of 99
September 3rd, 2010
4:45 am
I am so excited for the school! GO PANTHERS!
A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Hot Topics
September 3rd, 2010
5:26 am
[...] A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fansAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)… never wins another game or scores another point, the Panthers and their fans can say this: On Sept. 2, 2010, a start-up college-football program outdrew …Georgia State wins big in debutSavannah Morning Newsall 184 news articles » [...]
Cash Strapped Braves Fan
September 3rd, 2010
6:11 am
Way to Go GA State..Big fan of Coach Curry…a man of class and dignity. As far as outdrawing the Braves…so what? It’s the first EVER football game in the history of the program…this is game #130 something of the season for the Braves…it’s a long season…why even compare??
Class of 2009
September 3rd, 2010
6:15 am
As a new Georgia State Alumni, I must say this game was one of the best experiences I have had with sports ever. I know that sounds weird (this division/games are not worth much), but I guess it is due to not having a team as a student (especially in Georgia, where college football is huge). You learn to really appreciate things by going without them, and going without football as a college student in Georgia was TOUGH.
Sorry for the pointless rant, what a great game by Bill Curry and Company!
GO PANTHERS
Class of 89 and 97
September 3rd, 2010
6:20 am
It was a great game — and having football should shed a little light on what have been happening on campus. Many folks don’t know what a great university GSU has become — for student life, research, arts, etc. It’s great to see that football is going to bring many alums and other visitors downtown to see this for themselves.
Class of 89 and 97
September 3rd, 2010
6:22 am
“what has been happening” — sorry. No coffee yet!
George
September 3rd, 2010
6:55 am
Congratulations to Georgia State on a great win. I am skeptical, however, that the enthusiasm and attendance will continue past this first season. Hope I’m wrong.
Football cake
September 3rd, 2010
7:06 am
Well 30,000 is very good start u all act next they made people come in see it,,,well we see if get more if braves on road n college home around i say 47,000 next game for U GS football…if tech home oh nver mind u out draw Tech home opener anyway!Good luck Coach Curry if GT yech’s kept u not fired u cause he tellin off the loser AD then he would been winnin there also,what ever curry go’s its below avg college program n kentucky n Gt were and is kentucky tryin be…Tech No any college AD keeps a chokin baseball coach there is not.GS Panthers will be 10-2 this season folks!
Panther brethren show us how it’s done « PantherU
September 3rd, 2010
7:12 am
[...] “[GSU Athletic Director Cheryl] Levick said she looked into the expectant eyes of her players and ‘felt chills.’ And it wasn’t, she noted, just the players. Walking the concourse, she kept being stopped by gray-haired alums who wanted to say thanks.” Mark Bradley, Atlanta Journal-Constitution. [...]
AtlantaFootballFan
September 3rd, 2010
7:15 am
The walk-up crowd for last night’s game was incredible. The ticket booths were overwhelmed. The student tickets were all gone by 6:15. If they keep getting 15,000 students for each game, the crowds will be great. Good luck on the rest of the season. Go Panthers.
Topp Dogg
September 3rd, 2010
7:17 am
Next year GSU football will outsell GT in tickets and merchandise.
A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Blog-about.com Free Blogs
September 3rd, 2010
7:17 am
[...] A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fansAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)… never wins another game or scores another point, the Panthers and their fans can say this: On Sept. 2, 2010, a start-up college-football program outdrew …Georgia State wins big in debutSavannah Morning Newsall 184 news articles » [...]
PantherBlazerilla
September 3rd, 2010
7:40 am
Tide Rising, you have a lot of class. Thanks for your gracious support and I look forward to seeing our Panthers play the awesome Tide.
Butts Wagner
September 3rd, 2010
7:42 am
Bryan actually the cost of the “tickets” is the increased student / athletic fees that every student is paying to field the team. So if you really think about it, GSU “sold” another 14,000 tickets due to the students that are currently enrolled that didn’t attend.
And we have a new contender for the most convoluted argument crown! This is where the real excitement is. Maybe some fresh blood can be injected into the idiocy that is the Uga/GT squabbles on these blog comments.
To start some more lunacy, that means that when GT falls 10k short of selling out, they really did sell out because of the 10k students who paid their athletic fees and didn’t attend the game, so that means GT sells out every game. Take that! Uga fans who try and make fun of GT for not selling out their games. According to our friends at GSU, GT actually does sell out every game.
» BBL: Basketball takes pictures, football gets ready John Clay’s Sidelines
September 3rd, 2010
7:51 am
[...] Mark Bradley of the AJC writes that it was a boffo first night for Curry and Georgia State. [...]
Cracker Jacket
September 3rd, 2010
7:57 am
Nice to have a classy coach in Atlanta for a change!
GEORGE LIVINGSTON
September 3rd, 2010
7:59 am
AT LAST…A real team in the ATL
10-1 Lead After 3
September 3rd, 2010
8:00 am
Move over Yellow Jackets, take a hike Bulldogs, there’s a new power in town. And most of all, get ready Crimson Tide–the Panthers are coming!
shreveport
September 3rd, 2010
8:08 am
great game GSU! we’d love to pair you up with the underachievers from athens in december for our big bowl game
Kickoff Kid's Dad
September 3rd, 2010
8:10 am
As an Alumn of GSU and RSB, I’m overjoyed with our Football program. However, when I saw my son, Pete Tatum, run on the field and pick up the tee, I was overcome with emotion. The GSU Football program is Top Shelf; from the AD all the way to David the Team Manager. They made a “DREAM COME TRUE” for one Panther family. Way to go Pete!
– to my wife, who is UGA Dawg… Sorry honey, I won’t be going to Athens with you anymore!
Go Panthers!
ryan
September 3rd, 2010
8:10 am
Am I the only one that thinks that front page picture of Curry on the ground looks like he’s getting his a** kicked by the players?
Seriously, isn’t there maybe another picture?
PantherBlazerilla
September 3rd, 2010
8:10 am
Oh, and for all of your GA Suthern people, We were GSU while you were still GA Suthern College. I know- I was a student there starting in 1986, and GSU was used widely on campus and off. The Board of Regents owns the acronym and has assigned it to Georgia State because that’s where it has always belonged.
SomewhereinGA
September 3rd, 2010
8:12 am
I can’t wait till GSU gets its feet on the ground, so to speak, and plays the Nerds…..it should be fun. Anybody wanna bet GT will not agree to play them? Just like the other GSU, don’t have the kahonees to play Southern either.
The Grinch
September 3rd, 2010
8:16 am
That photo makes it look like Bill Curry just got kicked in the jewels. Gotta be careful pouring ice on old folks.
Really, though, I’m glad they had this kind of turnout and positive experience. They’ll probably struggle for a while but they may turn into a good program. I hope so; look forward to some in-state competition.
F-105 Thunderchief
September 3rd, 2010
8:17 am
Congrats, Georgia State. Wishing you continued much success. As an ’80s Georgia Southern alum, I know what this feels like. Hope our schools can become rivals in football.
KR
September 3rd, 2010
8:17 am
Congratulations to Georgia State’s players, Bill Curry and the entire school. Best of luck for continued success this season!
TCH
September 3rd, 2010
8:25 am
GSU needs to plan big and dream big and move to get either in a stronger conference or at the least schedule all non conference games with stronger teams. the sooner they move up the latter and schedule a more competitive season the quicker it will get to the big time. However, it is an awesome start and I will support GSU all the way. Go Panthers!!!
TTTT-Thumbody Thed Thats Thupid!
September 3rd, 2010
8:26 am
All I know is when I googled GSU football, Georgia Southern University came up first. Erk Russell put Statesboro on the map with that program and it will be forever embedded in people’s minds everywhere except Atlanta when football is mentioned. Enjoy your program, in Atlanta.
shovelhead
September 3rd, 2010
8:32 am
I hate haters. Good grief. Congratulations to the GSU Panthers.
john
September 3rd, 2010
8:33 am
Congrats Georgia State on your first victory! Only 6 national championships away from being the real GSU.
TCH
September 3rd, 2010
8:35 am
TTTT you are a complete idiot. When Georgia southern started playing football about 1983 it was Georgia southern COLLEGE. In the 1990s the decided they wanted to be a “University” GSU has been GSU forever. If you took a pole today more people in Ga would say GSU is Georgia State. GSU already has more exposure, support, and everything else then Southern. It doesn’t really matter what you think. GSU IS Georgia State. Get over it!!
Problem Solver
September 3rd, 2010
8:38 am
Will the REAL GSU stand up. Since Georgia State supporters and Georgia Southern supporters both believe that they should be called “GSU,” let’s solve this the old-fashioned way. How about scheduling a football game between Georgia State and Georgia Southern? As for naming the Panther mascot “Gus,” Georgia Southern already has its Eagle mascot named “Gus.”
GSU (Georgia Southern, that is) opens its season Saturday in Statesboro.
Opportunity awaits Boilers around the Bend – ESPN (blog)
September 3rd, 2010
8:38 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
UGAgrad05
September 3rd, 2010
8:39 am
I’m an mba student at GSU and an undergrad diehard from UGA. I went to the dome yesterday and got chills from how excited everyone was. The 30,000 in there were loud. It wasnt sanford stadium, but it definatly got me ready for football. Good job GSU
ruggerfool
September 3rd, 2010
8:45 am
Awesome night downtown there cannot be a classier coach than Curry. Class of 87
Go Pikes
ryan
September 3rd, 2010
8:47 am
Southern plays at Paulson Stadium.
Capacity about 18K with grass seating. Record attendance was nearly 26K, during a 1989 playoff game. Regular attendance is usually less than 15K.
State, last night, drew nearly 31K.
Anyone who wants to dismiss that because “it was just the first game” needs to ask what did Southern draw for their first game?
Well, it surely wasn’t 31K.
Because they played at Statesboro High School.
GSU GRAD
September 3rd, 2010
8:56 am
GSU CO/09! I am so proud of my Panthers! I will be at all the games and support you all the way. The excitement in that Dome was amazing. I hope everyone keeps coming out for the games to support their team. GSU GIVE EM’ HELL!
john
September 3rd, 2010
8:56 am
No, State is missing the pole with 6 national championship banners flying from it. I am happy for State, but lets be serious here. You have won a single game against Shorter College. And is there mascot really named GUS?
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
9:14 am
I soooooo smell a rivalry brewing between the two GSUs in this state. Let’s take it to the gridiron PLEASE!! Congrats to the panthers. Keep up the good work and support your team NO MATTER WHAT!! Having said that…..when it comes to football Ga State is….gsu but Ga Southern is…GSU. You have to give Southern the edge based on success and history. Academics is another matter and even as a Ga Southern alum I’ll admit that. So there’s only one way to settle this and that’s to take it to the field. Those games will be some of the most fun you’ll have as a Ga State fan. Hopefully, it will happen soon. Until then…Go gsu Panthers!!
Reality Check
September 3rd, 2010
9:15 am
Butts Wagnor – GT doesn’t sell out because they don’t sell out. It had nothing to do with their student tickets. They can’t sell out the other sections. I guess I would be pissed to if I cheered for a school that has been playing football over a century and GSU almost sold more tickets to their opener than Tech did.
I am usually in Athens watching the dawgs and of course last night isn’t quite Athens yet, but I was actually impressed with the atmosphere at the dome. Great job GSU and keep up the good work.
JDHGT
September 3rd, 2010
9:15 am
Way to go, State! This GT alum (and diehard Jacket fan) is proud of our downtown brothers.
Eraserhead
September 3rd, 2010
9:16 am
Great job Panthers and Coach Curry!
lady j 80
September 3rd, 2010
9:16 am
Congrats Ga State football team and fans for electrifying the Georgia Dome. You have made me a proud alumni.
JDHGT
September 3rd, 2010
9:17 am
It would be awesome to see a big rivalry develop between the two GSUs… Much like the Tech-UGA rivalry, you’d have the big city boys versus the rednecks from down on the farm.
Class of 83
September 3rd, 2010
9:17 am
When I went to GSU, it was go to class and come home. THIS would have been fun!
collegeballfan
September 3rd, 2010
9:21 am
Bully for State. Good show!
TCH
September 3rd, 2010
9:24 am
All I am saying is, in the 1990s when GSC decided to call themselves a university, Ga Southern knew all about the GSU in Atlanta. It was no secret or something that Georgia Southern did not realize. They did not care that they were creating confusion. Maybe they decided that since GSU did not have a football team that it did not matter, however GSC is the one that ceated the problem. It will be no time before Georgia Southern gets tired of hearing people think GSU is the school in Atlanta. Which it is!! Whine all you want.
Mets win
September 3rd, 2010
9:24 am
Boffo?
ryan
September 3rd, 2010
9:27 am
As to who people think of when they hear “GSU”, sorry Statesboro, it isn’t you.
Remember, GSU is Georgia STATE University. Like Ohio STATE University. Or Florida STATE University. Or Michigan STATE University. Or Penn STATE University.
Georgia Southern is just another “directional” school.
But it’s really cute to watch you guys pretend otherwise.
blazerdawg
September 3rd, 2010
9:29 am
Way to go Georgia State! Cannot wait for the day GSU plays Ga Tech in Ga Dome in front of 72,000.
Joel Armistead
September 3rd, 2010
9:32 am
Twelve of us were there and it was fantastic!!!!! My bother and I are Tech grads, but we had to be at this historic game. Awesome!
DC Brave
September 3rd, 2010
9:33 am
Mark Bradley I think that is one of the best pieces you’ve ever written. Congrats to GSU!
Andy
September 3rd, 2010
9:34 am
Congrats GSU! I don’t know how good Shorter is but it’s impressive to beat a team so soundly in it’s first game.
blazerdawg
September 3rd, 2010
9:36 am
Mr. Bradley – while it is great that you covered the event, and you are a terrific writer, I think your comment that “it was more fun than I envisioned” kind of speaks to your perspective of the local market. Perhaps part of the “problem” in ATL is that our feature sports writers are not native or more understanding of the local scene. Other “big” sports markets seem to have sports media that possess this passion and understanding. Thank goodness for Tony Bernhardt and the sports folks on Fox 5.
CLASS OF 02
September 3rd, 2010
9:42 am
Outstanding job by a lot of people at GSU who worked their rears off to make this a reality. Coach Curry is a class act, tireless worker, and outstanding coach and that was evident tonight. I am ecstatic to have a team to call my own. Thank you GSU.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 3rd, 2010
9:43 am
30,000 in attendance.
Ga State had almost as many as Tech will have…………………….
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
9:44 am
@ Ryan and TCH – Alot of talk from fans of a team that just one its first game……EVER. I hope you guys don’t think you have ownership of the acronym “GSU”. And since Georgia Southern University is a “directional” school, let me point you in the “direction” of the flagpole at Paulson stadium with all the championship banners we’ve won as GSC and GSU. With the support you have you’ll someday win some titles too but face it, as it relates to FOOTBALL in this state – when people think GSU, they’re not thinking of the panthers…not YET anyway.
gdawginkalamazoo
September 3rd, 2010
9:45 am
Why is Curry laying on the ground? Did a Bama fan hit him with a brick or something?
Otto
September 3rd, 2010
9:46 am
It was great being at the game. The game atmosphere was electric, really amazing game and I have been to plenty of SEC and GT games.
Tide Rising thanks for the classy post
Coach291, Hopefully GSU grows like USF did.
TCH
September 3rd, 2010
9:46 am
Blazerdawg, good point. I get so sick of hearing people bashing Atlanta as a sports town. I would like to see a study of another area in the country that has the amount of significant sports in their market that we do. I will bet there is not another market in the country that has the high quality of sports options within 100 miles of ATL. That would suggest that Atlanta is a huge sports town!!!
PTC DAWG
September 3rd, 2010
9:47 am
Sorry folks, but GSU is in Statesboro.
PTC DAWG
September 3rd, 2010
9:49 am
Oh yeah, Congrats to State for the win.
jacketFanMarcus
September 3rd, 2010
9:52 am
Wow. I Georgia State students think they have a real school or something. But great turnout.
I’m sure being on the cover of ESPN The Magazine didn’t hurt…
Traver
September 3rd, 2010
9:52 am
Congratulations to Bill Curry and the Panthers. That said, enough already about what to call us – GSC, GSU, Georgia Southern blah, blah, blah. Call us whatever you want. We don’t care. Alot more worried about winning then who gets to use what letters.
The only thing good about this ridculous debate is at least their is growing interest in both programs. This is a natural fit for an excellent in-state rivalry. Lets get it going. Would be good for college football in Statesboro and Atlanta.
A Dude
September 3rd, 2010
9:54 am
Meh,
If they wanted credibilty they’d play in the Southern Conference. The real GSU would eat these guys for lunch.
GSU 97/02
September 3rd, 2010
9:56 am
I attended both GSUs, under/grad. In one game State has passed Southern. I don’t believe there has ever been 30k attend a Southern game, not even in all of their many championship seasons. State is really in another league – the stadium, coaches, fan base, athletic department, and even caliber of players. State could probably beat Southern right now. State has real potential to someday pull a South Flordia and go to D-1. Southern has never been able to think big and it has been frustrating seeing UConn, Marshall, Montana, WKy, etc. go D-1 when Southern has a richer history and greater football success. Tonight I graduated to being a State fan instead of a Southern fan. State’s rivalry will be with Tech within five years, not Southern IMO.
Blackberry Cobbler
September 3rd, 2010
9:56 am
Ryan–
You’re a complete moron.
There’s also Savannah STATE, Fort Valley STATE, Armstrong STATE, Kennesaw STATE, Valdosta STATE, North Georgia STATE, Macon STATE, ALBANY STATE, Georgia College and STATE, etc.
STATE is simply a name given by the Board of Regents and means nothing. If you’ll do a little homework, you’ll find that the majority of students at this so-called “directional” school are from the Atlanta metro area.
Panther
September 3rd, 2010
9:56 am
Bring it on dawgs. We’ll play you any time any where.
Didn’t think so.
gammons is a peter
September 3rd, 2010
9:57 am
jFM – your post causes me to understand why the Bulldog people laugh at Tech. Way to go Panthers!
juvenal
September 3rd, 2010
9:57 am
eventually, the extra teams will dilute market for everyone, esp. if Mercer adds football, but congrats to GStU(hope GSoU does well, too)…it is alumni money that keeps GT going, not tix, i’ll support Tech as long as we have kids that at least nominally are real college students, hope GStU did not create a gym coach/janitor progam just to have FB…know more KSU, Mercer, GStU alums that are uga fans than GT, closer to go to games at their alma maters…does it help GSoU that so many of their “fans” would rather go to athens?
Peter
September 3rd, 2010
9:58 am
Bill Curry is a winner, and I wish all the best to him and State ! Beat Alabama !
TCH
September 3rd, 2010
9:59 am
A check of the Georgia Southern “High powered national champion Eagles” So called real GSU Football! 6 National Champion Flag Bla Bla. It looks like the last national championship was in 2000. Since then the Eagles have won about 50% of their games and missed the play offs most years. That will be real hard to compete with! A real football powerhouse!
Sam Reaves
September 3rd, 2010
9:59 am
GSU senior here. I hate football, but last night was absolutely amazing. Definitely going to another game this season!
GSU 97/02
September 3rd, 2010
10:00 am
ryan, ever heard of USC? University of SOUTHERN California. Guess that’s a directional school also??? But I agree, GSU is State to me and I attended both.
Dawgtards ruin this state
September 3rd, 2010
10:00 am
Another thUGA arrest today!
Georgia State Football | KeepWonderful.com
September 3rd, 2010
10:02 am
[...] Georgia State Football Written by Dr. K. Josh News Sep 3, 2010 A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans Does this look like real football? It sure as heck felt like it. (AJC photo by Jason Getz) If Georgia State never wins another game or scores another point, the Panthers and their fans can say this: On Sept. 2, 2010, a start-up college-football program outdrew a first-place big-league baseball club head to head. On its first time out of the box, GSU served notice that there’s enthusiasm in this city for this brand new team. And that wasn’t always a given. Indeed, there were those — that’s my hand you see raised — who feared GSU would unveil its football team to an intimate gathering of friends and family beneath the cavernous Georgia Dome. But there was nothing small about the crowd Thursday night, and there was nothing intimate about the setting. The Dome’s lower bowl was full, and the overflow spilled upward into the second tier. Cheryl Levick, GSU’s athletic director, reported that there were 11,000 students on hand, and certainly her estimate didn’t seem fanciful. The … . [...]
blazerdawg
September 3rd, 2010
10:05 am
Tech man’s (sic) dream! A UGA arrest and DragonCon in the same weekend!
Shorter HAWKS Fan
September 3rd, 2010
10:07 am
Congrats GSU Panthers! What an electric atmosphere! I’ve been to several college games at the dome and last night was no let down. (Other than losing the game!) GSU put a REAL product on the field and has something that students, alumni, and college football fans should be proud of and, more importantly, support. The school, team, and fans seemed to be a class act!
Shorter has an excellent team. (Especially for a 12,000 student Baptist University in our 4th year of football!) We are very competive in NAIA. We just couldn’t match GSU’s size, strength, and speed. However, I was proud of our guys! I understand there are no moral victories. Just wins and loses. But our guys competed and represented our University well!
Again, GSU fans and alumni should wake today with chest bowed! Good luck Panthers!!!
juvenal
September 3rd, 2010
10:08 am
uga has as many arrests in a year as i can remember in 40 for Tech, but in their denial(or maybe they are that severely math challenged) they only harp on our 1 every year or so…those who don’t remember the past are condemned to repeat it(tho’ 1980 was just yesterday)…try & be classy, GStU,,,,
Shannon
September 3rd, 2010
10:13 am
Thanks to Bradley and the AJC for hosting the live blog last night for those who couldn’t be there in person.
Re: the mascot–its name is Pounce.
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
10:13 am
@TCH – Good to see you’re brushing up on your history!! Here’s a little more for you about beautiful Paulson Stadium and the GSU football:
Hallowed home of the Eagles, legendary six-time NCAA Division I-AA football champions, this 18,000-seat facility was dedicated Sept. 29, 1984. In the University’s modern football era, the Georgia Southern Eagles have the two longest winning streaks in the NCAA I-AA, 39 (1997-2001) and 38 (1985-1990).
You see, our success comes in spurts. We’ve been around just long enough to know that. What’s funny is that we’ve had some bad years recently and people will STILL think Georgia Southern University when you mention “GSU football”. I know, it sucks…..but it’s true.
Hey it takes some moxie to be the red-headed step child and the up-and-comer in this state. Trust me, we know very well. Glad to see you guys are up for the fight.
Tiffani
September 3rd, 2010
10:17 am
I graduated from GSU in 2005, and all I have to say is, ITS ABOUT TIME! I’m immensely proud of my GSU Panthers!
The Chrome Gouda
September 3rd, 2010
10:19 am
Gotta chime in to say that GA State has been known as GSU since 1969, when is was named such by the Board of Regents. Before that, it was GSC (Georgia State College).
Georgia Southern University was named such in 1989.
So, if anyone thinks that it is necessary to debate who had the original claim to the name “GSU,” I think that the answer would be pretty obvious. GA State has been called that for 41 years. GA Southern started using it twenty years later. Do the math. GA Southern folks, it’s okay to use your fingers to count…
HotChoiceConnect.com » Blog Archive » Georgia State Football
September 3rd, 2010
10:24 am
[...] were 11,000 students on hand, and certainly her estimate didn’t seem fanciful. The …Read MoreWatch more Movie about Georgia State Football:GSU Football Highlights- August 2009Durwood [...]
GSU 97/02
September 3rd, 2010
10:24 am
In one game, State has passed up Southern. In all Southern’s many championship season, never have they had 30k attendence. State has a better stadium, coaches, players, fan base, and athletic department. With only one game in the books, State is so much closer to D-1 than Southern has ever been. Within five years, Tech, not Southern, will be State’s rival – guaranteed.
Looking back at the opener | Georgia State Sports
September 3rd, 2010
10:25 am
[...] links – Mark Bradley’s column; AJC photo gallery, the AP game story, the AJC version, colleague Pierce Huff’s notebook and [...]
Georgia State Football
September 3rd, 2010
10:27 am
[...] were 11,000 students on hand, and certainly her estimate didn’t seem fanciful. The … .. Tags: georgia state university Hot [...]
GSU 02
September 3rd, 2010
10:27 am
Great job by so many at GSU who put in so much work getting this up and running. A great win for a classy coach. I’m ecstatic to finally have a team of my own to support. Thank you GSU.
Stilly Panther
September 3rd, 2010
10:28 am
For all the arguments about who is the “real” GSU let’s consider history.
Georgia State became a university in 1969. Georgia Southern became a university in 1990.
End of history lesson.
Zopf: Georgia State’s First Game Too Exciting To Miss – Gainesville Times | Latest News On Web
September 3rd, 2010
10:30 am
[...] there! If you are new here, you might want to subscribe to the RSS feed for updates on this topic. Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Zopf: Georgia State's first game too exciting to missGainesville TimesApparently work and other [...]
juvenal
September 3rd, 2010
10:31 am
turn off the scoreboard at zero, turn off the comments on their(yet again) embarassing blog, they can dish it out…(though who does anything but laugh at their puerile, skulyard rantings…)
GSU 97/02
September 3rd, 2010
10:31 am
I attended both GSUs, under/grad. I graduated from Southern fan to State fan yesterday. To me GSU is State.
Zopf: Georgia State’s first game too exciting to miss – Gainesville Times | Hot Topics
September 3rd, 2010
10:41 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
10:41 am
As I’ve already pointed out, this GSU vs. GSU argument is not about which school had the name first. THIS IS ABOUT FOOTBALL. Which FOOTBALL team had the name first?? Pretty obvious. (Furthermore, if we want to be even more technical about this Grambling State University trumps both Georgia schools, but we’ll keep this in-state for the sake of argument).
AND we didn’t have a nice comfy, ready-made DOME that holds over 70,000 for our team when we got started so excuse us for building our program from the ground up, literally.
Stilly Panther
September 3rd, 2010
10:42 am
Also on schools with the same lettering. What about Grambling State University?
And what would you do about the three OSUs? Ohio State, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State. Are you gonna say one is the only “real” OSU and the rest are phonies? Who cares if multiple universities have the same initials. Get a life and get over it already people.
PMC
September 3rd, 2010
10:43 am
Heck of a first night. Plenty of room for another program in this area. I hope that they can rise like UCF and USF.
Way to go Georgia State all the way around!
PMC
September 3rd, 2010
10:47 am
As long as they do the tickets right and keep everyone toegther in the lower bowl the Georgia Dome is a fantastic venue for events.
The only reason it ever really seems cavernous is when through tiered pricing they stick a bunch of people way up stairs so far away from the action and don’t sell the expensive lower bowl tickets.
Put all the people toegther and it’s loud and proud down at the bottom.
SirReal
September 3rd, 2010
10:50 am
As a GSU alum, i loved what I saw last night! It was an great atmosphere and even greater turn out. I wish they’d have been around when I went 6 years ago!!!
ryan
September 3rd, 2010
10:50 am
EaglesForever…
Yale has 18 national titles.
It means nothing.
That adorable little directional school in Statesboro loves to harp about 6 national titles, which is obviously more than a team that played their first game yesterday. Give State nearly 30 years and let’s see how that compares, Chuckles.
But it’s cool. I understand why y’all are so antsy. You know that with State being up and running that you’re not going to get the run on FCS level talent. You probably are already aware that you’ll never get that 7th flag.
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
10:51 am
@ Stilly Panther – Relax buddy, we’re just trying to build a rivalry here. Jeez! Nobody is foaming at that mouth and I personally plan on attending some Ga State games and cheering for the hometeam….unless that “other” GSU (the one with all the championships) shows up in the dome to play them and I ain’t talking about Grambling State.
Where the Braves fans at?
September 3rd, 2010
10:52 am
I dont know whether to be excited for GSU or depressed because my beloved Braves aren’t getting the fan support they deserve….?
F-105 Thunderchief
September 3rd, 2010
11:02 am
Man, please stop it with the GSU crud. I went to Georgia Southern College. Most people refer to Ga. Southern in shorthand as “Southern,” but so probably do folks at Southern Miss and Southern Illinois. Let’s just schedule each other and be Eagles vs. Panthers. All this GSU chest thumping is childish.
Fulton Resident
September 3rd, 2010
11:06 am
I won’t begin to address the few negative comments screaming into the wind.
It was a fantastic game and atmosphere last night. Proud of GSU for really turning it on. Go Panthers!
ATLNative
September 3rd, 2010
11:07 am
My Mom and Dad (3 GSU degrees between them), had been waiting for last night for a long time. They were never football fans until I went to Auburn for undergrad and brought them down for the annual “Oldest Rivalry in the Deep South” vs. UGA. That was in 2000. Now, 10 years later, I have a Masters from GSU, my brother has his Bachelors, and our family has 6 season tickets.
I got chills at kickoff… maybe it was the A/C vent right behind us or the fact that there were OBVIOUSLY more people there than planned. The students have a lot of traditions to work out and an .mp3 of the fight song needs to get emailed to everyone with a ticket, but to say this is huge would be such an understatement. The coaches, staff, administration, and ESPECIALLY the students at State absolutely NAILED IT last night. It was long overdue.
MS Bully
September 3rd, 2010
11:08 am
Congrats GA State!! Beat Bama!!
Why does the AJC not allow comments when a GA player gets arrested? It seems to be a everyday thing down in Athens. I’m bringing two sets of handcuffs when Georgia comes to Starkville.
WDE
September 3rd, 2010
11:09 am
I was at the game. I have no tie to the school (just graduated from GT), but my friend’s little brother is a freshman there. It’ll be exciting over my lifetime to see how the program develops (maybe it’ll be like USF?), and to know that I was there for the first game.
Only dampener was hearing their fight-song, which is gaining some pretty bad press. No college fight song should ever say “We’re from the ATL”. Anyways, I’m excited for the players.
Go Jackets and War Damn Eagle.
GSU FAN
September 3rd, 2010
11:11 am
That game last night was amazing!!! I never would have thought we’d have 30,000+ people show up!!!! This was the most fun I’ve had at a sporting event since my days in Chicago with the Bulls.
And much respect to our Southern neighbors, but with football at Georgia State now, its only a matter of weeks before people (even Southern) recognize GSU football as the one in downtown ATL.
A Dude
September 3rd, 2010
11:18 am
Considering the location, GSU could stand for “Get Shot University” when referring to the Panthers.
bird watcher
September 3rd, 2010
11:25 am
I like that… let the have the GSU title (get shot university) Southern can use the letters GASOU. Which works and as was already stated most people refer to us as Southern. Also, let this team take a trip down to Southern and we will quickly find out who has the better squad. I guarantee this will be a little tougher opponent than Shorter.
ATL Observer
September 3rd, 2010
11:26 am
I’m with EaglesForever, a little fun trash-talk about silly things like “real GSU” just makes for good rivalry banter. I, for one, look forward to some GSU-GSU games in the future.
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
11:32 am
@Ryan – We may not ever get that 7th flag and State may never get its first. Either way, when people think of GSU Football here they won’t be thinking of State for a while. If you’ve noticed I haven’t bashed State’s program at ALL. I truly wish them all the luck in the world and I’m excited for them and the city. I’ve always wanted State to have a team and now they do. MASSIVE KUDOS! Seriously.
Zopf: Georgia State’s First Game Too Exciting To Miss – Gainesville Times | Buzzinusa
September 3rd, 2010
11:34 am
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Zopf: Georgia State's first game too exciting to missGainesville TimesApparently work and other [...]
coachx
September 3rd, 2010
11:46 am
Enter your comments here
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
11:47 am
@ ATL Observer – EXACTLY!! Why should UGA and Tech get to have all the fun? I expect State’s program to grow exponentially in the next few years and soon they’ll be more than Southern can handle on any given day but yesterday we Eagles officially passed the title of red-headed step child down to the Panthers. I’m sure they’d tell you it’s better to be that stepchild than to not be a member of the family at all.
coachx
September 3rd, 2010
11:53 am
There are 2 USC’s (U. of Southern Cal and U. of South Carolina…………why can’t there be 2 GSU’s ?
Gerogia State is the much larger school (2nd largest in the entire state with over 30,000). Georgia Southern is the 5th largest state university with 19,000. Normally you win out with #’s. The entire nation (outside of Statesboro, Valdosta, and Macon) will recognize Georgia State University as GSU.
Georgia Southern will have an inferiority complex with Georgia State similar to what Tech has now with UGA. I can’t wait until the 2 school play and all of those rednecks crom south Ga come up to the Dome. A new rivalry is born ! You got to love it !
ryan
September 3rd, 2010
12:00 pm
FWIW, I went to both schools, but graduated from State.
I’m just having some fun here.
If you ask me, the GSU debate is natural, and it adds to what should really be a great rivalry.
Is Southern the better team right now? Obviously. State just played their first game.
But I think anyone with any honesty has to acknowledge that State is going to be competitive at the FCS level very quickly.
dawg day afternoon
September 3rd, 2010
12:06 pm
The G Southern crowd is already embracing its little brother role, just like tech.
UGA RUNS THIS STATE, and now GSU RUNS THIS CITY!!!
David Smith
September 3rd, 2010
12:13 pm
It has been amazing to see this team start out with only one player on the roster and build a cohesive unit in two years. I believe Bill Curry will give this team an opportunity to be competitive in most of it’s games and will gradually improve in the years to come.
Name Solution
September 3rd, 2010
12:14 pm
Georgia Southern needs to change their name to:
Southern Georgia.
Like Southern Misssisippi.
Southern Mississippi used to be called Mississippi Southern.
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
12:15 pm
@Coachx – You have missed the entire point of this. This is all about building a rivalry on the field and yes it’s being done here with something simple and silly – the acronym of both school names. School size has nothing to do with any of this – we’re talking football my friend and if you ask the entire state (outside of Statesboro, Valdosta, and Macon) to talk about GSU FOOTBALL – State’s program would be an afterthought, as it should be. Nothing wrong with that but Southern has simply been at it longer.
Don’t let the media convince you that Tech has an inferiority complex with UGA. Why should they? They both have the same number of national championships and a rich tradition. If the fact that UGA has had more success over Tech in recent years is your basis for that argument then you can imagine the complex UGA must have with Florida (whom they consider to be tougher competition).
Anyway, GSU vs. GSU is gonna be a fun rivalry if they ever make it happen.
Cos
September 3rd, 2010
12:46 pm
Great night for GaState. Bring on Alamaba. We’ve got the Tide quaking in thier boots. We will be No.1 by year end. Georgia Tech who? We’ll manhandle that North Ave. trade school as well. They will probably be too afraid to play us. Nothing can stop us now!! Wahoo!
GCSU Bobcats want football too
September 3rd, 2010
12:52 pm
Shorter is NAIA, for your info. Do your research casual fan. Im sure you learned the game from ESPN and are thus an expert. State were incredibly excited, it was really cool. From my seat though, it didnt seem like a lot really knew what was going on. They didnt even know what a first down was or that illegal motion is …illegal. Not to take anything away, i just worry that the attendance will not be anywhere near that high later on. Really electric atmosphere though, congrats panthers and dont take your team for granted.
Sidenote: average Shorter player was like 5′10 205, Avg GSU player was like 7′2 and 400 pounds of athleticism and muscle, so shout out to the Hawks for playing their hearts out and being really srcappy. I dont see them losing again in conference play this year.
blazerdawg
September 3rd, 2010
1:25 pm
The real University of South Georgia is Valdosta State.
congrats to the old evening school of commerce
September 3rd, 2010
1:35 pm
Georgia State, formerly the Georgia Tech evening school of commerce, deserves credit for beating an NAIA team. In the next few weeks, they’ll take on the dregs from the lower divisions of the NCAA. I’m sure they’ll win some big games—helping Georgia State transform from a commuter school into a respected university.
With Bill Curry at the helm, until he decides to leave for greener pastures, Georgia State is destined to play football games, and eventually, games against schools that give out as many scholarships as they do.
Mark
September 3rd, 2010
2:06 pm
Mr. Panama! I enjoy your excitement for wanting to support your school. I would support Georgia State just because I grew up and live in Atlanta. But I actually went to the real GSU. You know the one down in Statesboro with all the championships. When your school wins a game that will give them some type of credibility other than beating up on a school that is NAIA. Then you can talk.
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
2:13 pm
@ congrats to the…… – Huh? Oh I get it!! So, Georgia State should have taken on Notre Dame’s schedule in their first year. Yeah, that makes sooooo much sense! You know, what makes that line of thinking so strange is that you’d probably turn right back around and say State has no business playing Alabama in their first year either.
dawg day afternoon
September 3rd, 2010
2:20 pm
Geez, the bird brains from Statesboring sure are sensitive. Georgia State will always be known nationwide (not just in south Georgia) as the real GSU, and Ga Southern’s meaningless championships of yesteryear will never change that. And I thought tech had a little brother complex!!
EaglesForever
September 3rd, 2010
2:30 pm
I’m actually from ATL (Decatur to be exact) as are most of the people I know who went to Southern so just stop with this GA Southern redneck stuff already. I’d rather hear than from a State fan than a UGA fan anyday. If Championships are meanlingless then why play for them? When is the official cutoff date for championships to mean anything? Perhaps I missed it when ESPN announced to everyone when that is.
dawg day afternoon
September 3rd, 2010
2:42 pm
Welcome to irrelevance. You have G State to thank for that.
Meanwhile, in the land of grown men: GO DAWGS!!!!!
Bill Stanfill
September 3rd, 2010
2:45 pm
Enter your comments here
Mark
September 3rd, 2010
2:46 pm
To all the State fans who are talking about this State vs. Southern thing. You guys are a first year team who hasn’t done anything. When people talk about football and they say GSU. It is already known that they are talking about Georgia Southern. Yeah you can say you have more students but almost 70% of your student population commute. They have to still stay at home because you are a commuter school with hardly any housing. You barely have a campus cause you share your streets with office buildings and business that sit right in the middle of campus. How can you call yourself a real university when you don’t even have a campus. No housing, no athletic facilities on campus, or anything. Your baseball team play all way in Dekalb. Come on man!!!
john
September 3rd, 2010
2:51 pm
Im happy for Ga. State. However, they have only played a one game. There is no comparison in a football program that has one victory to a school that has won the most national championships of any FCS school. Who knows, it may be different 20 years from now, but get a grip. You have played one game against Shorter College. I agree that Ga. Southern and Ga. State must start playing each other!
A Dude
September 3rd, 2010
2:52 pm
Mark, it’s ’cause nobody wants to play baseball in the ghetto.
USMC07
September 3rd, 2010
2:59 pm
Just to get stuff straight… State’s mascot is named POUNCE… not GUS or anything like that… And Southern… i like how you are all up in arms about your football tradition and all but look who our coach is.. you really think Curry will just settle for an ok program and allow us to miss playoffs all the time… Curry is here to win big and if you dount young school’s ability to perform on the level of the SEC and such go talk to USF and see what they have to say about that topic.
Panther Prowler
September 3rd, 2010
3:00 pm
FYI: GSU owns many of the buildings that GSU “shares” with businesses, and the size of our campus has increased substantially in the last 5 years. This will be a fun rivalry, but all the references to “the ghetto” just sound ignorant, like people that never come downtown. See you in Statesboro, eventually. And of course you’re welcome in our house when the time comes. GO STATE!!!
Panther pride
September 3rd, 2010
3:04 pm
john… I am sorry to inform you of this but State’s campus is the majority style in both Europe and Asia… The U.S. is one of few nations that keep their universities set away from the rest of the cities.. So sorry but close campus styles are not the popular style in the world so looks like State is the real university when you look at the bigger picture.
john
September 3rd, 2010
3:05 pm
USF is the exception, not the rule. And while I like Bill Curry because of his ties to GT, his overall record is 84-105-4. I do hope he is successful at state and that a new rivalry will be born with Ga. southern.
Tide Rising
September 3rd, 2010
3:12 pm
gdawginkalamazoo
September 3rd, 2010
9:45 am
“Why is Curry laying on the ground? Did a Bama fan hit him with a brick or something?”
Gdawginkalamazoo,
I’ll have to go ahead and admit it. Even I was LMAO on that one. Good luck to the panthers the rest of the season.
Michael
September 3rd, 2010
3:24 pm
Bryan, why do you have to add such a negative hating comment to what was truly a great moment in GSU’s history?
Michael
September 3rd, 2010
3:28 pm
Mark, another hater. Our campus exists, is vibrant, and not cluttered with the tractors you bumpkins drive to class.
.
September 3rd, 2010
3:36 pm
Bama 56 GSU 0
Panther Prowler
September 3rd, 2010
4:00 pm
Bama 56 GSU 50
Mike
September 3rd, 2010
5:33 pm
http://www.gsu.edu
Case closed.
dawgmatic
September 3rd, 2010
6:51 pm
I’ve studied in Europe (Paris, among other cities), and Panther pride is right: public universities in practically every other country are built into downtown areas, sharing space in historic buildings. The concept of colleges on acres of land outside of cities is an invention of the American federal land grant program. I should know: Georgia is the oldest land grant university in the USA.
dawgmatic
September 3rd, 2010
7:00 pm
I wonder how people at the Sorbonne would react to the whole “city schools are inferior” argument?
Ross
September 3rd, 2010
10:05 pm
Curry spans a great football arc, from Bobby Dodd to Mike Curtis and Johnny Unitas to last night. Won and lost a Super Bowl, with the same team, in different conferences. Someone should do a proper interview. I’ll volunteer, I’m a Tech guy too.
Not Disappointed!
September 3rd, 2010
10:29 pm
You wrote a damn good article Mark! I’m a Jacket and I was impressed. Go Panthers!
Fred
September 3rd, 2010
10:35 pm
Sweet.
Albion2
September 3rd, 2010
11:31 pm
hey, Bryan? PISS OFF!! i was at the game last night and chose NOT to go to the “cant deliver in the post season Braves” game and did NOT get my ticket for free! the game was awesome, the game was historic and the game was the ONLY place i wanted to be last night and am proud to have done so!! GO PANTHERS! THANKS, GUYS FOR A GREAT INAUGURAL GAME!!
scottbravesfan
September 4th, 2010
12:49 am
Braves had almost 53,000 fans for their opening day. Please Mark Bradley try to have some perspective.
gaines rushton
September 4th, 2010
3:55 am
i knew bill curry was a good coach and he brings out the best in his players. maybe georgia needs a bill curry type coach who knows how to get the best out of the young men that he coaches and he wouldn’t hire a wee willie.
itsmeagain
September 4th, 2010
3:59 am
Lol, its funny to me how butt hurt Southern kids are that they aren’t considered GSU by anyone (not even themselves; there logo says GS on it, not GSU). I guess it hurts so bad because State had more exposure before they had even stepped on the field then Southern has ever had. When people say GSU, the vast majority of people around the US are going to think Georgia State before they think Georgia Southern because of the amount of national exposure that State is getting.
And academically and nationally, Georgia State is the second largest school in the state, and its a research university (the same as 3 other colleges in Georgia, being Tech, UGA and medical college of Georgia). Southern is just a regional college. Which is why, on a national scale, not only does nobody give a crap about Southern, nobody even knows who they are. I would dare say more people know who State is for their football right now than they do Southern
Panther Prowler
September 4th, 2010
8:27 am
People wanted the whole “real GSU” issue to be settled on the football field, and now, it’s finally settled:
Georgia State 3, Georgia Southern 0.
http://ow.ly/18RnZ7
JGW 69/71
September 4th, 2010
9:51 am
Regardless of what comes during this season, Thursday night’s game was just wonderful. I remember sitting in classes in the 60’s and 70’s where discussions occurred concerning when Ga. State University would have a football team. We’ll we’re there!!! Great fans, great game venue and also an outstanding coach. It was worth the wait!!!
J Bryant
September 4th, 2010
12:11 pm
To those saying that they GAVE away tickets… students pay athletic fees. Once you leave the SEC student athletic fees ARE their game day tickets. Bryan… get off our blog and focus on YOUR team (which ever it is…. if it’s an in-state team there is more than enough to keep you busy). I remember the CLUB team 10 years ago and people saying this would never happen. This school and this CITY and soon this STATE will consider GA State a source of pride. GO Panthers!!! Thanks to all those that were with us those first seasons when we were fighting for this day as the GState Club Football team. Jay Bryant Fall ‘03
ruggrfool
September 4th, 2010
1:37 pm
Shorter HAWKS Fan: class comment
It’s been 2 days and I’m still geeked
ruggrfool
September 4th, 2010
1:48 pm
Mark I hate to break it to you but Southern is known as a travel school because the student body leaves Friday and high tails it back to the ATL
dawgmatic
September 4th, 2010
5:17 pm
What is there to do in Statesboring during the weekend? The football team’s heyday is over, and that one-horse town isn’t even worth taking a crap in. Athens, on the other hand, has bars and talent as far as the eye can see.
gsu.edu
September 4th, 2010
5:18 pm
last time I checked, I hear people refer to Georgia State as state and Georgia Southern as southern. so I think that argument is settled. plus…its gsu.edu and georgiasouthern.edu. Georgia State is GSU baby! so pumped
GSU
September 4th, 2010
5:42 pm
This is exactly what Georgia State needed. The school has finally put together a team that can really generate school spirit. It has been a great year for Georgia State so far. It recorded it’s largest enrollment ever at 31,000 students, freshmen applications went up to 12,000, it attracted it’s most qualified freshmen class ever with SAT & HS GPA figures at all time highs, and it has finally started football which will improve school spirit. School spirit that will hopefully lead to better retention, graduation, and alumni giving rates. I couldn’t be more thrilled.
2010 College Football Picks: Alabama Crimson Tide
September 4th, 2010
9:51 pm
[...] A boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fans Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) – Sep 2nd – 22:58 [...]
Witness to History: Georgia State’s Football Program Begins with a 41-7 Victory – Bleacher Report | Blog-about.com Free Blogs
September 4th, 2010
10:14 pm
[...] in first football game 41-7The Associated PressGeorgia St. already undefeatedAlbany Herald On-lineA boffo opening night for Georgia State football and its fansAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog)Online Athens -SI.com -The Chattanooganall 208 news [...]
ehh whatever
September 5th, 2010
12:33 am
To start, congrats on a win.
Now lets remember that:
1. It was the first win…ever;
2. Against SHORTER who, with all due respect, is an NAIA program (for those who don’t know…it doesn’t get any lower than that)
3. If you think that state could even stay on the same field as southern, you are just kidding yourselves. Maybe in some time, but for the first few seasons there are going to be growing pains, no getting around it.
4. Good attendance, especially for a first game, but to the person on the first page who said that student tickets are built in to the fees at the beginning of the year, you are only partially right. Either you are a moron…or you just haven’t been to college in quite some time. Almost every major university (take every SEC school for example) charges their students for football tickets (most sporting events for that matter) so your logic is flawed.
Now I’m not really sure what classification state is playing in in football, but they are going to take some lumps looking at their schedule. Just being honest here, but they couldn’t hang with any FBS schools right now…and I mean any, nor could they be competitive with a number of FCS schools, but hey, enjoy your blowout win against a north ga high school all star team!
itsmeagain
September 5th, 2010
1:17 am
@ehh whatever;
You’re right, we probably couldn’t stand up to an FBS team. But damn if we don’t try; last game of the season, vs Alabama. Not just any FBS team, THE FBS team. And were most likely going to be mowed over, but you know what, its our first season, and damn if were not excited as hell to have the opportunity to get mowed over by Alabama. It’s our first season and that was our first game. We have to start somewhere and this is where.
BTW, Southern couldn’t stand up to an FBS team either. But i guarantee State would give Southern a run for their money.
Oh, and regarding your flawed logic comment; the SEC is 12 teams. Not representative of the entire FBS. Georgia Tech (for example) also gives away student tickets. The only reason the SEC teams charge their students for tickets is because they know they’ll buy them. If i pay 80 dollars a year toward my football program, i’m definitely buying a season ticket and therefore my attendance at the game counts. You’re logic isn’t floored in that i don’t believe there was any logic to begin with.
ehh whatever
September 5th, 2010
2:48 am
@itsmeagain
I’ll give you the real reason for playing Alabama, and it isn’t for a learning experience or for a moral boost. I bet state makes more money off of that one game then they generate the rest of the year (in football that is). Sure they have some players, some kids that for whatever reason didn’t make it at other schools, but they will in no way be competitive in that match up.
I know I am coming off as a complete troll, but It just absolutely blows my mind at the sheer amount of arrogance that comes across in some of these comments from the state supporters. I get it, you won your first game, be excited but my goodness you would think that they were the first football program ever started in the state, even though 3 of the most successful college programs of all time are within a couple hundred miles ( Again shorter=a glorified north georgia high school all star team)
Don’t get me wrong, I live and go to school in the Atlanta area (SPSU). I think its great what they are trying to do at state. I hope they get a chance to do the same thing at Kennesaw at some point but, to even think that you could be competitive with southern is just an absolute joke. You are talking about a program who is established as one of the most dominate programs all time at the FCS level. Again, maybe in a few years, but right now it wouldn’t be close. They didn’t win 6 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS because they are an average program.
Southern might not compete with most teams from the AQ conferences (except maybe Ole Miss it appears) and some of the non-aq, but they would compete more so than state would at this point.
itsmeagain
September 5th, 2010
3:34 am
@ehh whatever
You’re damn right were playing Bama for the money. I believe its about 600,000 were receiving, and god knows were getting a hell of a lot more than that in terms of media and national attention (what with it being televised on ESPN).
You are coming across as a complete troll because because you’re being a compete troll. You’re the one who started throwing turds, and as soon as someone challenged the crap you were throwing you start calling them ignorant.
Regarding State not being able to stand up to Southern; When did you last win a championship? It certainly wasn’t last season, you lost more games than you won. And to write State off after they won one game is just as ignorant as those people who’re saying that state could beat Tech right now. It makes no sense. No, Shorter wasn’t a challenge and we showed that we could run down a team that we were expected to run down. If we had lost you could write us off. If we had came close you could write us off. But we didn’t, we beat the crap out of them just as we were expected to as a division I FCS team should. And maybe we wont do so well when we start playing other DI FCS teams, but until then, you best keep your comments to yourself otherwise you might find yourself looking like a bit of a fool.
Patrick
September 5th, 2010
1:52 pm
Are you serious you win one game against a high school caliber team and you think you at the best in the state! Now you think you should be the real GSU try winning 6 national championships and be a nationwide name in D1 football and maybe than maybe can you say you have rights to GSU, but until than you are and will always be GEOG! Hahahahahaha!
Also GSU just won 48-3 last night so don’t think your the only ones that can put up points!
Directions
September 5th, 2010
3:48 pm
Before the Shorter University game, I said the true measure of the Georgia State football team will be in the third game when Jacksonville State comes to town. They are a well established FCS-level team. Did you see what they did to Ole Miss on Saturday. Can’t wait until the Jacksonville State game to see how the Panthers stack up.
Itsmeagain
September 5th, 2010
9:31 pm
Lol. Patrick and all the other southern kids are butt hurt because nobody cares about little Georgia southern. Instead, GSU plays their first game of football ever and the biggest newspaper in the state makes a huge deal out of it, and espn magazine puts them on the front cover. All the while little Georgia southern is crying for attention as we can see throughout these comments. You should comment on the georgia southern section of the ajc. Oh wait, you don’t have one. I guess nobody cares.
dawgmatic
September 6th, 2010
2:05 pm
@Itsmegain: Georgia Southern has nothing to be butt-hurt about. I’m sure they got publicity in ESPN Magazine and the AJC when they won those 6 championships, right?
Right?
Then again, but I don’t hear many people talking about G Southern, now that I think of it.
P.S. did someone from SPSU really just post on this blog? Seriously?
dangerousdan885 Class of 82.
September 7th, 2010
12:42 pm
It was electric in the dome. I expected to pull in the parking lot and see a few cars. After all, I went to a GSU basketball game where there may have 50 folks in the OMNI including the teams. Guard Tony Graham picture was almost a full front sports page spread with the caption: The forgotten team of GSU.
Well times have changed and no one forgot about this team!! People were tailgating before 2pm for a 7:30pm kickoff. GSU had a real band !! And we had lost of cheerleaders. WHAT– WHERE WAS I ?? It was a surreal, glorious night that I will never forget. I will be back for all the games – I hope this grows into a monster and we eventually sell out the dome someday. It could happen. After all, who the hell thought we’d ever have a football team??