No longer a novelty act, Georgia State embarks on Year 2
It was another winning Opening Night for the Panthers. (AJC photo by Jason Getz)
Georgia State football was new last season, and new is almost always fun. This year stands to be more successful — having gone 6-5 in 2010, the Panthers should better that — but less noteworthy. The novelty is gone. What’s left is a college team trying to carve a niche in a market not lacking diversions.
The Panthers played their first-ever game Sept. 2, 2010, drawing the surprisingly robust total of 30,237 patrons to the Georgia Dome. That was, however, the maiden voyage’s emotional crest. In six subsequent Dome games, Georgia State didn’t once break 17,000.
Year 2 for GSU began Friday night, and it wasn’t quite the same. The Dome’s lower bowl, which accommodates 28,155 and was packed on Opening Night 364 days earlier, was only two-thirds full. (And the “visiting” team was Clark Atlanta, which sits within the Dome’s shadow.) You could argue that there’s a lot happening this holiday weekend — Georgia Tech and the Falcons played Thursday; Georgia faces Boise State on Saturday; the Braves are at home and there’s DragonCon and NASCAR to boot — but that’s the issue.
This is Atlanta. We’re a big city. There’s always something happening. (If you don’t count the NHL, which is gone again.) Georgia Tech plays in a BCS league and has graced 14 consecutive bowls but has had a hard time filling its seats. What’s going to happen two, three, 10 years down the road for Georgia State?
“We took a gigantic leap last season,” said Cheryl Levick, GSU’s athletic director. “We have to take another leap this season to get ready for the CAA.”
GSU begins conference play in the Colonial Athletic Association next season, which means the schedule — last year it included everyone from Lambuth to Lamar to Alabama — will stabilize. Still unclear is whether the likes of Delaware, Richmond and William & Mary will move the attendance needle. And if you’re thinking, “Hey, there’s more to college football than attendance” … you’re right. But it’s hard to run a successful program on good will.
“We needed to establish a quarterback and a running game and a defensive front tonight,” Levick said. “That’s [the coach's] job. Cheryl’s job is to make sure the program takes the same leap. We’ve got 8,500 students here, and that’s hugely important on a Labor Day weekend.”
Georgia State has worked hard (and well) to establish itself as a serious university. Enough people connected with the school believed football could build the brand and enhance the GSU experience. But the question remains: Will enough people ever care about this program to render it more than a footnote?
We can’t know the answer today, and we might not know it five years hence. But one thing we can know: Georgia State hired a good football coach in Bill Curry and he has produced a team that hasn’t embarrassed itself. (Take away the 63-7 loss in Tuscaloosa last November and GSU has been competitive in every game it has ever played.) If you watch these Panthers, you won’t see a bunch of guys who can’t line up onside. You’ll see a purposeful little team.
Georgia State handled Clark Atlanta with dispatch. If you hadn’t known this was the first game of the second season of GSU’s existence, you couldn’t have told it by looking. And there’s reason to believe, Levick said, that better days are ahead. “I have to see progress,” she said.
She mentioned the 21,000-square foot practice facility that has been built. She noted that another big donor had just stepped forward, cash in hand. Again, she noted Friday’s crowd. “I’m not disappointed,” she said. “I’m delighted we have 20,000.” [Announced attendance was 26,273.]
Then this AD, who’s as driven in her way as Nick Saban is in his, said: “We want to be competitive. We want to win. We’re not here for fluff.”
By Mark Bradley
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64 comments Add your comment
Delbert D.
September 3rd, 2011
1:44 pm
Georgia State needs a stadium of their own so that ticket prices for non-students can be affordable.
The Concrete Jungle
September 3rd, 2011
2:18 pm
The atmosphere in the dome last night was great. The Panthers, to date, have always been a fun team to watch. You can’t beat the amenities in the Dome. Being able to buy beer at an NCAA event? Awesome.
gsu01
September 3rd, 2011
2:42 pm
@perimeter center jacket – that’s very cute. How about you sell out a game (without Clemson or UGA’s help) with all that “tradition” of yours? The only time that place is loud is when your rivals from Athens come to town and out number your own fans. Your program is beyond irrelevant outside of your own snobbish alumni base. GT has done nothing to welcome new fans to the program. CPJ has you on the decline and your game day atmosphere is a freaking joke as I’ve had to unfortunately experience it before.
GSUGrad06
September 3rd, 2011
2:50 pm
Anytime I see someone say something along the lines of Georgia State making it to D1, I immediately dismiss their opinions. Georgia State is already D1.
That was a pretty good showing for GSU considering they played with a QB who was 3rd or 4th string last season.
I’m still amazed at the tone of Mark Bradley’s articles about GSU. How about we accept that GSU has a football team and move on to writing articles without backhanded comments.
PerimeterCenterJacket
September 3rd, 2011
3:45 pm
gsu01, jealousy doesn’t become you. If you think Tech is on the decline then don’t watch any of our games this year as they’ll simply remove you from the reality you’re trying to live in. And tradition doesn’t go in quotes when it comes to Georgia Tech. Has your fight song ever been played on the radio? Has it been sung by Presidents and put in movies? Has your mascot been a decorated marvel of college pageantry for the last 50 years? Have you any national titles or coaches with trophies named after them (Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award and the, um, HEISMAN trophy). Do you play in the oldest and winningest stadium in D1? How does a fan of a 2 year old team even dare to utter words against the tradition of a team with the kind of legacy that Tech has? You’ve won 7 games all time. We win at least 7 games in an average season in a BCS league.
In short, NO ONE in college sports downs Tech for lacking tradition! What they rag on us for is choking when we get to a big stage like the BCS (call us when you reach something like that, by the way.) And of course losing to Georgia is the reason we don’t have higher attendance.
I don’t even know why I feel the need to defend Tech. I guess ignorance just hacks me off. And I’ve been a supporter of GSU football to this point…sheesh.
GSUAlumBaseball81
September 3rd, 2011
6:21 pm
@Perimeter Center Jacket, It’s all good! Georgia State University was born of Georgia Tech and it’s ironic that Bill Curry, a Georgia Tech Alum, has started the GSU Football Program! “Georgia State University was established in 1913 as the Georgia School of Technology’s “Evening School of Commerce.” The school focused on what was called “the new science of business.” Check the History of GSU. We are a young start up program and we appreciate the support of all Atlantans, not just Alums. We are a great city and why not give our High School athletes another in state option? The guys that make up these first years of existence at GSU are awesome young men that took a chance on a new program and personally I am very proud of each and every one of them. No conference, no real glory, except a chance of being the first!!! Just know that emotion is just emotion and don’t be so thin skinned when a GSU Panther defends this program. We finally have something to cheer about besides our academics! We are not an engineering school but we offer other options not available at Tech so in a Great City of millions there is room for both programs old and new. I hope we can meet someday soon on Bobby Dodd field in Grant Stadium! Go JACKETS and GO PANTHERS!!!
GSUBestFan
September 4th, 2011
12:10 am
Um, you people who wonder if GSU will ever be D1, um – check your facts. GSU is already an NCAA Division 1 team. I’m guessing you flunked out of high school and never attended college. As for people who mention things like “moderate academic standards” – as someone else noted, check your facts before posting. I know kids who had a 3.3 GPA in high school and good SAT scores who got deferred to the Spring semester. It’s not like it was 30 years ago. And, I’ll take 26,000 true fans any day.
GSU2012
September 4th, 2011
12:27 pm
I don’t understand why Tech fans are so hostile towards GSU. Perhaps they feel threatened by the possibility that we will surpass them in the future. People at Tech are elitists and hate to see other schools succeed. But no worries, I can’t wait to see what the Georgia football landscape will look like 10 years from now. Just wait until KSU starts, Tech won’t have anymore girls to fill their marching band and cheerleading team
Panama
September 5th, 2011
6:10 pm
Thanks Bradley! Love your AJC UGA/BCS homer slant. Why dont you go over to NCAA.com and look and see where 26,273 ranked among FCS schools playing in their home stadium this weekend…
#1
Panama
September 5th, 2011
6:23 pm
@Perimeter Center Jacket
Find me one kid in the neighborhoods surrounding BDS wearing GT gear. The only people who care about Tech are alumni and students. GT has a great tradition but an elitist alumni base which is why you guys do such a horrible job recruiting the #4 recruiting state in the United States.You came onto a GSU blog being condescending so dont get upset when we throw punches in defense.
@Dr. Phil
Are you Patton posting as Dr. Phil? LOL. It’s a known fact that Patton was 100% anti football. He tried to kill the club team 10 years ago. It got to the point where football was termed the F-Word in GSU offices; not to be mentioned ever in his presence.
@Wayne stuck in AL
We have 4000k students living on campus. Will have 10,000 in 7 years.
Why is everyone so threatened by a start-up? Weird.
Blazerdawg
September 5th, 2011
7:22 pm
Sic’em Panama!
GSU Ticket Office
September 6th, 2011
11:40 am
@ Delbert — tickets are very affordable. Start at $13 for single game lower bowl seats –one of the best deals in town.
GSU Alum
September 7th, 2011
9:50 am
GSUbestfan and GSUgrad06. Get used to people calling your program Division II, or referring to you as something else other than Division I. It comes with the territory of being in the FCS. People still don’t even realize App St is division I after all the success they have had recently.
You have a new football program, congrats, that’s a big accomplishment. You have goals, that’s good. But I’m not really sure where some of you guys are coming from in acting like you guys have some huge program that rivals many schools in the country. After your 1st game last season you never had more than 16 or 17k in attendance. That’s fine, it will come.
But realize that next year you will be playing in the CAA, one of the best conferences in FCS. Times will be TOUGH for you guys after this season, esp if you plan on playing a punter as your starting QB. Ya’ll should focus on winning in the FCS before you start thinking about FBS. Let’s face it, you guys are playing a cupcake schedule, and last year couldn’t even pull off a win against Lambuth. You guys are still in the building phases of your program. You have no history, no tradition and are not established. Go to your games, enjoy them, have fun, and quit acting like you own the football world.
GSUBestFan
September 7th, 2011
1:35 pm
GSU Alum – I think what you’re missing is that the general tone of some people on here is that GSU is not a serious football program. Drawing even 16k fans during a probationary season with nothing on the line is still pretty significant. As far as competing within the CAA, other GSU teams (baseball, volleyball, etc.) are already very competitive within the CAA. Football is new to GSU – give it 5 years and I would think we could have a conference contender just due to the size of our university in comparison with the others. Can we beat UGA or Tech within the next 5 years? Well – in the unlikely event that either would play us, I’d say we couldn’t compete (just like last year against Alabama). However, if things progress within the next 10 years, I would think that we could move to a more competitive conference (if conferences still exist) like the ACC. SEC would likely be out of the question in 10 years.