So what happened? Why did Georgia State go from four bowl appearances in five seasons, and five winning campaigns in seven years, to 3-9 and the worst Sun Belt season since 2014?The defense hasn't been good, the road games have been a struggle, and the schedules are just hard enough to make life difficult.The Sun Belt has become rock-solid from top to near-bottom, and Georgia State can't seem to hang around that pack.
Out of the 23 losses over the last three seasons, 19 were against teams that went to a bowl game. But it's up to second-year head coach Dell McGee to make the program decent enough to win those 50/50 Sun Belt battles.The 2021 team that went 8-5 beat seven teams that finished with losing records. All but one of the FBS wins in the seven-victory 2023 season had a losing record.He managed the portal relatively well, there's a bit more depth now, and the starting 22 should be able to keep the Panthers in just about every game. The focus on the defense, but the team needs more from the …
Georgia State Panthers College Football Preview 2025
Georgia State Panthers Preview 2025: Offense
X CFN, Fiu | CFN Facebook | Bluesky Fiu, CFN- The offense finished 64th in the nation thanks to a passing game that had to keep throwing in shootouts.The O needs more help from the other side of the ball, but it should also be a bit nastier with a line welcoming in Derrell Bailey (East Tennessee) and Charlie Patterson (Virginia) to help veteran starting center Alec Johnson.
- Leading rusher Freddie Brock left for Oklahoma State, but the staff loaded up on runners through the portal.Rashad Amos (Ole Miss) and Branson Robinson (Georgia) have a world of upside, Djay Braswell is in from South Carolina, and Jordon Simmons is a sixth-year back who started at Michigan State, ran for 664 yards last year at Akron, and was supposed to go to Ole Miss, but should be part of the Panther backfield.
- The running back situation will be an all-offseason storyline, but the quarterback situation should be close to set. Christian Veilleux wasn't perfect - he threw 11 picks - but he's a big veteran who can push the ball down the field, throwing 13 touchdown passes. He'll be pushed, though, by Texas Tech transfer Cameran Brown.- Leading receiver Ted Hurst is back on the outside, catching 56 passes and averaging over 17 yards per grab with six scores. The rest of the corps will mainly be filled in by the transfer portal, with Javon Robinson (Georgia) expected to be the best of the bunch.
Georgia State Panthers Preview 2025: Defense
- The defense had a rough time. It was among the worst in America at getting into the backfield, gave up 419 yards and 34 points per game, and it's missing a ton of parts, but the youth movement might start to pay off, especially at linebacker.Josiah Robinson is built like a safety, but he can move. He was second on the team with 63 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 7.5 tackles for loss. 215-pound Damaine Wilson is back in the middle.
- The line doesn't have a ton of size, either, needing 275-pound Henry Bryant to continue as the team's top interior pass rusher, coming off a four sack season. Ian Mathews and Fuches Lewis are veterans who have to hold up - there isn't enough depth to rely on.
- Jordan Huff (East Carolina) and Tyler Scott (Auburn) will be thrown into the secondary right away. The rest of the projected starting secondary - including corners Chams Diagne and Sam McCall - has a little bit of experience, but playmakers have to quickly emerge. The hope is for former great LSU recruit Bernard Causey III to be a key corner right away.
Georgia State Panthers Key to the Season
**Do something against the run.**The problem was size, and the other problem was relative inexperience. It was a rebuilding year, and Georgia State gave it a go with a slew of quicker players, but that's nothing new. The D simply didn't work.Last year's team didn't do enough to hold up, allowing 180 rushing yards or more nine times, and lost all nine. The team won the three times it gave up fewer. So …
Georgia State Panthers Key Player
**Fuches Lewis II, DT Sr.**Henry Bryant should be the team's best interior defensive lineman, and Sir Mells is a 300-pounder who should see a little more time. The 6-3, 298-pound Lewis made 17 tackles, and he showed a few flashes. As long as he's able to hold up just a bit more against the inside running teams, the defense might start to come together.
Georgia State Panthers Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss
**Top Transfer In: Rashad Amos, RB Sr.**Go ahead and pick any one of a slew of transfer running backs, but Amos is the most proven. After starting out his career at South Carolina, he was a 1,000-yard rusher with 13 touchdowns for Miami University two years ago, but could barely get on the field for Ole Miss last year.**Top Transfer Out: Dorian Fleming, TE Soph.**The Panthers could've used a safety-valve tight end, and that's what they're hoping Camden Overton will be coming in from Gardner-Webb. Fleming is a terrific receiver, catching 49 passes for 558 yards and six scores last season, but now he'll be a main man in the Maryland offense.
Georgia State Panthers Key Game
at Georgia Southern, Oct. 18It's not like it's Ohio State vs Michigan, but Georgia State vs Georgia Southern is a rivalry, and Georgia State hasn't been very good at it lately. Over the last two years, the Panthers lost by a combined score of 82 to 48, and even worse, both defeats sparked ugly losing streaks over the second half of the year.- 2025 Georgia State Schedule Breakdown
Georgia State Panthers Top 10 Players
1. Josiah Robinson, LB Sr.2. Ted Hurst, WR Sr.3. Henry Bryant, DT Sr.4. Damaine Wilson, LB Soph.5. Rashad Amos, RB Sr.6. Christian Veilleux, QB Sr.7. Alec Johnson, C Jr. 8. Cam Williams, LB Sr. 9. Branson Robinson, RB Jr.10. Bernard Causey III, CB RFr.
Georgia State Panthers 2024 Fun Stats
- 4th Down Conversions: Opponents 12-of-17 (71%), 10-of-27 (37%)- 1st Quarter Scoring: Opponents 100, Georgia State 34- Onside Kicks: Georgia State 2-of-3, Opponents 0-of-2
Georgia State Panthers 2025 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen
Over the last two seasons, Georgia State started well and then fell off a cliff. It was 6-1 to start 2023, and the losing kicked in soon after when the schedule got a whole lot harder. Last year, an upset over Vanderbilt made it a 2-1 start, and then ...This time it's flipped. At Ole Miss, Memphis, at Vanderbilt, James Madison. That's all with Murray State thrown in there, and after a home game against App State, four of the last six games are on the road.
The team should be good enough to get past the three wins of last year, but it won't be easy.Set The Georgia State Panthers Win Total At … 3.5Likely Wins: Murray State50/50 Games: App State, at Georgia Southern, Marshall, at Old Dominion, South Alabama, at TroyLikely Losses: James Madison, Memphis, at Ole Miss, at Vanderbilt
© 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published May 26, 2025 at 3:33 AM.
Sports Pass is your ticket to Miami sports
#ReadLocal