November 9, 2002

GEORGIA SOUTHERN THROTTLES FURMAN 42-21,
CLAIMS SEVENTH STRAIGHT SOCON TITLE

Game Statistics

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Quarterback Chaz Williams ran for three touchdowns and threw for another to lead the NCAA I-AA ninth-ranked Georgia Southern Eagles to a 42-21 Southern Conference title game win over the fourth-ranked Furman Paladins in front of 15,794 fans at Paladin Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Wiliams rushed 23 times for 110 yards and threw for 84 yards in pacing Georgia Southern to its eighth straight victory and at least a share of the program’s seventh conference championship. The sophomore from Apopka, Fla., registered touchdown runs covering 1, 2, and 3 yards and connected with slotback Zzream Walden on a 40-yard strike to help stake Georgia Southern to a 35-0 halftime lead.

“I’m awfully proud of these guys,” said first year Georgia Southern head coach Mike Sewak. “They’ve played hard for the past seven weeks when everyone counted us out. “Obviously the key to the game was another outstanding effort by our defensive unit. To take a 35-0 lead into halftime was big, really big. Along with special teams, they kept giving us a short field in which to work. By the same token, I’m happy with the execution of our offense. It seemed like we kept getting big plays, especially on third down.”

“They came out and obviously executed better than we did,” said first year Furman head coach Bobby Lamb. “I was impressed with Chaz Williams. He’s a running back playing quarterback. He’s a bigger kid than they’ve ever had at the quarterback position. We didn’t do a good enough job of screening out and they went north and south too much on us.”

Georgia Southern rolled up 409 yards on the ground on the way to 493 yards in offense. Freshman fullback Jermaine Austin joined Williams in topping the 100-yard rushing plateau, totaling 105 yards on 19 carries. Furman, which was held to a season low 68 yards rushing, got 234 yards from senior quarterback Billy Napier, who completed 17-of-28 passes for three touchdowns.

The defeat snapped Furman’s 11-game home winning streak and15-game Southern Conference home winning streak, and marked the Paladins’ first regular season home loss since the 1998 season.

The Eagles wasted little time in taking control of the contest, scoring on their first possession by moving 55 yards in eight plays for a 3-yard touchdown run by Williams at the 9:40 mark.

Williams ignited the Eagles’ decisive 28-point second quarter with a 1-yard touchdown plunge at the 9:45 juncture to make it 14-0, capping a 10-play, 77-yard drive.

Two possessions later the Eagles needed only four plays to cover 70 yards, with the final 22 coming off a Williams pitch to Zzream Walden to increase the advantage to 21-0.

A fumble by Furman’s Brian Bratton on the ensuing kickoff return was recovered by Georgia Southern’s Carl Kearney at the Paladin 18, and two plays later Williams tallied his third touchdown of the contest with a 2-yard plunge with 1:41 remaining in the half.

The Georgia Southern second quarter onslaught continued after the Eagles forced a Paladin punt and regained possession at Furman 45. Following a five-yard run by Walden to the 40, Williams hit Walden in stride for a 40-yard touchdown strike with only 32 seconds left to give the Eagles a 35-0 halftime advantage.

Furman finally got on the board on its first possession of the second half, covering 64 yards in eight plays for a 21-yard touchdown pass from Napier to split end Isaac West.

Georgia Southern, however, quickly extinguished any Furman comeback attempt when slotback Mark Myers bolted 71 yards for a score midway through the third quarter to make it 42-7.

Safety David Young paced a strong Georgia Southern defensive effort with 11 tackles, including one for loss. Linebacker Derrick Butler added seven stops, defensive end Freddy Pesqueira tacked on four tadckles, including two-for-loss, and a pair of sacks.

Furman returns to action next Saturday when it takes on Wofford in Spartanburg in a 1:30 p.m. game. Georgia Southern will wrap up its regular season next Saturday when it plays host to Jackonsville State.