Johnson’s two fourth-quarter touchdowns lift Georgia Southern past Coastal Carolina

Max Johnson threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as Georgia Southern beat Coastal Carolina 31–24 Saturday. The Eagles watched an early 17–3 lead disappear, then regained control through scoring throws to River Helms and Alex Taylor in the final period.

Johnson completed 18 of 29 passes for 233 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Helms caught four passes for 89 yards and Taylor had six for 77. Their fourth-quarter scores gave Georgia Southern the separation it needed before Coastal Carolina made one last attempt to close the gap.

The Eagles began with Tripp Bryant's 41-yard field goal and Johnson's 18-yard touchdown pass to Zay Hilliard. Coastal Carolina answered with a 51-yard field goal, but Weston Bryan broke a 67-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to put Georgia Southern ahead 17–3.

Coastal Carolina's special teams supplied the first major response. Robby Washington returned a punt 73 yards for a touchdown near the end of the half, cutting the deficit to seven. Deuce Bailey's nine-yard touchdown pass to Goldie Lawrence in the third quarter then tied the game at 17.

Johnson found Helms for a 16-yard score early in the fourth quarter. Less than five minutes later, his 14-yard touchdown pass to Taylor made it 31–17. The Eagles had answered the tying score with consecutive touchdowns, forcing Coastal Carolina to chase two scores as the clock wound down.

Bailey eventually connected with Karmello English for a 29-yard touchdown late in the quarter. The score narrowed the margin to seven and gave the Chanticleers a reason to try an onside kick. Coastal Carolina's onside kick did not produce another scoring opportunity; Bryan helped Georgia Southern gain the first down it needed before the Eagles knelt out the remaining time.

Bryan finished with 88 rushing yards on eight carries. David Mbadinga added 55 yards on eight attempts, and Georgia Southern gained 166 rushing yards as part of a 407-yard total. The Eagles finished without a turnover and succeeded on their only fourth-down attempt.

Bailey completed 19 of 33 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns. English led Coastal Carolina with five catches for 81 yards. Dominic Lee-Knicely ran 16 times for 74 yards, contributing to a 142-yard rushing total. The Chanticleers had 370 total yards, but two lost fumbles and 10 penalties for 110 yards complicated their effort to keep pace.

Georgia Southern's first lead came from its ground game and an early Johnson touchdown. Its winning margin came through the quarterback's fourth-quarter response after Coastal Carolina tied it, with Helms and Taylor supplying the catches that reopened a two-touchdown lead.

The Eagles' official game preview framed Saturday as the start of Sun Belt play after a 1–3 opening month. This win gives Georgia Southern a 2–3 overall record and a 1–0 start in the conference. Turning the fourth quarter into two scoring drives was enough to make that new league schedule begin with a victory, even after Coastal Carolina erased the early advantage.