Fighting to snap a six-game losing streak and clinging to a three-point lead Georgia Southern desperately needed someone to step up and make a play. Thanks to Marquez Watson-Trent and Chance Gamble they got it.
In what is certainly Georgia Southern’s biggest play of its short two-game season and one which could prove to be one of its most important of the year the Eagles were up 20-17 at Nevada and the Wolf Pack was driving.
On a third-and-four at the GS 25 the Pack’s Savion Red broke loose for what appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown when Watson-Trent ripped the ball from his arms at the one and Gamble snared the loose ball in the end zone for a touchback.
That play didn’t lock it up for the Eagles as Nevada made one last desperate attempt. On the final play of the game Brendon Lewis hit a 62-yard bomb to Jaden Smith at the Georgia Southern six but TJ Smith made the tackle to preserve the much-needed victory.
It was a game of redemption for the Eagle defense which had been ripped for 56 points by Boise State the week before but now they find themselves – with Ole Miss up next week – in the perfect trap game as South Carolina State comes to Paulson Stadium.
The game at Nevada started out much like the Boise game as the Wolf Pack scored twice in the first quarter but from that point on, they managed only a third quarter field goal.
“It was us getting back to who we are,” said Gamble of the defense’s turnaround from the opener. “Playing our standard of ball, disciplined and united, keeping the ball in front and not letting anyone getting behind us.
“We struggled with tackling (against Boise)so that was a big emphasis for us, just getting the ball down in the second and third level,” Gamble said. “I thought we did a better job of that.
“We cut down some of our critical errors that we had in our first game and when you do that you tend to give up less points. So, I think if we can pull all those things together it’s an opportunity to get better and better each week.”
Gamble, a redshirt junior defensive back from Fitzgerald in his first year at Georgia Southern after transferring from Kennesaw State, said he’s not anticipating any letdown or looking past the Bulldogs.
“Just like I said,” Gamble replied when asked about how you prevent a letdown against FCS SC State. “Being who we are, playing to our standards.
“No matter who we’re going against in college football today there’s no cupcake games,” Gamble said. “Every team is good. With the transfer portal everybody has players. It’s a matter of being able to hone in on the little things. Playing hard every day is very important to us right now.”
Gamble was an outstanding multi-sport athlete at Fitzgerald where he was an all-state player in both football and basketball. His senior year at Fitzgerald the Purple Hurricanes went 14-1 losing in the Class 2A title game. While he was a triple threat offensively as a running back, receiver and kick returner it was his excellence on defense that took him to Kennesaw and eventually Georgia Southern.
“It was a super cool experience (winning at Nevada),” Gamble said. “Being from South Georgia and everybody back home (Fitzgerald is a town of 9,000 in Ben Hill County) being Eagles fans being able to come here and be part of this culture and this program means so much to me. I’m grateful to be here, glad to be here and I will continue to make my mark while I’m here.”
