Atlanta

Georgia State to play in Camellia Bowl on Christmas

Georgia State Panthers football helmet File photo: Helmets with the Georgia State logo sits on a table after a press conference where Shawn Elliott was introduced as the head football coach for Georgia State in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday, December 9, 2016. (David Barnes/DAVID BARNES / AJC)

For the third straight season, Georgia State football team is going bowling and it’s the perfect holiday gift for the Panthers.

Georgia State accepted a bid to the Camellia Bow against Ball State on Christmas Day. The game will be played at 2:30 p.m.

“We are excited to be going to our third straight bowl game, something that’s never been done at Georgia State,” head coach Sean Elliott said. “This team fought hard all season, and they deserve a great bowl experience.

Tickets go on sale Sunday night on the Georgia State athletics bowl page.

TRENDING STORIES

The Panthers finished the 2021 regular season with a 7-5 record and second-place finish in the Sun Belt East Division.

Georgia State won six of its final seven games to become bowl eligible.

“We are playing our best football at the end of the season, and that’s a great feeling. We can’t wait to get back on the field and finish this thing the right way,” Elliot said.

GAME PREVIEW

Ball State (6-6, Mid-American) vs. Georgia State (7-5, Sun Belt), Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. ET

LOCATION: Montgomery, Alabama

TOP PLAYERS

Ball State: WR-KR Justin Hall, 61 catches, 613 yards receiving, five touchdowns; averaging 34.5 yards on 10 kick returns with a 99-yard TD.

Georgia State: RB Tucker Gregg, 899 yards rushing, nine touchdowns.

NOTABLE

Ball State: The Cardinals are playing in consecutive bowl games for just the third time in program history, the last coming in 2012 and 2013.

Georgia State: The Panthers are the only school in the FBS to play four ranked opponents on the road. They went 1-3, losing at North Carolina, Auburn and Louisiana-Lafayette before defeating then-ranked Coastal Carolina 42-40 on Nov. 13.

LAST TIME

Ball State 31, Georgia State 21. (Sept. 2, 2016)

BOWL HISTORY

Ball State: First appearance in the Camellia Bowl, 11th in school history.

Georgia State: First appearance in the Camellia Bowl, third straight bowl game under coach Shawn Elliott.

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The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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