ORLANDO – Led by Most Valuable Player Conner Manning and a strong effort by the defense, Georgia State earned the first bowl victory in school history with a 27-17 win over Western Kentucky in the AutoNation Cure Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
The win also gave the Panthers (7-5, 5-3 Sun Belt) their school-record seventh victory of the season.
Manning, the senior signal-caller, completed 20 of 28 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown while directing a GSU offense that also rushed for 143 yards. Georgia State accomplished that while essentially playing without top weapon Penny Hart, who was battling an ankle injury and was limited to a handful of snaps.