French IV throws for 313 yards, Georgia Southern becomes bowl eligible with 24-19 win over Marshall

HUNTINGTON, W.Va (AP) — JC French IV threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns, Camden Brown caught nine passes for 157 yards and two scores, and Georgia Southern defeated Marshall 24-19 on Saturday in a regular-season finale for both teams.

The Eagles improved to 6-6 (4-4 Sun Belt Conference) to become bowl eligible, while the Thundering Herd finish at 5-7 (3-5), just shy of a postseason game.

Marcus Sanders Jr. scored the Eagles' first touchdown on a 44-yard pass by freshman QB Weston Bryan. French IV connected with Brown late in the first quarter on a 14-yarder to extend Georgia Southern's lead.

Field goals from 24 and 42 yards by Marshall's Lorcan Quinn sent the teams to the locker rooms in a one-possession game.

The Eagles opened it up with French and Brown's second touchdown connection, a 12-yarder early in the third quarter. Tripp Bryant kicked a 24-yard field goal to make it 24-6.

Marshall cut into the lead late, but it wasn't enough to finish off the comeback. The Thundering Herd were paced by Adrian Norton's 160 yards receiving on eight receptions that included a 41-yard touchdown catch with 2:19 left in the fourth quarter.

Georgia Southern managed 528 yards of total offense and were 10-for-17 on third downs and 2-for-3 on fourth. The Eagles time of procession was 41:38 while Marshall's was just 18:22.

The Eagles have been bowl eligible in each of coach Clay Helton's four seasons, but are 0-3 in bowl games.

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