NEW ORLEANS - Making its first postseason appearance as a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member, Sam Houston State University used a strong defensive effort to post a 31-26 win over Georgia Southern University Thursday in the 24th R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Caesars Superdome.
Bearkats defensive back Jaylon Jimmerson was named the game's Most Valuable Player after posting 10 tackles and a pair of interceptions, including a 29-yard return for a touchdown just under three minutes into the contest. He also had a second-quarter interception to set up another Sam Houston score as the Conference USA representative concluded the 2024 campaign with a 10-3 record.
Jimmerson is the third defensive player and first since 2004 to be named New Orleans Bowl MVP.
Despite trailing by as many as 14 points early in the game, Georgia Southern (8-5) made things interesting late as quarterback J.C. French scored on a 1-yard run with nine seconds remaining. The Eagles had a chance to complete the comeback with a successful on-side kick, but Simeon Evans recorded a squibbed kick by Gavin Stewart at the Georgia Southern 44-yard line, and the Sam Houston offense took a knee on the final play to spark the Bearkat celebration.
Georgia Southern held Sam Houston to just 267 yards - the fewest by a victorious team in New Orleans Bowl history - but the Bearkat defense more than held their own throughout the night. In addition to Jimmerson's two picks, Kavian Gaither and Briceon Hayes each added interceptions of their own while C.J. Johnson forced and recovered a game-changing fumble on an Eagles' punt return to help the Sam Houston tally 17 points off turnovers.
The five takeaways tied a New Orleans Bowl record.
Jimmerson's first interception of the game staked the Bearkats to an early advantage they would not relinquish, but the Georgia Southern defense was equally up the task early on as the Eagles held Sam Houston to just 25 yards on its first three offensive possessions, and forced a turnover early in the second quarter when cornerback Tracy Hill Jr. ripped the ball away from Michael Phoenix II following a four-yard reception to the Eagles' 20, and nickelback Ayden Jackson recovered it for the turnover.
Eight plays and 75-yards later, Georgia Southern tied things up when French found wideout Josh Dallas in the endzone from 17 yards out to the game at 7-all with 9:15 to play in the first half.
Sam Houston answered with a 75-yard touchdown drive of its own, which quarterback Hunter Watson capped with a 33-yard scoring strike to Simeon Evans 3:29 later to go ahead 14-7. Jimmerson logged his second interception on the ensuing drive, and the Bearkats capitalized when Watson rumbled to paydirt from the 2-yard line to lift his team to a 14-point advantage.
The Eagles ended the first half on a high note as Gavin Stewart drilled a 49-yard field goal as time expired, and Georgia Southern got to within five on its second possession of the third quarter when running back Jalen White scored a one-yard touchdown with 7:14 left in the period. Stewart posted his second 49-yard field goal of the night with five seconds to play in the third to make it a 21-19 affair, but Sam Houston responded in a big way with an eight-play, 88-yard drive that was punctuated by a one-yard touchdown run by Watson.
Georgia Southern answered with an impressive drive all the way down to the Sam Houston 23-yard line, but Hayes' interception at the 18 kept it a nine-point game. The defense gave the Eagles a chance to get back in it when a three-and-out on Sam Houston's next possession, and Dallas appeared to have a crease if he could wiggle out of the initial wave of defense. Johnson, however, was able to rip the ball from his grasp and the Bearkats were able to convert the turnover into an eventual 21-yard field goal off the toe of Christian Pavon to set up the finish.
Watson led the Sam Houston offense, completing 23-of-28 passes - including a New Orleans Bowl-record-tying 14 straight in the first half - for 213 yards and a touchdown in addition to his two rushing scores.
Evans paced the receiving corps with seven grabs for 85 yards. Caleb Weaver was one of three Bearkat defenders to post double-digit tackle totals with 11, including seven solo stops, while Hayes, Richard Outland and Issiah Nixon each tallied a sack apiece.
French finished 20-of-33 passing for 212 yards for Georgia Southern and added 34 yards on the ground. White led all runners with 90 yards on 16 carries, and Burgess had six receptions for 56 yards. Marques Watson-Trent paced the Eagles defense with 10 tackles and including seven solos.
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