# 2012 Georgia State Panthers football team

The 2012 Georgia State Panthers football team represented Georgia State University in the 2012 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Panthers were led by third year head coach Bill Curry and played their home games at the Georgia Dome. Georgia State was a full member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), but announced on April 9, 2012 that it would return to the Sun Belt Conference, which it had left in 1981, in July 2013. In advance of this move, the Panthers began a transition to Division I FBS in 2012. As a result of these moves, the 2012 season was the first and only year that they competed in the CAA for football. Although not qualifying, they were ineligible for the FCS playoffs as a transitional FBS team. The Panthers finished the season 1–10, 1–7 in CAA play.

## Season summary

* The 2012 season was the first and only season that Georgia State participated as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association. Beginning 2013, the Panthers will compete as an FBS transitional team as a part of the Sun Belt Conference.
* During the August 30 season opener against South Carolina State University, sophomore punter Matt Hubbard made the equivalent of an FCS and FBS single game punting distance average record of 62.2 yards. However, due to GSU's reclassifying status, it is neither considered FBS nor FCS, and therefore the record does not count in either of those categories.
* This season marked Bill Curry's final year as a college football head coach. He was replaced by Trent Miles, former Indiana State head coach.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| August 30 | 7:30 p.m. | South Carolina State* | Georgia DomeAtlanta, GA | CSS | L 6–33 | 18,921 |
| September 8 | 4:00 p.m. | at No. 23 (FBS) Tennessee* | Neyland StadiumKnoxville, TN | Tennessee PPV, ESPN3 | L 13–51 | 87,821 |
| September 15 | 6:00 p.m. | UTSA* | Georgia DomeAtlanta, GA | | L 14–38 | 11,496 |
| September 22 | 3:30 p.m. | Richmond | Georgia DomeAtlanta, GA | | L 14–35 | 9,476 |
| September 29 | 7:00 p.m. | at William & Mary | Zable StadiumWilliamsburg, VA | CSS | L 3–35 | 11,125 |
| October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 14 New Hampshire | Georgia DomeAtlanta, GA | | L 21–44 | 9,531 |
| October 13 | 1:00 p.m. | at Rhode Island | Meade StadiumKingston, RI | | W 41–7 | 6,013 |
| October 20 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 24 Villanova | Georgia DomeAtlanta, GA | | L 24–49 | 12,136 |
| October 27 | 3:30 p.m. | at No. 9 James Madison | Bridgeforth StadiumHarrisonburg, VA | | L 21–28 | 22,813 |
| November 3 | 3:30 p.m. | No. 5 Old Dominion | Georgia DomeAtlanta, GA | | L 27–53 | 12,293 |
| November 10 | 2:00 p.m. | at Maine | Alfond StadiumOrono, ME | | L 7–51 | 2,979 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from The Sports Network Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Coaching staff

| Name | Position | Seasons at Georgia St | Alma mater |
| Bill Curry | Head coach | 2 | Georgia Tech (1964) |
| George Pugh | Associate head coach, Wide receivers, Recruiting Coordinator | 2 | Alabama (1975) |
| Anthony Midget | Defensive coordinator, Safeties | 2 | Virginia Tech (1999) |
| John Bond | Offensive coordinator, Quarterbacks | 2 | Arkansas (1985) |
| Jason French | Cornerbacks, Outside linebackers | 2 | Murray State (2001) |
| Joe Hamilton | Running Backs | 2 | Georgia Tech (2008) |
| Craig Harmon | Tight Ends | 2 | Quincy (2002) |
| Mike Riddle | Offensive line | 2 | Kentucky (1999) |
| Chris Ward | Defensive tackles | 2 | Kentucky (1996) |
| Ryan Zimmerman | Defensive Ends | 2 | Piedmont College (2009) |
| Reference: ||||
Defensive coordinator John Thompson was hired by Arkansas State in February 2012. He was replaced by Anthony Midget, the former special teams coach.