Cornelious Brown passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns as Georgia State built a 22-point halftime lead and rolled to a 49-29 victory over East Carolina at Atlanta on Saturday.

Sam Pinckney caught seven passes for 134 yards and two scores for the Panthers (1-1). Destin Coates rushed for 113 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.

East Carolina (0-2) scored all three of its touchdowns on defense or special teams. Pirates quarterback Holton Ahlers was intercepted three times.

Georgia State jumped to a 35-13 halftime lead despite an early turnover.

Brown was picked off by Warren Saba on the first play from scrimmage at the goal line, giving East Carolina a quick 7-0 lead.

The second Georgia State possession went much more smoothly. The Panthers drove 75 yards in five plays for a touchdown, capped by Coates' 7-yard run.

Georgia State continued to pile on the points in the early going. Brown's 38-yard TD pass to Pinckney put the Panthers on top 14-7 and Brown's 22-yard scoring strike to Jamari Thrash made it 21-7.

Tucker Gregg's 4-yard scoring run early in the second quarter extended Georgia State's lead to 28-7.

Jake Verity's 34-yard field goal ended the Panthers' streak of 28 unanswered points.

Following an East Carolina turnover, Pinckney hauled in his second touchdown catch, a 13-yarder from Brown with 5:26 remaining in the first half.

Verity kicked a 40-yard field goal just before the half ended as Georgia State led 35-13 at the break.

Verity ended what was nearly a scoreless third quarter when he lined a 48-yard field goal through the uprights to cut the deficit to 35-16.

Georgia State's defense asserted itself early in the fourth quarter. Antavious Lane picked off an Ahlers pass and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown, giving the Panthers a 42-16 lead.

East Carolina faked a field goal with 10:30 left when holder Tyler Snead took the snap and ran 31 yards for a touchdown.

Another special teams play gave the Pirates even more hope. Blake Proehl blocked a Michael Hayes punt and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown, cutting Georgia State's lead to 42-29.

Coates scored again on a 5-yard run in the final minute.

--Field Level Media