FARGO, N.D. — Georgia Southern’s All-America defensive tackle Brent Russell finally pulled down the school’s career sack record during the Eagles’ FCS semifinal playoff game with North Dakota State on Friday at the Fargodome.
The Comer native registered his 25th sack of his career, topping the mark he shared with Edward Thomas, who played from 1993-96.
Russell beat the Bison offensive line and dropped quarterback Brock Jensen for a 9-yard loss.
It was Russell’s first sack since recording a half stop against Appalachian State on Nov. 3.
Russell, a senior, also made a big play in the first quarter, swatting down an extra-point kick in the first quarter to keep the Eagles tied at 6-6.
It was Southern’s first PAT block since Josh Gebhardt knocked down a kick against Old Dominion in a 55-48 second-round playoff victory on Dec. 3, 2011.
Russell now has five blocked kicks in his career. He is second in the school-record book to David Young, who had six blocks during his career.
Roster addition
Georgia Southern added kicker Drew Ruggles, a defenseman on the Eagles soccer team, to its roster to help the team’s kicking woes.
Ruggles had been a placekicker in high school.
GSU entered the game making only eight of 21 field-goal attempts. The Eagles had made only one field-goal try in their last five games before Friday night.
Honoring shooting victims
Georgia Southern players wore a SH decal on their helmets, honoring the shooting victims earlier Friday at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.
First catch
GSU fullback Dominique Swope picked a good time to haul in his first pass of the season.
The sophomore caught a throw from quarterback Jerick McKinnon and pinballed off defenders en route to a 49-yard touchdown in the second quarter to give the Eagles a 13-6 lead.
Swope has just three receptions in his career.
First run
GSU safety J.J. Wilcox lined up on offense for the first time this season and got the Eagles on the scoreboard with a 4-yard touchdown run.
Wilcox played slotback for the Eagles during the first three years of his career.
Passing fancy
Southern’s sophomore quarterback Ezayi Youyoute made his first appearance since suffering a knee injury against Appalachian State.
Youyoute was used in two passing situations and came through both times. His 15-yard pass to Kentrellis Showers picked up a first down on a third-and-6 play on the Eagles’ first touchdown drive.
In the second quarter, Youyoute completed a 13-yard pass to Showers.
True road wins
Coming into Friday’s game, GSU coach Jeff Monken had three true playoff road wins, tying coach Erk Russell for the most postseason wins in an opposing team’s stadium.
The Eagles were 12-9 in the playoffs away from Paulson Stadium with four of those victories coming at neutral sites in national championship games. (Southern won two titles in Paulson Stadium.)
Paul Johnson (against Delaware) and Tim Stowers (against Troy) also had true road playoff wins.