NEW ORLEANS — A second-half comeback bid for Georgia Southern fell short in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, as the Eagles fell to Ohio, 41-21, in the first game of Bowl Season.  

Georgia Southern, which was one of an FBS-leading 12 Sun Belt football programs to participate in Bowl Season, falls to 3-3 in six all-time bowl appearances. 
 
The Eagles trailed 20-0 at the half, after conceding three turnovers and tallying just 35 total yards before the break. 
 
The offense got going in the second half, with sixth-year quarterback Davis Brin throwing for a Myrtle Beach Bowl record 350 yards and fifth-year wide receiver Khaleb Hood becoming the Eagles single-season program record holder for receptions and receiving yards. Hood is the first-ever Georgia Southern receiver to record 100-or-more catches in a season. 
 
Ohio freshman running back Rickey Hunt—who entered the matchup with 22 career yards and zero touchdowns—had a coming out party on the Surf Turf. Hunt scored all five touchdowns for the Bobcats, as part of a 133-yard performance.
 
The five turnovers forced by the Bobcats defense proved to be the difference. 
 
In addition to the record-setting effort from Hood, Georgia Southern got 100-yard receiving days from junior wide receiver Derwin Burgess Jr., with 117 yards and a touchdown, and sophomore wide receiver Dalen Cobb, with 109 yards. Freshman wideout DeAndre Buchannon tallied 95 yards on kickoff returns, as the Eagles made their fifth bowl appearance in six seasons. 
 
With the loss in the first-ever matchup against Ohio, Georgia Southern concludes the year on a five-game skid to fall to 6-7 overall.