COMMENTARY
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Georgia Southern will face West Virginia without starting quarterback and 1,000-yard rusher Kevin Ellison, who ran into academic troubles and a two-game suspension Wednesday.
Such news typically would dead-end a mid-major’s upset hopes on the road, but the spread-option Eagles aren’t typical. And though their backup quarterback hasn’t started a game since September 2011—his senior year of high school in Titusville, Fla.—Favian Upshaw made 11 appearances as a redshirt sophomore, sometimes in meaningful situations.
Upshaw completed 19-of-27 passes for 285 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, and he ran 40 times for 385 yards (9.