By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

In 2007 Appalachian State began their season by defeating Michigan in one of the biggest upsets in college football history and capped it off by winning a third straight 1-AA (FCS) Championship.

The success of that season helped finalize the program’s decision to move from the FCS to the FBS, a move that has catapulted the Mountaineers to become one of the best mid-major football programs in college football; winners of four straight bowl games, three consecutive Sun Belt titles, and one of the best overall records since 2014.

Most of what has transpired since their win in Ann Arbor probably would have taken place had they lost that game, but it’s still the first thing that pops into the minds of most football fans when you mention Appalachian State.

I say all this show the positive effects an upset win like Appalachian has, something Georgia State hopes to familiarize themselves with after their 38-30 win over Tennessee.

The similarities between the Mountaineers and Panthers begins and ends with their upset wins, so it is unlikely to see Georgia State make the same kind of strides their conference peers have made.

However, that’s not to say this win won’t have a major impact on the program’s possible success five or six years from now.

A lot will depend on how the rest of Georgia State’s season goes. Their football program has struggled mightily since forming in 2010 and took a big step backwards last year after appearing in their second bowl game the season before that.

The Panthers are sure to see a boost in their recruiting based upon the Tennessee win alone, but if they’re able to ride that momentum to another bowl game, it’ll just make their program that much more enticing.

There is a plethora of homegrown talent in the state of Georgia, as well as its neighboring states, that are overlooked by the bigger schools in the area.

When competing with other schools in the Sun Belt for those players, having a win over a team like Tennessee on your resume can sometimes be the difference maker.

Add to that the ability to prove yourself to be a program that participates in bowl games, which translates to exposure on a national level for recruits, and younger the kind of success Appalachian State has been able to enjoy.

It’s not something that will happen overnight, but you’ll be able to see the impact over the next year or two in the level of talent Georgia State is able to recruit. Having a successful season this year will just help expedite the process.

Unfortunately, they play in the same division as Appalachian, Georgia Southern, and Troy, so it will certainly be an uphill climb. Plus, even though it’s a problem any mid-major program would like to have, Georgia State isn’t going to sneak up on anyone, now.

It’s funny, oftentimes when an upset occurs, we tend to look at the more prestigious team and try to figure out what went wrong and what it means for their future; just think of how many Tennessee and Jeremy Pruitt stories you’ve read since the game.

Rarely do we look at the winning team and see what type of impact it has on their program. Appalachian State made the most of their opportunity twelve years ago; will Georgia State take advantage of theirs?