NEW ORLEANS – Jaylon Jimmerson returned the first of his two interceptions 28 yards for a touchdown in the opening minutes, Hunter Watson accounted for three touchdowns and Sam Houston beat Georgia Southern 31-26 in the New Orleans Bowl on Thursday night.

Brad Cornelsen served as interim head coach for Sam Houston (10-3) after KC Keeler left at the end of the regular season to take the reins at Temple. The Bearkats won in their first bowl appearance at the FBS level after leaving the FCS to join Conference USA in 2023.

Watson was 23 of 28 passing for 213 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown to Simeon Evans that gave Sam Houston a 14-7 lead for good with 5:46 left in the first half. Watson added a 2-yard touchdown run less than three minutes later and scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth to make it 28-19.

Georgia Southern (8-5) had 393 total yards and limited the Bearkats to just 267. But the Eagles committed five turnovers, including four interceptions.

Jalen White had 90 yards rushing and a touchdown on 16 carries for Georgia Southern. The Eagles made their third consecutive bowl appearance since hiring coach Clay Helton in 2022. Georgia Southern, which lost 23-21 to Buffalo in the 2022 Camelia Bowl and 41-21 to Ohio in the Myrtle Beach Bowl last season, is 3-4 all-time in bowl games.

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