Georgia State Football: New stadium, formerly Turner Field, has new name

Georgia State football has taken over a new stadium, formerly Turner Field, and it’s also getting a new name.

Coming off a 3-9 season, there’s not much to be excited about if you’re a Georgia State football fan. The program is entering its fifth year at the FBS level and has just one bowl to show for it, but with a new head coach in place, things might be looking up.

There will be some excitement, however, as the Panthers will have something that no one else in the Sun Belt conference possesses: a former MLB stadium as a home field.

In fact, Turner Field, formerly of the Atlanta Braves, has been transformed into a football stadium and the Panthers will inhabit their new turf this fall, according to 11alive.com. This gives fans a reason to get up early on Saturdays and head to Atlanta for home games.

The Panthers do return 16 starters from last season’s team, including quarterback Conner Manning. There’s potential there under new head coach Shawn Elliott, but he still has his work cut out.

Playing in a former MLB stadium will be a cool change, though. No longer will it be called Turner Field, but rather the name is being changed to Parker H. Petit Field at Georgia State Stadium. It’s being named after an alum of the school who has donated millions of dollars to the athletic department.

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Let’s see if this new field breathes new life into the program and motivates them to reach bowl eligibility for the second time in school history.