Georgia State University to start football program

Georgia State University in Atlanta announced Thursday it is launching a football program, with its first team to play in the fall of 2010. The school hopes having a football team builds a more traditional college experience at the school, and spurs more students to live on campus in future years. Of an enrollment of just under 30-thousand students, only 25-hundred live on the Atlanta campus.

Tom Lewis is vice president of external affairs, and a key member of Georgia State’s effort to bring football to the school.

"This is more than football, this is a new vision, this is the next 25 years. This will put us on the pace and will help our labs, help our classrooms, it will give our students the more complete campus experience. It will do a lot to put Georgia State even more on the map".

Just this week, a new student athletic fee of 85-dollars per semester was approved by the University System Board of Regents. Georgia State officials believe that money will go to cover annual costs of the football program. Around five million dollars is needed for start-up costs.

Georgia State's football team will compete in the Division-1 Football Championship Subdivision--formerly known as Division 1-AA.

Georgia sports for Thursday, April 17th

It has been a rough road trip for the Atlanta Braves as they lost their 3rd straight game last night. They've dropped the first 2 games in their series at Florida--the Marlins winning 6-5. Even more of a sting for the Braves--of the Braves’ 9 losses, 7 have been by one run. Last night, starting pitcher Tim Hudson lasted only 3 innings, allowing 4 runs. The Braves wrap their series and road trip tonight with John Smoltz on the hill.

From pro basketball, the Atlanta Hawks wrapped their regular season schedule with a 113-99 loss at Miami. But for the first time since 1999, the Hawks will be playing more basketball. They will face the Boston Celtics in round-1 of the playoffs--the opening contest is Sunday in Boston.

Later this afternoon from Georgia State University, the school is expected to announce it will launch a football program with its first season in the fall of 2010. The Panthers would play in the NCAA's Division I Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as I-AA. The school would play home games at the 70,000-seat Georgia Dome, not far from its downtown Atlanta campus. Georgia State would also build new practice and training facilities.