The Panthers were led by third year head coach Bill Curry and played their home games at the Georgia Dome.

Georgia State was a full member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), but announced on April 9, 2012 that it would return to the Sun Belt Conference, which it had left in 1981, in July 2013.

In advance of this move, the Panthers began a transition to Division I FBS in 2012.

Although not qualifying, they were ineligible for the FCS playoffs as a transitional FBS team.

[4] Defensive coordinator John Thompson was hired by Arkansas State in February 2012.