Game Preview: Eagles set to host Jaguars

After playing five road games in its first eight games, the Georgia Southern Eagles football team returns to the friendly confines of Allen E. Paulson Stadium on Saturday when it hosts South Alabama as it kicks off a stretch of three home games in its final four contests.

Kickoff is set for 4:02 p.m. and will be streamed online through ESPN+. The game will also be available via radio on the Georgia Southern Sports Network.

Here's all you need to know about the game:

Important Links

Tickets
Game Day Guide (PDF)
Game Day Stadium Map (PDF)
Parking (PDF)
Clear Bag Policy (PDF)

Game 9: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022 • 4 p.m.
Location: Statesboro, Georgia (Allen E. Paulson Stadium; 25,000)

Promotions: Salute To Service/Hall Of Fame

Records:
South Alabama: 6-2, 3-1 SBC
Georgia Southern: 5-3, 2-2 SBC

Broadcast Information
Broadcast: ESPN+ (online)
PBP: Danny Waugh; Analyst: Cole Neely; Sidelines: Emily Grace McWhorter

Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Danny Reed (@GSEaglesVoice); Analysts: Terry Harvin (@TerryHarvin) and Russ Brown; Sidelines: Frank Sulkowski (@TheBigGuyWJCL)
Radio Affiliates (PDF)

GS: Game Notes (PDF)

Inside the Series

Overall Record: GS leads, 7-1
In Statesboro: GS leads, 4-0
In Mobile: GS leads, 3-
At Neutral: Never Met

Wommack vs. GS: 1-0
Helton vs. USA: Never Met
Helton vs. Wommack: Never Met

Current Streak: USA, Won 1 (2021)
Last Meeting: USA 41, GS 14 (2021)
Longest GS Streak: Seven (2014-2020)
Longest USA Streak: One (2021-)

Largest GS Win: 52 points (2017 in Statesboro)
Largest USA Win: 27 points (2021 in Mobile)

GS vs. current Sun Belt Members: 65-62-1
GS vs. teams from Alabama: 23-15
GS's record in state of Georgia: 224-63-1

Of Note:

Georgia Southern leads the series with South Alabama 7-1 after falling to the Jaguars last season 41-14 in Mobile. The previous three games in the series have been on Thursdays.
In the seven games between the two squads prior to last year, GS had outscored USA by a combined 251-79 (35.9-11.3).
The Eagles are 4-0 all-time against South Alabama at Paulson Stadium and are averaging 44.8 points per game.
Saturday is Salute To Service Day. Freshman Elijah Hynes graduated from high school in 2019 and entered the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served for nearly three years. Volunteer assistant Jarae Thurmond joined the GS staff in 2022 after medical retirement from the U.S. Navy after 12 years of honorable service. Thurmond served onboard the USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), USS Hopper (DDG 70) and Submarine Training Facility SD where he was awarded Instructor of the Year (2020) and Sailor of the Year (2021) for his command.

Hall of Fame

The Georgia Southern Department of Athletics will induct its newest class into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday, a group of seven that left a lasting mark on Eagle Athletics and will be bestowed the highest honor this weekend.

The 2022 class of inductees includes:

Taz Dixon, an All-American football player who left Georgia Southern holding six school records; and
Alex Mash, a two-time All-American football player who was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year in 1993; and
The Nelson Family, who have donated millions of dollars to multiple athletics projects; and
Elizabeth Nieto Searl, the most decorated player in Georgia Southern women's tennis history who won six Southern Conference titles; and
Mike Shepherd, a three-time first-team all-conference selection in baseball who is still among the all-time leaders in program history; and
Kate Van Dyke, the only player in Southern Conference volleyball history to earn first-team all-league honors all four years and was named the league's Player of the Year in 2012; and
David Young, a two-time All-American who helped Georgia Southern to four Southern Conference Championships and two NCAA Division I-AA National Championships.

The 2022 class will be inducted at a Hall of Fame luncheon Friday night and will be introduced at halftime on Saturday. The seven additions bring the total number of former coaches, student-athletes, supporters and administrators in the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame to 168.

Countdown to Kickoff

10: In the win at ODU, Kyle Vantrease hit on 18 of his last 20 passes, including 10 in a row spanning the second and third quarters. That was the most consecutive completions for an Eagle since Lee Chapple hit 18 straight against Wofford in 2009.

9: Running back Jalen White has a career-high nine rushing touchdowns this season in eight games. He has 10 total touchdowns.

8: Quarterback Kyle Vantrease has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all eight games this season.

7: Georgia Southern won the first seven games in the series against South Alabama before dropping a contest in Mobile last season.

6: The Eagles have had fewer penalty yards than their opponent in six of eight games and are ranked 23rd in the FBS in fewest penalty yards per game (43.75).

5: After playing five road games in their first eight contests, the Eagles start a stretch of three of their final four games being played at Allen E. Paulson Stadium.

4: The Eagles have won all four previous games against the Jaguars in Allen E. Paulson Stadium.

3: Freshman Elijah Hynes spent three years in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the team this season. Saturday is Salute To Service Day.

2: Georgia Southern is second in the FBS in fewest sacks allowed, giving up just two in eight games.

1: This will be the first time in four seasons that Georgia Southern and South Alabama will be played on a Saturday. The past three games have been played on Thursday nights.