The Georgia Southern football team hits the road to take on Old Dominion Thursday night in prime time action at S.B. Ballard Stadium with first place in the Sun Belt East on the line. Kickoff is set for 7:05 p.m. and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. The game will also be available via radio on the Georgia Southern Sports Network. Here's all you need to know about the game:
Game 8: Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 • 7:05 PM
Location: Norfolk, Va. (S.B. Ballard Stadium; 21,944)
Records:
Old Dominion: 3-4, 2-1 SBC
Georgia Southern: 5-2, 3-0 SBC
Broadcast Information
Broadcast: ESPN2
PBP: Jay Alter, Analyst: Rocky Boiman
Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Danny Reed (@GSEaglesVoice); Analyst: Terry Harvin (@TerryHarvin); Sidelines: Frank Sulkowski and Anthony Beck II
Radio Affiliates (PDF)
GS: GAME NOTES (PDF)
Inside The Series
Overall Record: GS leads, 3-1
In Statesboro: Tied, 1-1
In Norfolk: GS leads, 2-0
Rahne vs. GS: 1-1
Helton vs. ODU: 1-1
Helton vs. Rahne: Tied, 1-1
Current Streak: ODU, won one (2023-)
Last Meeting: ODU 20, GS 17 (2023)
Longest GS Streak: Three (2011-22)
Longest ODU Streak: One (2023present)
Largest GS Win: 14 points (2012 in Norfolk)
Largest ODU Win: 13 points (2023 in Statesboro)
GS vs. current Sun Belt Members: 73-70-1
GS vs. teams from Virginia: 26-5
GS in state of Virginia: 12-2
GS at Ballard Stadium: 2-0
Helton at Ballard Stadium: 1-0
Of Note:
- Georgia Southern and Old Dominion will be meeting for the fourth time on Thursday with the Eagles leading the series 3-1. The first game between the two teams came in the 2011 FCS Round of 16 as the Eagles beat the Monarchs 55-48 at Allen E. Paulson Stadium in Statesboro. The next year, Georgia Southern went to Ballard Stadium and beat the fourth-seeded Monarchs 49-35 in the FCS Quarterfinals. The two teams have split the last two games as Sun Belt brethren with both team winning on the road.
- The Eagles are 26-5 all-time against teams from Virginia. GS is 12-2 all-time in games played in Virginia.
- This will be just the fourth Thursday night football game Clay Helton has coached as a head coach. His only Thursday game while at USC came in 2016, a 45-24 win over California at home. The Eagles lost at Louisiana in 2022 and beat Georgia State at home last year. Georgia Southern is 11-7 all-time in games played on Thursdays, 6-2 at home and 5-5 on the road.
- GS is 8-6 all-time on short rest (less than seven days). As a head coach, Clay Helton's teams are 5-4 on short rest, 1-1 at GS.
Countdown to Kickoff
10: The Eagles have split 10 previous road games played on Thursday night in program history.
9: Linebacker Marques Watson-Trent and defensive end Isaac Walker have combined to force nine fumbles over the past two seasons. Walker had five last season and Watson-Trent leads the FBS with four this season.
8: Georgia Southern has only won eight of 14 times all-time on short rest (less than seven days). As a head coach, Clay Helton's teams are 5-4 on short rest, 1-1 at Georgia Southern.
7: Led by Derwin Burgess Jr. (31) and Dalen Cobb (30), seven different Eagle receivers have at least 12 receptions on the year.
6: Georgia Southern recorded a season-high six sacks in the win over James Madison last weekend.
5: Sophomore punter Alex Smith has five punts of 50 yards or more, averaging 43.1 yards on 35 punts with 19 fair catches and zero touchbacks.
4: This will be just the fourth Thursday night football game Clay Helton has coached as a head coach. He is 2-1 in those games, including a 1-1 mark at Southern.
3: Thirteen different players have scored a touchdown for Georgia Southern thus far, including three different running backs, seven different receivers, two quarterbacks and a defensive player.
2: The Eagles have lost only two of their 12 games played in the Commonwealth of Virginia and are 2-0 in Norfolk.
1: Saturday's win over JMU marked the first time under Clay Helton the Eagles lost the turnover battle (4-0) and won.
Up Next:
Nov. 2; at South Alabama, TBA