The Georgia Southern football team returns to action on Saturday when it travels to Muncie, Ind., to take on Ball State at Scheumann Stadium. Kickoff for the non-conference tilt is set for 2:02 p.m. and will be streamed on 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:
Game 4: Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023 • 2:02 PM
Location: Muncie, Ind. (Scheumann Stadium; 22,500)
Records:
Georgia Southern: 2-1
Ball State: 1-2
Broadcast Information
Broadcast: ESPN+ (online)
PBP: Jim Barbar; Analyst: Tyoka Jackson
Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Danny Reed (@GSEaglesVoice); Analyst: Terry Harvin (@TerryHarvin); Sidelines: Kyle Vantrease (@KVT6_)
Radio Affiliates (PDF)
GS: GAME NOTES
BSU: GAME NOTES
Inside The Series
Overall Record GS leads, 1-0
In Statesboro GS leads, 1-0
In Muncie Never Met
Neu vs. GS 0-1
Helton vs. BSU 1-0
Helton vs. Neu Helton leads, 1-0
Current Streak GS, Won One (2022-)
Last Meeting GS 34, BSU 23 (2022)
Longest GS Streak One (2022-)
Longest BSU Streak N/A
Largest GS Win 11 points (2022 in Statesboro)
Largest BSU Win N/A
GS vs. current MAC Members 4-2
GS vs. teams from Indiana 1-1
GS in state of Indiana 0-1
Of Note:
- Georgia Southern and Ball State met for the first time in football last season in Statesboro with the Eagles winning 34-23.
- Georgia Southern has played six games previously against current members of the Mid-American Conference, posting a 4-2 record. The Eagles' last game against a MAC team came in the 2022 Camellia Bowl where the Eagles fell to Buffalo. Georgia Southern is 1-0 against Ball State, 1-0 against EMU, 1-0 against Bowling Green (2015 GoDaddy Bowl), 1-1 against Western Michigan and 0-1 against Buffalo (2022 Camellia Bowl).
- Ball State quarterback Layne Hatcher played two games against Georgia Southern while at Arkansas State. As a starter in 2019, he threw for 354 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-24 passing to lead the Red Wolves to a 38-33 win. In 2021, he came off the bench in a 59-33 loss to throw for 151 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on 8-of-18 passing.
Countdown to Kickoff
10: Derwin Burgess Jr. had 10 targets at Wisconsin, catching eight passes for 124 yards, including a career-long 68-yard play that set up the Eagles' first touchdown.
9: Nine players have at least one pass break up, led by defensive lineman Isaac Walker's three.
8: The Eagles are ranked eighth in the FBS in third-down conversion rate at 56.8 percent (21 for 37)
7: Georgia Southern has won seven of the 10 games it has scored 30 or more points under head coach Clay Helton.
6: Ball State quarterback Layne Hatcher has thrown a combined six touchdowns in two previous games against Georgia Southern, coming when he played for Arkansas State.
5: The school record for 100-yard receiving games in a career is five, held by Raja Andrews. After last week, Khaleb Hood and Derwin Burgess Jr. both have four such games.
4: Georgia Southern has won four of its six all-time games played against current members of the Mid-American Conference.
3: The Eagle offense has gone with the same starting 11 for each of the first three games. Ten of the eleven men defense have started every game so far.
2: This will be the second game in the series between Georgia Southern and Ball State. The Eagles won last year, 34-23, in Statesboro.
1: Georgia Southern has played just one previous game in the Hoosier State, falling to Indiana in 2017 in Bloomington.
Up Next:
Sept. 30 vs. Coastal Carolina - Statesboro, Ga. - 7 p.m. - NFL Network