The Georgia Southern football team quickly returns to action Thursday night as it host Georgia State in a big Sun Belt Conference battle at Allen E. Paulson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:35 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:
Promotions: Blue Out
Game 8: Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023 • 7:35 p.m.
Location: Statesboro, Ga. (Allen E. Paulson Stadium; 25,000)
Records:
Georgia State: 6-1, 3-1 SBC
Georgia Southern: 5-2, 2-1 SBC
Broadcast Information
Broadcast: ESPN2
PBP: Courtney Lyle; Analyst: Hutson Mason; Sidelines: Taylor Davis
Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Danny Reed (@GSEaglesVoice); Analyst: Terry Harvin (@TerryHarvin); Sidelines: Kyle Vantrease (@KVT6_)
Radio Affiliates (PDF)
GS: GAME NOTES
GAST: GAME NOTES
Inside The Series
Overall Record: GAST leads, 6-3
In Statesboro: GAST leads, 3-1
In Atlanta: GAST leads, 3-2
Elliott vs. GS: 4-2
Helton vs. GAST: 0-1
Helton vs. Elliott: Elliott leads, 1-0
Current Streak: GAST, Won 3 (2020-22)
Last Meeting: GAST 41, GS 33 (2022)
Longest GS Streak: Two (2018-2019)
Longest GAST Streak: Three (twice)
Largest GS Win: 38 points (2014 in Atlanta)
Largest GAST Win: 27 points (2015 in Statesboro)
GS vs. current Sun Belt Members: 69-66-1
GS vs. teams from Georgia: 25-16-1
GS in state of Georgia: 229-65-1
Of Note:
- Georgia Southern and Georgia State have met just nine times before with the Panthers leading series 6-3.
- This will be just the third 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 last year.
- Georgia Southern is 10-7 all-time in games played on Thursdays, 5-2 at home and 5-5 on the road.
- GS is 7-6 all-time on short rest (less than seven days). As a head coach Clay Helton's teams are 4-4 on short rest.
- Former Eagle head coach Paul Johnson will be honored at the end of the first quarter for his upcoming College Football Hall of Fame indiction. He will be the third Eagle to enter The Hall, joining Tracy Ham (c/o 2007) and Adrian Peterson (c/o 2017). In five years, Johnson led the Eagles to a 62-10 record and Division I-AA national titles in 1999 and 2000.
- Offensive lineman Bryson Broadway transfered to Georgia Southern from Georgia State after starting 11 games at tackle last season.
Countdown to Kickoff
10: This will be the 10th meeting between Georgia Southern and Georgia State with the Panthers holding a 6-3 lead after winning the past three contests.
9: Freshman Australian punter Alex Smith has put nine of 23 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
8: Led by Michael Lantz's kicks and a strong coverage unit, Georgia Southern ranks eighth in the FBS in kickoff return defense, allowing an average of just 13.82 yards per return.
7: Georgia Southern has won the time of possession in all seven games this season, averaging 32:07 per contest.
6: The Eagles posted six sacks last Saturday against ULM, the most since 2021 against Arkansas State.
5: Defensive lineman Isaac Walker is fifth in the country in fumble recoveries with two. He also is tied for the national lead with four forced fumbles to go along with is 4.5 sacks.
4: The Eagles and Panthers have met four previous times in Statesboro with Georgia State winning three of those games.
3: Georgia Southern is 5-0 this season when taking the ball away at least three times in a game.
2: Running back Jalen White recorded his second 100-yard rushing game of the season in last week's win over ULM, totaling 164 yards and two touchdowns.
1: Tyrell Davis sealed the ULM game with a 28-yard interception return for a score with under two minutes remaining. It was the defensive back's first career pick six, but second non-offensive touchdown as he scored on a 20-yard punt return in 2021 against Texas State.
Up Next:
Nov. 4 at Texas State - San Marcos, Texas - 7 p.m. (ET)/6 p.m. (CT)