Head coach Clay Helton goes into Year 3 at Georgia Southern looking for improvement. Over the past two seasons, the Eagles have gone 6-7, finishing both seasons with bowl losses, falling to the Buffalo Bulls in the Camellia Bowl in 2022 and to the Ohio Bobcats in the Myrtle Beach Bowl in 2023.
Week 1: Boise State Broncos
Georgia Southern and Boise State have never met on the gridiron. Boise State will win this game on the road in Statesboro, Ga. Georgia Southern schedules one team a year that will end up beating them by 20-plus points.
Record: 0-1
Week 2: at Nevada Wolf Pack
The Eagles are 2-0 all-time against the Nevada Wolf Pack. The teams last met in 1990 in the Division I-AA championship game in Statesboro. The Eagles won 36-13.
The Wolf Pack had a bad run defense last season and ranked toward the bottom of the FBS in total defense. The Wolf Pack gave up 442.7 yards per game and allowed 30.9 points per game. Georgia Southern will get its first win of the season against Nevada.
Record: 1-1
Week 3: South Carolina State Bulldogs
The Eagles and South Carolina State Bulldogs have met eight times—all wins for the Eagles. The last meeting between the teams was in Statesboro, and the Eagles won 37-6.
South Carolina State is an FCS team and Georgia Southern usually has no problem with FCS teams.
Record: 2-1
Week 4: at Ole Miss Rebels
The Eagles and the Rebels have only met once, on Nov. 5, 2016, and the Rebels won 37-27. Ole Miss is a powerhouse team and quarterback Jaxson Dart will light up the Eagles' defense no matter who on the defensive line comes at him.
Record: 2-2
Week 5: at Georgia State Panthers
The Eagles and Panthers have met every season over the last 10 years. Georgia State has had the edge with six wins in those matchups. Last season, though, the Eagles won on the road, 44-27. Georgia Southern will win this year.
Record: 3-2
Week 6: Marshall Thundering Herd
The Eagles and Thundering Herd have only met eight times. Marshall has the edge with six wins, but the last time they met, the Thundering Herd won, 38-33.
Look for a repeat of last year's result. Georgia Southern could not stop the run in the previous matchup and it will happen here, too.
Record: 3-3
Week 7: James Madison Dukes
The Eagles and Dukes have met 10 times. The Eagles have the edge with eight wins, but James Madison won last year's meeting, 41-13.
The Dukes won the Sun Belt Conference's East Division last season with an 11-2 record. Look for the Eagles to lose to the Dukes again this year.
Record: 3-4
Week 8: at Old Dominion Monarchs
The Eagles and Monarchs have met four times in their history. The Eagles have the edge with three wins, but Old Dominion won last season, 20-17.
The Monarchs went 3-9 last season but they will not come close to competing this season. Georgia Southern will win this game.
Record: 4-4
Week 9: at South Alabama Jaguars
The Eagles and Jaguars have met nine times in their history. Georgia Southern has the edge with seven wins, but the Jaguars won last year's meeting 38-31.
The Jaguars' run game was too much for the Eagles' defense and it looks like history will repeat itself. The Jaguars will make it two wins in a row against Georgia Southern.
Record: 4-5
Week 10: Troy Trojans
The Eagles and Trojans have met 13 times with Georgia Southern having edge with seven wins. Last season, Troy won, 27-24.
Troy quarterback Gunnar Watson, who was Troy's lethal weapon last season, has moved on to the NFL. Now, the Trojans will have a new face at the position giving the Eagles a change to come out on top.
Record: 5-5
Week 11: at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
The Eagles and Chanticleers have met 10 times with Georgia Southern winning six of those. In their meeting last season, the Eagles won, 38-28.
The Chanticleers lost quarterback Grayson McCall to the Transfer Portal, but now that he's gone, the Eagles will win.
Record: 6-5
Week 12: Appalachian State Mountaineers
The Eagles and Mountaineers have met 33 times. Appalachian State has the edge with 19 wins and won the last meeting, 55-27.
Appalachian State seems to be a pain in the Eagles' side every season and the Eagles will struggle against the Mountaineers once again.
Record: 6-6
Georgia Southern Overview
The Eagles will finish with another 6-6 season. Helton seemingly cannot catch a break and Georgia Southern will barely make a bowl game. Something has to change if Helton is to get better than a .500 record.
Cap. GA Southern will finish 9-3
Georgia Southern was not on the road against GA State last year. It was a home game.