Tag: Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern downs rival App State in Birmingham Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

JC French IV threw for 171 yards and a touchdown as Georgia Southern defeated rival Appalachian State 29-10 on Monday afternoon in the JLab Birmingham Bowl in Alabama.

In the third postseason meeting of the longstanding “Deeper Than Hate” rivalry, French guided the Eagles’ offense efficiently by completing 18 of 25 passes. He also rushed for 38 yards in the decisive win for Georgia Southern (7-6).

The Eagles’ offense was also boosted by OJ Arnold rushing 11 times for 152 yards. It’s the first bowl win for Georgia Southern since 2020 and first under fourth-year coach Clay Helton.

Matthew Wilson paced App State (5-8) with 238 yards of total offense. He piled up 110 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries and completed 12 of 22 passes for 128 yards.

After forcing the Mountaineers into a three-and-out, the Eagles opened the scoring by finding the end zone on their first possession, capping off an 11-play drive with Terrence Gibbs scoring on a 1-yard run. Tripp Bryant tacked on two of his three field goals for Southern in the first half as the Eagles entered intermission ahead 13-7 following Wilson’s touchdown, a 6-yard run early in the second quarter.

Following Weston Bryan’s 3-yard scoring run early in the third quarter, the Eagles reached their biggest lead midway through the quarter. French took a snap on first-and-10 out of the shotgun and lofted a 32-yard pass over the head of two Mountaineers to find Marcus Sanders Jr. in the end zone to make it 26-7. Sanders finished with five catches for 72 yards.

Georgia Southern won the turnover battle 4-1. Dorrian Smith was the star on defense for the Eagles, coming away with two interceptions and one tackle for loss.

While App went 3-of-10 on third and fourth downs, Southern converted 5-of-11.

App State and Georgia Southern have played at least once a season since 1993, dating back to their days in the FCS ranks. The Eagles have won four of their last five meetings. Monday’s clash marked the teams’ first neutral-site matchup.

–Field Level Media

App State, Georgia Southern carry mutual ‘Hate’ into Birmingham Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

There is a lot of shared history between the football teams at Appalachian State and Georgia Southern.

On Monday, a new chapter in the rivalry both sides call “Deeper Than Hate” will be written as the Mountaineers and Eagles meet on a neutral field for the first time at the Birmingham Bowl in Alabama.

App State (5-7) and Georgia Southern (6-6) have played at least once every season dating back to 1993 when the Eagles were new members of the Southern Conference at the FCS level. After both won multiple FCS national championships, they made the jump to FBS together in 2014 by joining the Sun Belt.

All of their previous 40 meetings were played on their respective campuses in Statesboro, Ga. or Boone, N.C., including their two previous postseason meetings, both coming in FCS playoff games.

Typically, teams that finish with a regular-season record below .500 don’t get the opportunity to play in bowl games. However, when teams such as Notre Dame, Iowa State and Kansas State opted out of the postseason, there was a trickle-down impact that left bowl organizers scrambling for worthy opponents. In years where not enough teams finish 6-6 to become bowl-eligible, 5-7 teams can become eligible if they have a high Academic Progress Rate. As it turned out, App State’s score was good enough.

First-year App State coach Dowell Loggains thought the season was over after the Mountaineers lost by a single point to Arkansas State in the regular-season finale. Then, his phone rang several hours after the College Football Playoff bracket was unveiled and bowl opt-outs started to become public.

“My athletic director called me on Sunday evening and asked me about playing in a bowl,” Loggains said. “I said yes, we’ll play in a Walmart parking lot.”

Having pivoted his focus to offseason recruiting and roster management before he found out the Mountaineers would be playing in a bowl game, Loggains then faced the challenge of getting players back on campus and figuring out who will or won’t play. Loggains told players who have intentions of entering the transfer portal that they are still welcome to compete for App State in the Birmingham Bowl.

“This is the 2025 team and they’re part of it. I think you will be surprised at some of the guys who will play,” Loggains said. “The kids are close, the buy-in is there. They care about each other, they care about their school and they care about the block A, so we’re excited about it.”

The Mountaineers lost four games this season by eight points or fewer. One of them was at home to Georgia Southern — a 25-23 home setback on Nov. 6.

The Eagles jumped out to a 19-0 lead before App State mounted a comeback, but Georgia Southern held on for a victory. Eagles quarterback JC French IV threw for 352 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 18 yards and a score.

That win helped the Eagles reach bowl eligibility for the fourth consecutive season under fourth-year head coach Clay Helton. So far, Georgia Southern is 0-3 in bowl games in his tenure. Getting his first postseason win — and doing so over App State — would be meaningful to him and the Eagles fanbase.

“We know how special this game is and the opportunity to do something that has never been done,” Helton said. “This is another chance for these seniors to leave a legacy. They became the first Georgia Southern players in history to play in four straight bowl games, and now they have a chance at winning a ring.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) throws the ball against the Missouri State Bears in the first half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

USC hosts ex-Trojans coach Clay Helton, Georgia Southern

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Clay Helton’s nearly six-year tenure at the helm of Southern California ended almost four years to the day of him bringing Georgia Southern into Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for Saturday’s matchup.

Helton, who took over at USC in October 2015 as interim coach following Steve Sarkisian’s firing, went 46-24 with a 2017 Rose Bowl championship and the Trojans’ only conference title since 2008.

While he finished with a losing record just once, going 5-7 in 2018, USC repeatedly falling short of expectations resulted in his ouster following a Sept. 11, 2021, loss at home to Stanford. That marked the last time Helton was on the sidelines in Los Angeles.

Georgia Southern (0-1), meanwhile, is playing its second game in California in as many weeks. The Eagles opened the season last Saturday with a 42-14 loss at Fresno State, during which it surrendered 29 unanswered points in the second half.

Despite the loss, Helton heaped praise on quarterback JC French IV, who finished 17-of-28 passing for 158 yards with a pair of first-half touchdowns.

“He played a really mature game,” said Helton, who is in his fourth season with Georgia Southern. “Overall, for his first game out, I saw a poise about him that was a lot different than game one of last year, which gave me hope and gave hope to our entire offense.”

USC (1-0) came away from its Week 1 with more than just hope: The Trojans eclipsed 70 points for the first time in 20 years, destroying fledgling FBS member Missouri State 73-13.

Jayden Maiava went 15 of 18 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for a score in just over two quarters of playing time. The quarterback was one of five Trojans to who accounted for six rushing touchdowns.

Maiava’s backup, Husan Longstreet, rushed for two scores while playing most of second half.

USC coach Lincoln Riley, introduced as Helton’s full-time successor in November 2021, said the opportunity to play numerous Trojans in Week 1 was energizing for the team moving forward.

While speaking following Tuesday’s practice, Riley also spoke fondly of his limited interactions with Helton. Riley said the two participated in a charity golf event together and “had a chance to sit down and have some really cool conversations.”

“Those have been conversations I’ve appreciated, talking ball,” Riley said. “He’s been great. He’s incredibly complimentary of (USC). … The kind of human being he is, it’s pretty special.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 16, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Georgia Southern Eagles head coach Clay Helton reacts to a call during the third quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Report: New deal for Georgia Southern’s Clay Helton

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Georgia Southern has agreed to a new five-year deal for football coach Clay Helton, ESPN reported Wednesday.

The contract runs through the 2029 season and includes a raise to an average of $1 million per year, per the report.

Helton, 52, has guided the Eagles to a 20-19 record and three bowl games in three seasons on the job.

Georgia Southern was 8-5 in 2024, including 6-2 in the Sun Belt Conference. The Eagles lost 31-26 to Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl on Dec. 19.

He previously coached at Southern California (2013, 2015-21), going 46-24 with five bowl appearances with the Trojans.

–Field Level Media

Dec 19, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; Sam Houston State Bearkats wide receiver Noah Smith (6) rushes against the Georgia Southern Eagles during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

5 takeaways vs. Ga. Southern propel Sam Houston to first bowl win

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Sam Houston tied a New Orleans Bowl record with five takeaways, and Hunter Watson accounted for three touchdowns as the school got its first bowl victory since moving to FBS in 2022, beating Georgia Southern 31-26 on Thursday.

Watson completed 23 of 28 passes, including 14 straight completions in the first half. He tallied 213 passing yards, threw for one touchdown and scored on runs of 2 and 1 yards — the last one to put the game out of reach.

Sam Houston (10-3) lived up to its defensive reputation by coming up with four interceptions and a fumble.

Jaylon Jimmerson intercepted two passes, returning one for a touchdown. Jimmerson also had 10 tackles. The Bearkats also produced three sacks, six tackles for loss and four pass breakups.

“They do that week in and week out, so I’m always confident of our defense,” Watson said.

Georgia Southern quarterback J.C. French completed 20 of 33 passes for 212 yards and one touchdown, with the four interceptions. He ran for a 1-yard touchdown with nine seconds left for the Eagles (8-5).

Sam Houston’s defense set the pace early. On Georgia Southern’s first offensive play, French’s throw was intercepted by Jimmerson and returned 29 yards for a touchdown.

Following a fumble recovery by Ayden Jackson, French directed an 11-play, 80-yard drive — capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass to Josh Dallas. But Sam Houston responded with a 75-yard scoring drive that culminated when Watson flipped a pass to Simeon Evans for a 33-yard touchdown.

Jimmerson victimized French again on the next possession, reaching up for a one-handed interception and runback to the 13. Four plays later, Watson scored on a 2-yard keeper.

Georgia Southern was able to rush downfield on its final possession of the half and cut the margin to 21-10 on Gavin Stewart’s 49-yard field goal.

Georgia Southern scored twice in the third quarter. Jalen White ran in from 1 yard, two plays after French had hooked up with Marcus Sanders Jr. for a 43-yard pass. A two-point conversion run failed. The Eagles added another 49-yard field goal by Stewart and trailed 21-19 entering the fourth quarter.

Watson drove the Bearkats 88 yards in eight plays, scoring from the 1 to put Sam Houston up 28-19 with 11:37 to play.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2024; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Georgia Southern Eagles quarterback JC French (12) runs the ball during the second half against the Mississippi Rebels at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Former FCS powers Sam Houston, Georgia Southern meet in New Orleans Bowl

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Sam Houston will make its first-ever bowl appearance against Georgia Southern in the New Orleans Bowl on Thursday, but the Bearkats will do it with a new head coach.

Sam Houston will be led by interim coach Brad Cornelsen, the team’s offensive coordinator. He takes over for K.C. Keeler, who resigned after 11 seasons to become head coach at Temple. Keeler went 97-39 during his time at Sam Houston and led the team to the 2021 FCS championship and navigated the transition to FBS and Conference USA.

Cornelsen was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Virginia Tech for six seasons before joining the Sam Houston staff as offensive coordinator in 2023.

“This group of players, particularly our seniors, has been through so much to move our program forward,” Cornelsen said. “We have had a great season up to now, but this is an opportunity for us to close our season with 10 wins in one of the most historic venues (Superdome) in the country.”

Georgia Southern will be going to a bowl game for the third straight season under coach Clay Helton. It will be the Eagles’ seventh bowl in 11 seasons since transitioning to the FBS level.

Sam Houston went 9-3 and just missed earning a spot in the Conference USA championship game. Georgia Southern was 8-4 and finished second in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference behind Marshall.

Georgia Southern had 10 players named to all-Sun Belt Conference teams, including senior linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, the league’s defensive player of the year. He finished first in the conference and is eighth in the nation in tackles per game — 10 — with 110 tackles in 11 games.

The Eagles have a veteran offensive line led by all-conference honorees Bryson Broadway, Caleb Cook and Pichon Wimbley. They have helped enable quarterback JC French to throw for 2,619 yards and 16 touchdowns and Jalen White to rush for 654 yards and 12 scores. Derwin Burgess Jr. (53 receptions, three TDs), Dalen Cobb (50 catches, four TDs) and Josh Dallas (41 catches, five TDs) are the top receivers.

“We have great seniors, great leadership on the team where everyone understands the mission,” Watson-Trent said. “It’s the type of people we recruit here. It’s a blue-collar mentality and that’s what we stand on.”

Sam Houston led Conference USA in defense (20 points per game) and ranked second with 315.6 yards allowed per game. The unit is led by defensive back Caleb Weaver (7.3 tackles per game), linebacker Kavian Gaither (7.1 tackles per game) and defensive end Chris Murray, who has 5 1/2 sacks and 10 1/2 tackles for loss. All three were named first-team All-Conference USA team.

The Bearkats’ top offensive players are quarterback Hunter Watson, who has thrown for 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushed for 623 yards and seven touchdowns. Jay Ducker is the leading rusher with 719 yards and seven touchdowns. Simeon Evans leads the team with 44 receptions and five touchdowns. The offensive line is powered by second-team all-conference selections Ethan Hagler and James Dawn II.

Although both teams were former FCS or Division I-AA powers with a combined seven national championships, it will be the first meeting between the two teams.

Georgia Southern beat Louisiana Tech 38-3 in the 2020 New Orleans Bowl.

–Field Level Media

Sep 14, 2024; Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons linebacker Aiden Hall (39) upends Mississippi Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart (2) during the first half at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Jaxson Dart, elite defense lead No. 5 Ole Miss vs. Georgia Southern

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Ole Miss Heisman Trophy candidate Jaxson Dart and his 11 total touchdowns created many of the headlines during a 3-0 start, but the team’s defensive showing has produced the Southeastern Conference school’s best stat.

Off to an outstanding start in a less-than-challenging nonconference schedule, the No. 5-ranked Rebels will host the Georgia Southern Eagles in Oxford, Miss., on Saturday night in their final game before eight straight SEC matchups.

And when the opposition has had the ball against Ole Miss in 2024, it has been lights out play by the Rebels’ defense.

In three victories and 180 minutes of football, defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s unit has not allowed one opponent to cross the goal line as the squad has dominated the other side on the scoreboard by a 168-9 margin.

No TDs surrendered. No garbage score late in one of the three blowouts, no freak play like a tipped ball or player slipping, no broken coverage or backups wearing unfamiliar numbers showing why they are where they are down the depth chart.

It’s the first time since 1961 that an Ole Miss squad has done that.

The Landshark defense is tied with Ohio State in scoring defense (3.0 points per game), leads in rushing defense (33.3 yards) and is tied for third in tackles for loss (10.0).

Linebacker TJ Dottery said the success stems from stopping the run.

“Our D line. Our backers and even our safeties have been coming down, hitting and being physical,” said Dottery, a sophomore who played for Clemson in 2022. “We say it a lot, ‘On our road games, we pack our defense and our run game.’ It’s really hard to win without running the ball.”

Coach Lane Kiffin said the current defensive front is a major upgrade.

“(This group) is completely different than any time we’ve been here. Since the Georgia game, that was a priority,” the coach said, citing the Bulldogs’ 52-17 home rout of the then-8-1 Rebels last Nov. 11.

Transfer linebacker Chris Paul Jr., who played for Arkansas last year, tops the team with 19 tackles and shares the lead for tackles for loss (4) with defensive tackle JJ Pegues. Safety Trey Washington has a unit-best three pass breakups.

After this Saturday, the Rebels’ attention will turn to the conference opener at home against Kentucky.

First, the Sun Belt Conference’s Eagles (2-1) have next in the Grove.

After losing a home-opening 56-45 shootout with Boise State, coach Clay Helton’s group has rallied with wins over Nevada (20-17) and South Carolina State (42-14).

Against the latter, running back OJ Arnold ran for a score and caught a TD pass while fellow backfield mate Jalen White rushed for a pair.

A fifth-year senior from Daleville, Ala., White is a reliable workhorse for Helton, who is in his third season as head coach in Statesboro, Ga.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back has carried the ball 31 times for a team-high 97 yards and five touchdowns.

Helton considers White his most reliable option in short-yardage situations.

“Just a warrior, and he’s not 100 percent,” the former Southern Cal coach said. “We need him, and you see what he brings to the table – not only in tough running but in goal-line runs where you’re always one short.

“I’ll bet my whole life on 25 (White) when it’s one-on-one.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 16, 2023; Conway, SC, USA; Ohio Bobcats running back Rickey Hunt (28) is lifted into the air by Ohio Bobcats offensive lineman Parker Titsworth (69) after a touchdown in the first half against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Brooks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Yeazell-USA TODAY Sports

Rickey Hunt (5 total TDs) powers Ohio past Georgia Southern

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Rickey Hunt rushed for four touchdowns and was on the receiving end of another as Ohio beat Georgia Southern 41-21 on Saturday at the Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway, S.C.

Hunt came into the game with six carries for 19 yards on the season, but he broke out on Saturday with the Bobcats’ top two running backs inactive after entering the transfer portal. His five touchdowns set a single-game program record.

Ohio (10-3) received 133 total yards of offense (115 rushing, 18 receiving) from Hunt, and it needed every single one of them after the Eagles mounted a ferocious second-half rally.

Hunt seemingly put the game away with a 40-yard rushing TD with 2:04 left in the third quarter. Georgia Southern answered just 45 seconds later, however, as Davis Brin connected with Derwin Burgess Jr. for a 65-yard score that pulled the Eagles within 34-14.

Georgia Southern (6-7) then recovered an onside kick and, seven plays later, Brin connected with Jjay Mcafee for a 15-yard TD, cutting the Eagles’ deficit to 13.

But the comeback bid stalled when Georgia Southern failed to convert on a fourth-and-2, handing the ball back to the Bobcats with 6:32 left in the game. Hunt capped the ensuing drive by rushing for his fifth touchdown, from 9 yards out, to seal the victory.

Ohio quarterback Parker Navarro completed 11 of 16 passes for 120 yards and a TD. Brin threw for 350 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions on 32-for-42 passing.

Burgess finished with six catches for 117 yards and the score, but the Eagles totaled just 33 yards on 21 carries.

Gianni Spetic opened the scoring with a 27-yard field goal before Hunt rushed for a 2-yard touchdown and hauled in an 18-yard score to give the Bobcats a 17-0 lead with 3:16 left in the second quarter.

Spetic added a 26-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to send Ohio into the break up 20-0.

After Hunt rushed for a 6-yard TD, Georgia Southern finally got on the board with 7:54 remaining in the third quarter thanks to David Mbadinga’s 3-yard scoring scamper. That made it 27-7, and Hunt broke off for his 40-yard run to the end zone nearly six minutes later.

–Field Level Media

Sep 16, 2023; Athens, Ohio, USA; Ohio University Bobcats quarterback Kurtis Rourke (7) during the second quarter against the Iowa State Cyclones at Peden Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Lunsford-USA TODAY Sports

Ohio shoots for historic win in Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. Ga. Southern

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Although Ohio finds itself in the same situation it was in a season ago, program history is on the line this time.

After prevailing in last year’s Arizona Bowl, the Bobcats (9-3) will look to record back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time ever when they face Georgia Southern (6-6) in the Myrtle Beach Bowl on Saturday in Conway, S.C.

Ohio was 9-4 in 2022 before edging Wyoming 30-27 in the Arizona Bowl in Tucson to punctuate the campaign.

The Bobcats used a late-season surge to move into position to reach the 10-win plateau again in 2023, rattling off three consecutive victories ahead of bowl action.

“Winning a bowl game is one of our goals, one of the expectations here, and we have an opportunity to do that,” Ohio coach Tim Albin said. “Sure, we’re gonna try to win the game and … that’s an opportunity that we have in front of us.

“It won’t be the sole motivation, but (we) certainly have an opportunity to get that done for these guys.”

Saturday will mark the first-ever meeting between the Bobcats and Eagles, and the clock is ticking for Albin and his coaching staff as they try to learn about a Georgia Southern program that lost 23-21 to Buffalo in the 2022 Camellia Bowl.

The Myrtle Beach Bowl is the first bowl game of the postseason, kicking off at 11 a.m. ET.

“Georgia Southern, a tradition-rich program,” Albin said. “Six national championships in the FCS level. Don’t know much about them; we’re diving into them right now. … Coach (Clay) Helton will have them ready to go, but we’re looking forward to the matchup.”

Helton has had to use a little extra elbow grease to have his guys ready, though.

“Our coaches, half of them are on the road, half of them are back here (in Georgia) prepping for the game so we can produce a game plan by Wednesday when we go to that first practice,” Helton said. “You basically get six practices here, and you’ll get three practices there, then you put the ball down and get the chance to play.”

Although it might be hard to tell by their record, the Eagles have been bowl-eligible since Oct. 26, when they beat Georgia State 44-27. Georgia Southern then dropped its final four games of the regular season, most recently 55-27 to Appalachian State on Nov. 25.

The Eagles surrendered an average of 39.5 points per game during their skid, well north of their season average of 24.6 before that.

Georgia Southern sports a high-powered offense led by quarterback Davis Brin, who threw for 3,431 yards and 22 touchdowns in the regular season but was picked off 16 times. Jalen White led the rushing attack with 891 yards and nine TDs.

Meanwhile, Ohio has leaned on its defense for the bulk of its success in 2023.

Opponents averaged just 15.4 points against the Bobcats through their first 12 games, fifth-best in the country. Linebacker Bryce Houston had the 16th-most tackles (119) in the FBS.

Offensively, Kurtis Rourke had 2,207 passing yards and 11 TDs through the air, with five interceptions. Sieh Bangura totaled 811 yards and seven scores on the ground.

–Field Level Media

Sep 16, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers cornerback Jason Maitre (23) returns an interception against Georgia Southern Eagles during the second quarter at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Wisconsin awakens in second half, tops Georgia Southern

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Tanner Mordecai and Braelon Allen each ran for two scores and Wisconsin overcame another slow start with the aid of five interceptions to pull away in the second half for a 35-14 nonconference victory over visiting Georgia Southern on Saturday.

The Badgers failed to capitalize on three interceptions en route to a 7-7 halftime tie, but finally turned their fourth pick into a score. James Thompson tipped Davis Brin’s pass at the line, and CJ Goetz intercepted at the Georgia Southern 40. Mordecai scored on an 18-yard scramble to put Wisconsin up 21-14 with 7:40 left in the third quarter.

On the Eagles’ next possession, Hunter Wohler picked off Brin’s deep pass in the end zone. Wisconsin responded with a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped by Allen’s 2-yard run.

Brin lost a fumble midway through the fourth quarter that stalled a drive at the Wisconsin 14. The Badgers then went 86 yards, going in front 35-14 on Chez Mellusi’s 1-yard run.

Wisconsin (2-1) bounced back from a 31-22 upset loss at Washington State, where it trailed 24-9 at the half. Allen, held to 20 yards on seven carries vs. Washington State, rushed 12 times for 94 yards, including 78 in the second half.

Mordecai completed 19 of 30 passes for 236 yards and ran for 36 yards.

Brin completed 33 of 52 passes for 383 yards and one touchdown for the Eagles (2-1).

After forcing Wisconsin to punt on its first possession of the third quarter, Brin needed just three passes to cover 75 yards, culminating in a 25-yarder to Jay McAfee that put Georgia Southern up 14-7.

Wisconsin answered with a five-play, 58-yard scoring drive capped by Allen’s 4-yard run.

Wisconsin went in front 7-0 when Mordecai scored on a 1-yard run to finish a 70-yard touchdown drive 42 seconds into the second quarter.

The Eagles responded when Brin hit Derwin Burgess Jr. for a 68-yard completion, setting up OJ Arnold’s 4-yard touchdown run.

The Eagles settled for a 7-7 halftime tie when Michael Lantz’s 48-yard field goal attempt on the final play fell short.

Georgia Southern outgained Wisconsin 283-146 in the first half as the Badgers went three-and-out on four of their eight possessions.

–Field Level Media