Eagles and App Renew Rivalry
The Georgia Southern football team holds a 3-5 overall record and stands 1-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. After a 34-24 defeat against Arkansas State, the Eagles are set to face Appalachian State on Thursday night in Boone, North Carolina. Appalachian State's record is 4-4 overall and 1-3 in the conference.
This yearly rivalry between the Eagles and the Mountaineers is intensified by Georgia Southern's recent struggles. The team needs to secure victories in at least three of their last four games to qualify for a bowl game.
Coach Clay Helton Addresses Concerns
“I know that Eagle Nation is disappointed and angry. Any time you lose two hard-fought games that take you out of contention for a conference title, that is not who we are and that is not our standard at Georgia Southern. It is not acceptable and it never will be. To Eagle Nation, I say I am sorry. It is my job to make sure that doesn’t happen and I own that. The energy I have going forward is to improve that on the immediate front with us improving this week. The other area is big-picture wise and I will address any areas we may have with our athletic director Chris Davis and our president Kyle Marrero after the season.”
Upcoming Challenges
- The Eagles aim to bounce back and improve their current record.
- Becoming bowl eligible depends on results in the upcoming games.
- Coach Helton plans to work both in the short term on immediate improvement and long term with administrative support.
Summary: Georgia Southern faces a critical stretch to salvage their season under Coach Helton’s leadership amid fierce rivalry and high expectations.