Eagles and App Renew Rivalry
The Georgia Southern football team holds a 3-5 overall record and is 1-3 in Sun Belt Conference play. After a 34-24 defeat to Arkansas State, the Eagles travel to Boone, North Carolina, for a Thursday night game against Appalachian State, which has a 4-4 overall record and the same 1-3 conference record.
The longstanding rivalry between the Eagles and the Mountaineers is intensified by Georgia Southern's need to win at least three of their final four games to qualify for a bowl appearance.
Coach Clay Helton Addresses Team 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.”
Coach Helton acknowledges the disappointment of fans and takes full responsibility for the team's recent setbacks. He emphasizes immediate improvement and long-term evaluation with the athletic leadership post-season.
Summary: Georgia Southern faces a critical rivalry game amid struggles and must improve quickly to become bowl eligible, with Coach Helton committed to addressing performance and leadership challenges.