2018 Georgia Southern Eagles football team
2018 Georgia Southern Eagles football | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Camellia Bowl champion | |
Camellia Bowl, W 23–21 vs. Eastern Michigan | |
Conference | Sun Belt Conference |
East Division | |
Record | 10–3 (6–2 Sun Belt) |
Head coach |
|
Offensive coordinator | Bob DeBesse (1st season) |
Defensive coordinator | Scot Sloan (1st season) |
Home stadium | Paulson Stadium |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Appalachian State xy$ | 7 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Troy x | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia Southern | 6 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coastal Carolina | 2 | – | 6 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Georgia State | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana xy | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arkansas State x | 5 | – | 3 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Louisiana–Monroe | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
South Alabama | 2 | – | 6 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Texas State | 1 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Appalachian State 30, Louisiana 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The 2018 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia, and competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by first-year head coach Chad Lunsford. They finished the season 10–3, 6–2 in Sun Belt play to finish in third place in the East Division. They were invited to the Camellia Bowl where they defeated Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles had the biggest turnaround in FBS in 2018, going from a 2–10 record in 2017 to 10–3. They also set a new FBS record by losing only five turnovers during the season. The previous record of eight had been achieved by six teams, most recently by LSU in 2017.[1]
Schedule
[edit]Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
September 1 | 6:00 p.m. | South Carolina State* | ESPN+ | W 37–6 | 15,260 | |
September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | UMass* |
| ESPN+ | W 34–13 | 15,071 |
September 15 | 12:00 p.m. | at No. 2 Clemson* | ESPNU | L 7–38 | 79,844 | |
September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | Arkansas State |
| ESPN+ | W 28–21 | 17,320 |
October 6 | 3:30 p.m. | South Alabama![]() |
| ESPN3 | W 48–13 | 17,622 |
October 11 | 7:30 p.m. | at Texas State | ESPNU | W 15–13 | 9,545 | |
October 20 | 6:00 p.m. | at New Mexico State* | W 48–31 | 7,300 | ||
October 25 | 7:30 p.m. | No. 25 Appalachian State |
| ESPNU | W 34–14 | 19,252 |
November 3 | 3:00 p.m. | at Louisiana–Monroe | ESPN3 | L 25–44 | 13,787 | |
November 10 | 1:00 p.m. | Troy |
| ESPN+ | L 21–35 | 16,289 |
November 17 | 5:00 p.m. | at Coastal Carolina | ESPN+ | W 41–17 | 9,886 | |
November 24 | 2:00 p.m. | at Georgia State | ESPN+ | W 35–14 | 20,011 | |
December 15 | 5:30 p.m. | vs. Eastern Michigan* | ESPN | W 23–21 | 17,710 | |
|
Game summaries
[edit]South Carolina State
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Eagles | 13 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 37 |
UMass
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Minutemen | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
Eagles | 0 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 34 |
At Clemson
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
No. 2 Tigers | 0 | 21 | 3 | 14 | 38 |
Arkansas State
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Red Wolves | 0 | 3 | 11 | 7 | 21 |
Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
South Alabama
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jaguars | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
Eagles | 7 | 10 | 10 | 21 | 48 |
At Texas State
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 0 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 15 |
Bobcats | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
At New Mexico State
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 10 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 48 |
Aggies | 14 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
Appalachian State
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 25 Mountaineers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Eagles | 0 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 34 |
At Louisiana–Monroe
[edit]Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 0 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 25 |
Warhawks | 13 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 44 |
at Malone Stadium • Monroe, LA
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Troy
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trojans | 3 | 14 | 11 | 7 | 35 |
Eagles | 14 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
At Coastal Carolina
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 3 | 10 | 21 | 7 | 41 |
Chanticleers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
At Georgia State
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eagles | 0 | 13 | 15 | 7 | 35 |
Panthers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
Vs. Eastern Michigan (Camellia Bowl)
[edit]1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMU Eagles | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
GASO Eagles | 7 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 23 |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/2018_Camellia_Bowl_23_%28Georgia_Southern_entrance%29.jpg/220px-2018_Camellia_Bowl_23_%28Georgia_Southern_entrance%29.jpg)
Awards and honors
[edit]Preseason
[edit]Award watch lists
[edit]Listed in the order that they were released
Award | Player | Position | Year |
---|---|---|---|
Rimington Trophy[3] | Curtis Rainey | C | SR |
Doak Walker Award[4] | Wesley Fields | RB | SR |
John Mackey Award[5] | Ellis Richardson | TE | SR |
Lou Groza Award[6] | Tyler Bass | K | JR |
Wuerffel Trophy[7] | Wesley Fields | RB | SR |
Sun Belt coaches poll
[edit]On July 19, 2018, the Sun Belt released their preseason coaches poll with the Eagles predicted to finish in fourth place in the East Division.[8]
East Division | ||
Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
---|---|---|
1 | Appalachian State | 46 (6) |
2 | Troy | 44 (4) |
3 | Georgia State | 26 |
4 | Georgia Southern | 22 |
5 | Coastal Carolina | 12 |
Preseason All-Sun Belt Teams
[edit]The Eagles had six players selected to the preseason all-Sun Belt teams.[9]
Offense 2nd team Wesley Fields – RB Ellis Richardson– TE Curtis Rainey – OL |
Defense 1st team Logan Hunt – DL Monquavion Brinson – DB Tae Hayes – DB |
Special teams 2nd team Tyler Bass – K |
Post-season finalists and winners
[edit]All-Sun Belt Selections
[edit]Twelve Georgia Southern football players were honored by the league coaches and members of the media as the Sun Belt Conference announced the selections for its all-conference teams.
- Offensive Selection
- Curtis Rainey - OL (First team)
- Wesley Fields - RB (Second team)
- Jeremiah Culbreth - OL (Second team)
- Wesley Kennedy III - RB (Honorable mention)
- Shai Werts - QB (Honorable mention)
- Defensive Selection
- Kindle Vildor - DB (First team)
- Raymond Johnson- DL (Second team)
- Monquavion Brinson - DB (Second team)
- Logan Hunt - DL (Third team)
- Rashad Byrd - LB (Honorable mention)
- Ty Phillips - DL (Honorable mention)
- Special Teams Selection
- Tyler Bass - PK (First team)
per Sun Belt Conference[10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Georgia Southern tops Eastern Michigan 23-21 on Bass' FG". ESPN.com. Associated Press. December 15, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
- ^ "2018 Georgia Southern Eagles Football Schedule". Georgia Southern Athletics. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
- ^ "Rimington Trophy Press Release". May 30, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ "2018 Doak Walker Award Candidates". July 18, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
- ^ "2018 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List Released" (PDF). July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Announces 2018 Preseason Watch List". July 25, 2018. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
- ^ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
- ^ "Mountaineers, Red Wolves Selected as Division Favorites in 2018 Sun Belt Football Coaches' Preseason Poll".
- ^ "Sun Belt Announces 2018 Preseason All-Conference Football Teams".
- ^ "Sun Belt Announces 2018 Football Postseason All-Conference, Individual Awards". Sun Belt Conference. Retrieved November 29, 2018.