2021 Georgia Southern Eagles football team

2021 Georgia Southern Eagles football
Conference	Sun Belt Conference
Division	East Division
Record	3–9 (2–6 Sun Belt)
Head coach	Chad Lunsford (4th season; first 4 games) Kevin Whitley (interim; final 8 games)
Offensive coordinator	Doug Ruse (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Pistol
Defensive coordinator	Scot Sloan (4th season)
Base defense	3–4
Home stadium	Paulson Stadium
Seasons ←  2020 2022  →

2021 Sun Belt Conference football standings

v t e	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Appalachian State xy		7	–	1					10	–	4
Georgia State		6	–	2					8	–	5
Coastal Carolina		6	–	2					11	–	2
Troy		3	–	5					5	–	7
Georgia Southern		2	–	6					3	–	9
West Division
No. 16 Louisiana xy$		8	–	0					13	–	1
Texas State		3	–	5					4	–	8
Louisiana–Monroe		2	–	6					4	–	8
South Alabama		2	–	6					5	–	7
Arkansas State		1	–	7					2	–	10
Championship: Louisiana 24, Appalachian State 16
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Rankings from AP Poll

The 2021 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern University during the 2021 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 third-year head coach Chad Lunsford until he was dismissed mid-season following his third consecutive loss within the first four games of the season. Cornerbacks coach Kevin Whitley was tapped to serve as interim coach until a new head coach was hired by the university. ^[1] Whitley was in his third year as cornerbacks coach and previously played for Georgia Southern as a four year starter from 1988 to 1991, helping to win two national titles for the Eagles. On November 2, 2021, Clay Helton, former head coach of the USC Trojans, was hired to become the next head coach for Georgia Southern, starting in the 2022 season. ^[2]

Previous season

The Eagles finished the 2020 season 8–5, 4–4 in Sun Belt play to finish in third place in the East Division and. Southern was then invited to play in the New Orleans Bowl, their fourth postseason FBS bowl game and their third consecutive appearance. They played Louisiana Tech, where they steamrolled the Bulldogs 38-3.

Preseason

Recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes

Name	Hometown	High school / college	Height	Weight	40‡	Commit date
Derwin Burgess Jr. WR	Riverdale, GA	Riverdale HS	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	180 lb (82 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Chas Collins OL	Statesboro, GA	Bulloch Academy	6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)	270 lb (120 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Caleb Cook OL	Brunswick, GA	Brunswick HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	275 lb (125 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Tyrell Davis DB	Harrisburg, NC	Hickory Ridge HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Michael Edwards III LB	Trussville, AL	Hewitt-Trussville HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
James Graham QB	Fitzgerald, GA	Fitzgerald HS Georgia Tech	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	195 lb (88 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Harrison Hamsley TE	Valdosta, GA	The Valwood	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Seaburn Hines IV OL	Helena, AL	Helena HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	290 lb (130 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Andrew Johnson Jr. OLB	Tifton, GA	Tift County HS Oregon	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Amare Jones RB	Frisco, TX	Heritage HS Tulane	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Evan Lester TE	Dalton, GA	Christian Heritage	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Montae Maxwell DB	Hartwell, GA	Hart County HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	175 lb (79 kg)	–	Aug 12, 2020
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Jjay Mcafee WR	Charleston, SC	Ashley Ridge HS Georgia Military	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	215 lb (98 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A    Rivals: N/A    247Sports:     ESPN:
LJ McCloud DL	Pike Road, AL	Pike Road HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	265 lb (120 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A    Rivals: N/A    247Sports:     ESPN:
Nick Mercer DL	Cordele, GA	Crisp County HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Justin Meyers DB	Washington, GA	Washington-Wilkes HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	185 lb (84 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Cam'Ron Ransom QB	Lakeland, FL	Armwood HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Davion Rhodes DL	Camilla, GA	Pelham HS	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)	235 lb (107 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Eldrick Robinson II LB	Pensacola, FL	Booker T. Washington HS	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)	210 lb (95 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Nathan Tillman LS	Claxton, GA	Claxton HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	220 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A    Rivals: N/A    247Sports: N/A    ESPN:
Josh Trice DB	Waverly Hall, GA	Harris County HS	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A    Rivals: N/A    247Sports:     ESPN:
Isaac Walker LB	Greensboro, NC	Hough HS	6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)	230 lb (100 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Britton Williams PK	Richmond Hill, GA	Richmond Hill HS	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	170 lb (77 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Myzel Williams DB	DeLand, FL	DeLand HS	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:
Myles Winslow DL	Kissimmee, FL	Tohopekaliga HS	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)	225 lb (102 kg)	–
	Recruiting star ratings: Scout:     Rivals:     247Sports:     ESPN:

Source: ^[3]

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Preseason

Award	Player	Position	Year

Sources:

Sun Belt coaches poll

The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on July 20, 2021. The Eagles were picked to finish fourth in the East Division. ^[4]

East Division

Predicted finish	Team	Votes
T1	Coastal Carolina	44 (6)
T1	Appalachian State	44 (4)
3	Georgia State	24
4	Georgia Southern	20
5	Troy	18

West Division

Predicted finish	Team	Votes
1	Louisiana	49 (9)
2	Arkansas State	38 (1)
3	South Alabama	27
4	Texas State	25
5	Louisiana–Monroe	11

Sun Belt Preseason All-Conference teams

Offense 2nd team JD king – Running Back, SR Aaron dowell – Offensive Lineman, SR

Defense 1st team Derrick canteen – Defensive Back, RS-SO

Special teams 2nd teams Anthony beck ii – Punter, RS-JR Khaleb hood – Return Specialist, JR

Personnel

2021 Georgia Southern Eagles football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class RB 1 J. D. King Sr RB 2 Logan Wright  Sr RB 4 Gerald Green  So RB 5 Amare Jones Sr WR 6 NaJee Thompson Sr WR 7 Khaleb Hood Jr WR 9 Jjay Mcafee Jr WR 10 Darius Lewis  So TE 11 Beau Johnson  So WR 12 James Graham  Jr QB 13 Connor Cigelske  Fr QB 14 Sam Kenerson  Fr QB 16 Quincy Bonner Fr QB 17 Justin Tomlin  Jr QB 18 Will Lovett Jr.  Sr QB 19 Cam'Ron Ransom Fr WR 20 Justin Harris  Fr WR 21 Derwin Burgess Jr. Fr TE 22 Sean Pelkisson So RB 25 Jalen White So WR 28 Dexter Carter Jr. Sr RB 29 AJ Brown  So WR 30 Alex Bowen  Fr WR 31 Andrew Douglas Fr RB 35 Terron Dixon II  So WR 36 Justin Howell  So WR 37 Quincy Darnell  So WR 38 Myles Freeman  So WR 39 Bo White  So RB 47 Jordan Pearson  So TE 48 Harrison Hamsley Fr TE 49 Javian Boykin  So OL 50 Caleb Kelly  Sr OL 51 Aaron Dowdell Sr OL 56 Brian Miller  Sr OL 58 Aaron Pyron  So OL 59 Dakota Anthony  Fr OL 60 Rasheed Miller  Fr OL 61 Liam Ryan  Sr OL 63 Teva Reynolds  So OL 64 Caelan Williams  Fr OL 65 Trace Dorminy  So OL 66 Logan Langemeier Sr OL 67 Seaburn Hines IV Fr OL 71 Lawson Maxwell  So OL 72 Khalil Crowder  Jr OL 73 Chas Collins Fr OL 74 Lawrence Edwards Sr OL 75 Verneal Henshaw Jr.  So OL 77 Griffin Carder  So OL 78 Caleb Cook Fr OL 79 Gabriel Howard  Sr TE 80 D. J. Butler  Sr WR 81 Jeremy Horton  Jr WR 82 Drew Rutledge  So TE 83 Chase Hancock Jr WR 84 Jaden Jenkins  So WR 85 Emil Smith  So WR 86 Mason Babay  Fr TE 87 Evan Lester Fr WR 88 Jordan Bennett  Fr TE 89 Jackson Wheeler  Fr	Defense Pos. # Name Class ILB 1 Todd Bradley-Glenn Sr DE 2 Justin Ellis  Sr CB 4 Tyler Bride So OLB 5 Benz Josue  Sr ILB 9 Khadry Jackson Jr S 10 Chalon Howard  Fr ILB 11 Kevon Glenn  So S 12 Anthony Wilson  So CB 13 Derrick Canteen  So CB 14 Darrell Baker Jr. Sr OLB 15 Quin Williams  Jr S 17 Myzel Williams Fr S 18 Justin Birdsong Sr CB 20 Seth Robertson So OLB 21 Zyon McGee  Jr S 23 Montae Maxwell Fr CB 24 Josh Trice Fr S 25 Tyrell Davis Fr OLB 27 Isaac Walker Fr ILB 28 Andrew Johnson Jr.  Jr S 29 Justin Meyers Fr CB 30 Jack Ferguson  Fr S 31 Chase Dial-Watson  Fr ILB 33 Marques Watson-Trent So ILB 34 Jon Ferguson  Jr S 35 Chandler Dial-Watson  Fr CB 36 Justin Nelson  So CB 38 Deonta Bembry  Jr OLB 39 Reid Dedman  So OLB 40 Jalen Jackson So ILB 41 Seth Hodges  Fr DE 42 Dillon Springer  Sr ILB 43 Tre Allen  Sr ILB 45 Michael Edwards III Fr ILB 46 Eldrick Robinson II Fr OLB 47 Randy Wade Jr. Sr DE 48 Nick Mercer Fr DE 52 Brandon Wilson So DL 53 Trevon Locke  Fr OLB 54 Will Riggins  Fr DL 57 Gavin Adcock  Sr DE 62 Robb Bozeman Sr DL 69 Jeremy Smith  Sr DL 76 Cauldric Isles  So DE 79 Kaylen Wright  Jr DL 90 Parker Devine  Jr DE 91 Davion Rhodes Fr DE 92 Jordan Mitchell So DE 93 AJ Watkins Jr DL 94 C. J. Wright Sr DL 95 Amaru Herring  So DL 96 LJ McCloud Fr DE 97 Myles Winslow Fr DL 99 Kierron Smith  So	Special teams Pos. # Name Class P 7 Anthony Beck II  Jr K 19 Alex Raynor  So LS 41 Nathan Tillman Fr K 82 Britton Williams Fr LS 95 Mark Langston  So K 97 Bryce Christensen  Jr P 99 Walker Bradberry Fr	Head coach Kevin Whitley (Nova Southeastern) Interim Head Coach & Cornerbacks Coach Coordinators/assistant coaches Doug Ruse (Northwest Missouri State) Offensive coordinator/qb Scot Sloan (North Greenville) Defensive coordinator/s Joe Graves (Southeastern Louisiana) Special teams coordinator/te Victor Cabral (Georgia Southern) Recruiting coordinator/dl Travis Cunningham (Gardner–Webb) Inside linebackers Jeremy Rowell (Troy) Outside linebackers Derrick Sherman (Georgia Southern) Wide receivers Favian Upshaw (Tulane) Running backs Geep Wade (Chattanooga) Offensive lineman Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt Roster Last update: 4 July 2021

Schedule

The 2021 schedule consists of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season. The Eagles will travel to Sun Belt foes Troy, South Alabama, Texas State, and Appalachian State. Southern will play host to Sun Belt foes Louisiana, Arkansas State, Georgia State, and Coastal Carolina.

The Eagles will host two of the four non-conference opponents at Paulson Stadium, Gardner–Webb, from NCAA Division I FCS Big South Conference and BYU, a FBS Independent, and will travel to Florida Atlantic of the Conference USA and Arkansas of the Southeastern Conference.

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	6:00 p.m.	Gardner–Webb *	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	ESPN3	W 30–25	15,089
September 11	3:30 p.m.	at Florida Atlantic *	FAU Stadium Boca Raton, FL	Stadium	L 6–38	17,736
September 18	4:00 p.m.	at No. 20 Arkansas *	Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR	SECN	L 10–45	66,311
September 25	6:00 p.m.	Louisiana	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	ESPN+	L 20–28	17,522
October 2	4:00 p.m.	Arkansas State	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	ESPN+	W 59–33	16,377
October 9	7:00 p.m.	at Troy	Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL	ESPN+	L 24–27	25,424
October 14	7:30 p.m.	at South Alabama	Hancock Whitney Stadium Mobile, AL	ESPNU	L 14–41	16,089
October 30	6:00 p.m.	Georgia State	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA (Modern Day Hate)	ESPN+	L 14–21	17,843
November 6	6:00 p.m.	Coastal Carolina	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	ESPN+	L 8–28	12,875
November 13	3:00 p.m.	at Texas State	Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX	ESPN+	W 38–30	15,896
November 20	4:00 p.m.	No. 14 BYU *	Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA	ESPN+	L 17–34	20,862
November 27	2:30 p.m.	at Appalachian State	Kidd Brewer Stadium Boone, NC (rivalry)	ESPN+	L 3–27	28,005
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll (and CFP Rankings, after November 2) - Released prior to game All times are in Eastern time

^{[5] [6]}

Game summaries

Gardner–Webb

Gardner–Webb at Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total Runnin' Bulldogs 6 0 6 13 25 •Eagles 3 17 0 10 30 Date: September 4, 2021 Location: Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA Game start: 6:05 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 39 minutes Game attendance: 15,089 Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C) • Weather: Sunny Referee: Jeremy Parker TV announcers (ESPN3): Matt Stewart (play-by-play) and Evan Waugh (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 04:20 GASO Britton Williams 49-yard field goal (14 plays, 52 yards, 6:16) GASO 7–0 00:51 GWU T. J. Luther 41-yard pass from Bailey Fisher (two-point conversion pass attempt failed) (7 plays, 75 yards, 3:29) GASO 7–6 2 13:11 GASO Gerald Green 1-yard rush (Britton Williams kick) (8 plays, 68 yards, 2:34) GASO 10–6 04:00 GASO Chase Hancock 17-yard pass from Cam Ransom (Britton Williams kick) (15 plays, 75 yards, 7:33) GASO 17–6 00:03 GASO Britton Williams 25-yard field goal (11 plays, 66 yards, 1:54) GASO 20–6 3 05:54 GWU Justin Jordan 50-yard pass from Justin Franklin (Austin McKay PAT failed) (3 plays, 90 yards, 0:52) GASO 20–12 4 14:55 GASO Britton Williams 23-yard field goal (13 plays, 73 yards, 5:52) GASO 23–12 09:32 GWU Deland Thomas 6-yard pass from Bailey Fisher (two-point conversion attempt failed) (6 plays, 74 yards, 2:29) GASO 23–18 06:32 GASO Logan Wright 8-yard rush (Britton Williams kick) (6 plays, 57 yards, 2:51) GASO 30–18 02:59 GWU Justin Franklin 7-yard pass from Bailey Fisher (Austin McKay kick) (11 plays, 75 yards, 3:27) GASO 30–25

See also: 2021 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs football team

Pregame line	Over/under
GASO –27.5	48

Statistics	Gardner–Webb	Georgia Southern
First downs	20	25
Total yards	427	500
Rushing yards	62	365
Passing yards	365	135
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	24:11	35:49

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Gardner–Webb	Passing	Bailey Fisher	27/45, 315 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Narii Gaither	7 carries, 33 yards
	Receiving	T. J. Luther	6 receptions, 164 yards, 1 TD
Georgia Southern	Passing	Cam Ransom	8/13, 90 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Logan Wright	26 carries, 178 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Khaleb Hood	3 receptions, 39 yards

At Florida Atlantic

Georgia Southern at Florida Atlantic

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 6 0 0 0 6 •Owls 0 10 21 7 38 Date: September 11, 2021 Location: FAU Stadium Boca Raton, FL Game start: 3:36 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 30 minutes Game attendance: 17,736 Game weather: Sunny • Wind: E 5 MPH Referee: Ed Ardito TV announcers (Stadium): Chris Hassel (play–by–play) and Sed Bonner (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 03:19 GASO Logan Wright 22-yard rush (Britton Williams PAT failed) (14 plays, 95 yards, 5:42) GASO 6–0 2 01:45 FAU John Mitchell 19-yard pass from N'Kosi Perry (Aaronm Shahriari kick) (10 plays, 48 yards, 3:25) FAU 7–6 00:00 FAU Aaron Shahriari 27-yard field goal (7 plays, 60 yards, 1:06) FAU 10–6 3 11:28 FAU Je'Quan Burton 50-yard pass from N'Kosi Perry (Aaron Shahriari kick) (5 plays, 75 yards, 1:50) FAU 17–6 04:34 FAU John Mitchell 22-yard pass from N'Kosi Perry (Aaron Shahriari kick) (12 plays, 87 yards, 4:24) FAU 24–6 01:50 FAU Lajohntay Wester 31-yard pass from N'Kosi Perry (Aaron Shahriari kick) (6 plays, 50 yards, 1:56) FAU 31–6 4 01:17 FAU Nick Tronti 3-yard rush (Aaron Shahriari kick) (8 plays, 35 yards, 2:13) FAU 38–6

See also: 2021 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

Pregame line	Over/under
FAU –7.0	49

Statistics	Georgia Southern	Florida Atlantic
First downs	17	27
Total yards	257	528
Rushing yards	139	196
Passing yards	118	332
Turnovers	2	0
Time of possession	26:04	33:38

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Cam Ransom	12/21, 98 yards
	Rushing	Cam Ransom	9 carries, 41 yards
	Receiving	Gerald Green	6 receptions, 55 yards
Florida Atlantic	Passing	N'Kosi Perry	19/27, 332 yards, 4 TDs
	Rushing	Johnny Ford	15 carries, 71 yards
	Receiving	LaJohntay Wester	7 receptions, 124 yards, 1 TD

At Arkansas

Georgia Southern at Arkansas

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 10 0 0 10 •No. 20 Razorbacks 14 10 14 7 45 Date: September 18, 2021 Location: Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR Game start: 4:01 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 11 minutes Game attendance: 66,311 Game weather: 89 °F (32 °C) • Weather: Cloudy • Wind: N 8 MPH Referee: Matt Loeffler TV announcers (SEC Network): Dave Neal (play–by–play), Deuce McAllister (analysis), and Andraya Carter (sideline reporter)

Scoring summary 1 12:07 ARK Trelon Smith 13-yard rush (Cam Little kick) (4 plays, 73 yards, 1:12) ARK 7–0 03:31 ARK Dominique Johnson 11-yard rush (Cam Little kick) (15 plays, 94 yards, 6:30} ARK 14–0 2 08:42 ARK Tyson Morris 14-yard pass from KJ Jefferson (Cam Little kick) (7 plays, 99 yards, 1:56) ARK 21–0 07:22 GASO Justin Tomlin 76-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (3 plays, 75 yards, 1:20) ARK 21–7 02:23 ARK Cam Little 25-yard field goal (7 plays, 73 yards, 2:48) ARK 24–7 00:00 GASO Alex Raynor 32-yard field goal (12 plays, 60 yards, 2:23) ARK 24–10 3 13:26 ARK Warren Thompson 60-yard pass from KJ Jefferson (Cam Little kick) (4 plays, 80 yards, 1:34) ARK 31–10 11:18 ARK Treylon Burks 91-yard pass from KJ Jefferson (Cam Little kick) (1 play, 91 yards, 0:14) ARK 38–10 4 08:22 ARK Malik Hornsby 6-yard rush (Cam Little kick) (12 plays, 66 yards, 7:01) ARK 45–10

See also: 2021 Arkansas Razorbacks football team

Pregame line	Over/under
ARK –23.0	53

Statistics	Georgia Southern	Arkansas
First downs	11	27
Total yards	235	633
Rushing yards	154	269
Passing yards	81	364
Turnovers	0	0
Time of possession	26:54	33:06

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Justin Tomlin	11/23, 65 yards
	Rushing	Justin Tomlin	10 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Khaleb Hood	6 receptions, 42 yards
Arkansas	Passing	KJ Jefferson	13/23, 366 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Dominique Johnson	5 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Treylon Burks	3 receptions, 127 yards, 1 TD

Louisiana

Louisiana at Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total •Ragin' Cajuns 0 14 14 0 28 Eagles 7 6 0 7 20 Date: September 25, 2021 Location: Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA Game start: 6:03 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 29 minutes Game attendance: 17,522 Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: NW 3 MPH Referee: Kyle Olson TV announcers (ESPN+): Matt Stewart (play–by–play) and Danny Waugh (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 06:39 GASO Gerald Green 8-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (16 plays, 83 yards, 6:12) GASO 7–0 2 14:52 LA Michael Jefferson 48-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Kenneth Almendares kick) (6 plays, 85 yards, 2:07) TIE 7–7 08:01 LA Emani Bailey 3-yard rush (Kenneth Almendares kick) (10 plays, 59 yards, 5:21) LA 14–7 03:21 GASO Gerald Green 3-yard rush (Alex Raynor PAT blocked) (4 plays, 45 yards, 1:19) LA 14–13 3 11:01 LA Johnny Lumpkin 22-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Kenneth Almendares kick) (5 plays, 68 yards, 1:32) LA 21–13 06:52 LA Dontae Fleming 46-yard pass from Levi Lewis (Kenneth Almendares kick) (5 plays, 92 yards, 1:50) LA 28–13 4 13:26 GASO Gerald Green 76-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (3 plays, 85 yards, 1:26) LA 28–20

See also: 2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team

Pregame line	Over/under
LA –14.5	55

Statistics	Louisiana	Georgia Southern
First downs	18	23
Total yards	378	453
Rushing yards	129	278
Passing yards	249	175
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	27:11	32:49

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Louisiana	Passing	Levi Lewis	17/28, 249 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Montrell Johnson	13 carries, 61 yards
	Receiving	Dontae Fleming	4 receptions, 70 yards, 1 TD
Georgia Southern	Passing	Justin Tomlin	11/24, 175 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Gerald Green	18 carries, 186 yards, 3 TDs
	Receiving	Logan Wright	4 receptions, 85 yards

Arkansas State

Arkansas State at Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total Red Wolves 3 16 0 14 33 •Eagles 10 21 14 14 59 Date: October 2, 2021 Location: Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA Game start: 4:05 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 29 minutes Game attendance: 16,377 Game weather: Sunny Referee: Wayne Winkler TV announcers (ESPN+): Danny Waugh (play–by–play) and Amy Zimmer (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 06:32 GASO Logan Wright 59-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (8 plays, 80 yards, 3:56) GASO 7–0 03:25 ARST Blake Grupe 31-yard field goal (6 plays, 51 yards, 3:07) GASO 7–3 01:03 GASO Alex Raynor 25-yard field goal (6 plays, 67 yards, 2:22) GASO 10–3 2 13:21 ARST Corey Rucker 2-yard pass from James Blackman (Blake Grupe kick) (9 plays, 75 yards, 2:42) TIE 10–10 09:41 GASO Gerald Green 23-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (9 plays, 74 yards, 3:32) GASO 17–10 06:41 ARST Team Safety (3 plays, -11 yards, 0:48) GASO 17–12 04:38 ARST Corey Rucker 19-yard pass from James Blackman (Blake Grupe kick) (5 plays, 53 yards, 1:56) ARST 19–17 03:32 GASO Logan Wright 41-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (4 plays, 75 yards, 1:06) GASO 24–19 02:00 GASO J. D. King 5-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (3 plays, 32 yards, 1:01) GASO 31–19 3 10:54 GASO Justin Tomlin 6-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (9 plays, 65 yards, 4:06) GASO 38–19 05:08 GASO Quin Williams 22-yard interception returned (Alex Raynor kick) (4 plays, 8 yards, 1:37) GASO 45–19 4 14:47 GASO Jalen White 59-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (2 plays, 63 yards, 0:30) GASO 52–19 11:59 ARST Dahu Green 16-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick) (7 plays, 75 yards, 2:48) GASO 52–26 09:13 ARST Lincoln Pare 13-yard pass from Layne Hatcher (Blake Grupe kick) (4 plays, 69 yards, 1:03) GASO 52–33 09:03 GASO Jalen White 47-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (1 play, 47 yards, 0:09) GASO 59–33

See also: 2021 Arkansas State Red Wolves football team

Pregame line	Over/under
GASO –2.0	67

Statistics	Arkansas State	Georgia Southern
First downs	34	20
Total yards	524	540
Rushing yards	81	503
Passing yards	443	37
Turnovers	4	0
Time of possession	31:04	28:56

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Arkansas State	Passing	James Blackman	28/43, 292 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs
	Rushing	Lincoln Pare	7 carries, 54 yards
	Receiving	Jeff Foreman	6 receptions, 83 yards
Georgia Southern	Passing	Cam Ransom	2/5, 29 yards
	Rushing	Logan Wright	10 carries, 214 yards, 2 TDs
	Receiving	Khaleb Hood	2 receptions, 19 yards

At Troy

Georgia Southern at Troy

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 3 15 6 24 •Trojans 10 7 7 3 27 Date: October 9, 2021 Location: Veterans Memorial Stadium Troy, AL Game start: 7:05 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 23 minutes Game attendance: 25,424 Game weather: 78 °F (26 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: S 4 MPH Referee: Trennis Livingston TV announcers (ESPN+): Will Kollmeyer (play–by–play) and Ben Stanfield (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 10:43 TROY Brooks Buce 29-yard field goal (10 plays, 66 yards, 4:17) TROY 3–0 00:37 TROY Jabre Barber 15-yard pass from Gunnar Watson (Brooks Buce kick) (5 plays, 91 yards, 1:56) TROY 10–0 2 12:15 GASO Alex Raynor 27-yard field goal (6 plays, 51 yards, 3:20) TROY 10–3 04:27 TROY Jamontez Woods 34-yard rush (Brooks Buce kick) (4 plays, 57 yards, 1:38) TROY 17–3 3 10:55 TROY Reggie Todd 26-yard pass from Gunnar Watson (Brooks Buce kick) (4 plays, 62 yards, 1:39) TROY 24–3 07:57 GASO Logan Wright 1-yard rush (Justin Tomlin two-point conversion rush) (6 plays, 75 yards, 2:58) TROY 24–11 06:45 GASO Khaleb Hood 23-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (3 plays, 35 yards, 1:01) TROY 24–18 4 12:53 GASO Alex Raynor 42-yard field goal (6 plays, 31 yards, 1:54) TROY 24–21 06:08 GASO Alex Raynor 38-yard field goal (9 plays, 41 yards, 5:52) TIE 24–24 01:46 TROY Brooks Buce 24-yard field goal (6 plays, 40 yards, 2:23) TROY 24–27

See also: 2021 Troy Trojans football team

Pregame line	Over/under
TROY –5.5	51

Statistics	Georgia Southern	Troy
First downs	17	18
Total yards	301	409
Rushing yards	82	139
Passing yards	219	270
Turnovers	3	1
Time of possession	33:19	26:41

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Justin Tomlin	15/22, 210 yards, 3 INTs
	Rushing	Gerald Green	5 carries, 33 yards
	Receiving	Derwin Burgess Jr.	2 receptions, 76 yards
Troy	Passing	Gunnar Watson	24/36, 270 yards, 2 TDs
	Rushing	Jamontez Woods	9 carries, 98 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Reggie Todd	4 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TD

At South Alabama

Georgia Southern at South Alabama

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 8 3 3 14 •Jaguars 10 21 7 3 41 Date: October 14, 2021 Location: Hancock Whitney Stadium Mobile, AL Game start: 7:30 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 15 minutes Game attendance: 16,089 Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: S 5 MPH Referee: Kyle Olson TV announcers (ESPNU): Drew Carter (play–by–play) and Mark Herzlich (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 10:16 USA Jake Bentley 12-yard rush (Diego Guajardo kick) (10 plays, 84 yards, 4:44) USA 7–0 02:03 USA Diego Guajardo 42-yard field goal (11 plays, 61 yards, 3:58) USA 10–0 2 14:00 USA Jake Bentley 6-yard rush (Diego Guajardo kick) (7 plays, 55 yards, 2:12) USA 17–0 12:29 USA Jalen Tolbert 40-yard pass from Jake Bentley (Diego Guajardo kick) (1 play, 40 yards, 0:08) USA 24–0 09:08 USA Jalen Wayne 5-yard pass from Jake Bentley (Diego Guajardo kick) (3 plays, 70 yards, 1:27) USA 31–0 02:00 GASO J. D. King 2-yard rush (Justin Tomlin two-point conversion pass to Amare Jones) (15 plays, 75 yards, 7:08) USA 31–8 3 10:22 GASO Alex Raynor 44-yard field goal (10 plays, 48 yards, 4:38) USA 31–11 03:41 USA Lincoln Sefcik 5-yard pass from Jake Bentley (Diego Guajardo kick) (5 plays, 82 yards, 2:37) USA 38–11 4 14:50 GASO Alex Raynor 34-yard field goal (10 plays, 58 yards, 3:51) USA 38–14 04:55 USA Diego Guajardo 31-yard field goal (7 plays, 49 yards, 3:49) USA 41–14

See also: 2021 South Alabama Jaguars football team

Pregame line	Over/under
USA –2.5	50

Statistics	Georgia Southern	South Alabama
First downs	10	20
Total yards	233	545
Rushing yards	121	140
Passing yards	112	405
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	30:02	29:58

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Cam Ransom	2/12, 63 yards
	Rushing	Logan Wright	14 carries, 60 yards
	Receiving	Amare Jones	4 receptions, 90 yards
South Alabama	Passing	Jake Bentley	24/31, 389 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Bryan Hill	8 carries, 65 yards
	Receiving	Jalen Tolbert	11 receptions, 174 yards, 1 TD

Georgia State

Georgia State at Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total •Panthers 0 0 7 14 21 Eagles 0 7 0 7 14 Date: October 30, 2021 Location: Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA Game start: 6:05 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours and 7 minutes Game attendance: 17,843 Game weather: Sunny Referee: Wayne Winkler TV announcers (ESPN+): Matt Stewart (play–by–play) and Danny Waugh (analyst)

Scoring summary 2 05:23 GASO Beau Johnson 17-yard pass from Justin Tomlin (Alex Raynor kick) (9 plays, 92 yards, 4:44) GASO 7–0 3 08:06 GSU Tucker Gregg 2-yard rush (Noel Ruiz kick) (9 plays, 69 yards, 3:02) TIE 7–7 4 11:19 GSU Tucker Gregg 3-yard rush (Noel Ruiz kick) (8 plays, 83 yards, 3:05) GSU 14–7 01:39 GASO Logan Wright 9-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (5 plays, 42 yards, 1:25) TIE 14–14 00:26 GSU Jaymest Williams 23-yard rush (Noel Ruiz kick) (7 plays, 73 yards, 1:06) GSU 21–14

See also: 2021 Georgia State Panthers football team and Modern Day Hate

Pregame line	Over/under
GSU –6.0	55

Statistics	Georgia State	Georgia Southern
First downs	22	24
Total yards	378	486
Rushing yards	237	207
Passing yards	141	279
Turnovers	0	2
Time of possession	25:07	34:53

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia State	Passing	Darren Grainger	16/27, 141 yards
	Rushing	Jaymest Williams	12 carries, 97 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Roger Carter	2 receptions, 59 yards
Georgia Southern	Passing	Justin Tomlin	18/27, 279 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
	Rushing	Logan Wright	20 carries, 113 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Khaleb Hood	6 receptions, 107 yards

Coastal Carolina

Coastal Carolina at Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total •Chanticleers 0 21 7 0 28 Eagles 0 0 0 8 8 Date: November 6, 2021 Location: Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA Game start: 6:05 p.m. EDT Elapsed time: 3 hours Game attendance: 12,875 Game weather: Sunny Referee: Kyle Olson TV announcers (ESPN+): Matt Stewart (play–by–play) and Danny Waugh (analyst)

Scoring summary 2 08:54 CCU Kameron Brown 12 yard pass from Bryce Carpenter (Massimo Biscardi kick) (3 plays, 36 yards, 1:28) CCU 7–0 03:23 CCU Bryce Carpenter 23-yard rush (Massimo Biscardi kick) (3 plays, 40 yards, 1:12) CCU 14–0 00:00 CCU Mason Shelton 33-yard blocked punt returned (Massimo Biscardi kick) (8 plays, 19 yards, 3:16) CCU 21–0 3 05:17 CCU Shermari Jones 7-yard rush (Massimo Biscardi kick) (12 plays, 92 yards, 6:49) CCU 28–0 4 10:56 GASO Beau Johnson 6-yard pass from Cam Ransom (Cam Ransom two-point pass conversion to Derwin Burgess) (5 plays, 45 yards, 2:22) CCU 28–8

See also: 2021 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers football team

Pregame line	Over/under
CCU –16.0	56

Statistics	Coastal Carolina	Georgia Southern
First downs	17	15
Total yards	305	233
Rushing yards	220	86
Passing yards	85	147
Turnovers	1	4
Time of possession	31:37	28:23

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Coastal Carolina	Passing	Bryce Carpenter	13/20, 85 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Shermari Jones	20 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Kameron Brown	3 receptions, 30 yards, 1 TD
Georgia Southern	Passing	Justin Tomlin	6/13, 83 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Justin Tomlin	10 carries, 39 yards
	Receiving	Khaleb Hood	5 receptions, 66 yards

At Texas State

Georgia Southern at Texas State

1 2 3 4 Total •Eagles 3 14 14 7 38 Bobcats 0 17 7 6 30 Date: November 13, 2021 Location: Bobcat Stadium San Marcos, TX Game start: 3:05 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 57 minutes Game attendance: 15,896 Game weather: 70 °F (21 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: S 3 MPH Referee: Marshall Lewis TV announcers (ESPN+): Brant Freeman (play–by–play), Keith Moreland (analyst), and Koral Riggs (sideline reporter)

Scoring summary 1 05:09 GASO Alex Raynor 24-yard field goal (11 plays, 78 yards, 4:54) GASO 3–0 2 12:04 TXST Calvin Hill 13-yard rush (Seth Keller kick) (8 plays, 69 yards, 2:38) TXST 7–3 07:59 GASO Jalen White 19-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (10 plays, 75 yards, 4:05) GASO 10–7 05:55 GASO Derwin Burgess Jr. 48-yard pass from Cam Ransom (Alex Raynor kick) (3 plays, 63 yards, 1:16) GASO 17–7 01:17 TXST Seth Keller 45-yard field goal (4 plays, 5 yards, 1:25) GASO 17–10 00:02 TXST Kenny Haynes 0-yard punt returned (Seth Keller kick) (5 plays, 13 yards, 1:15) TXST 17–17 3 11:16 GASO Tyrell Davis 20-yard punt returned (Alex Raynor kick) (3 plays, 2 yards, 0:44) GASO 24–17 05:44 TXST Jahmyl Jeter 1-yard rush (Seth Keller kick) (6 plays, 45 yards, 2:02) TIE 24–24 01:53 GASO Beau Johnson 25-yard pass from Justin Tomlin (Alex Raynor kick) (2 plays, 25 yards, 0:10) GASO 31–24 4 09:15 TXST Seth Keller 33-yard field goal (8 plays, 36 yards, 2:59) GASO 31–27 05:30 GASO Jalen White 5-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (8 plays, 75 yards, 3:38) GASO 38–27 01:10 TXST Seth Keller 34-yard field goal (10 plays, 56 yards, 2:21) GASO 38–30

See also: 2021 Texas State Bobcats football team

Pregame line	Over/under
TXST –2.0	52

Statistics	Georgia Southern	Texas State
First downs	19	26
Total yards	395	341
Rushing yards	162	78
Passing yards	233	263
Turnovers	1	2
Time of possession	28:08	31:52

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Cam Ransom	7/12, 125 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Jalen White	10 carries, 82 yards, 2 TDs
	Receiving	Derwin Burgess, Jr.	5 receptions, 134 yards, 1 TD
Texas State	Passing	Tyler Vitt	29/46, 263 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Calvin Hill	19 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Marcell Barbee	4 receptions, 63 yards

BYU

Brigham Young at Georgia Southern

1 2 3 4 Total •No. 14 Cougars' 7 13 7 7 34 Eagles 3 14 0 0 17 Date: November 20, 2021 Location: Paulson Stadium Statesboro, GA Game start: 4:05 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 3 hours and 5 minutes Game attendance: 20,862 Game weather: Sunny Referee: William Bonnet TV announcers (ESPN+): Danny Waugh (play–by–play) and Amy Zimmer (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 07:14 GASO Alex Raynor 38-yard field goal (13 plays, 54 yards, 7:46) GASO 3–0 03:15 BYU Lopini Katoa 5-yard rush (Jake Oldroyd kick) (12 plays, 84 yards, 3:58) BYU 7–3 2 14:56 BYU Puka Nacua 5-yard pass from Jaren Hall (Jake Oldroyd kick) (4 plays, 75 yards, 1:26) BYU 14–3 10:17 GASO Logan Wright 3-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (8 plays, 72 yards, 4:34) BYU 14–10 06:25 GASO Logan Wright 11-yard rush (Alex Raynor kick) (4 plays, 57 yards, 2:07) GASO 17–14 04:56 BYU Jake Oldroyd 39-yard field goal (5 plays, 53 yards, 1:29) TIE 17–17 00:46 BYU Jake Oldroyd 38-yard field goal (5 plays, 43 yards, 1:54) BYU 20–17 3 10:03 BYU Tyler Allgeier 1-yard rush (Jake Oldroyd kick) (10 plays, 78 yards, 4:39) BYU 27–17 4 10:38 BYU Puka Nacua 29-yard pass from Jaren Hall (Jake Oldroyd kick) (6 plays, 75 yards, 3:01) BYU 34–17

See also: 2021 BYU Cougars football team

Pregame line	Over/under
BYU –20	57

Statistics	BYU	Georgia Southern
First downs	25	19
Total yards	507	268
Rushing yards	195	146
Passing yards	312	122
Turnovers	0	2
Time of possession	31:09	28:51

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
BYU	Passing	Jaren Hall	17/29, 312 yards, 2 TDs
	Rushing	Tyler Allgeier	25 carries, 136 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Gunner Romney	5 receptions, 87 yards
Georgia Southern	Passing	Connor Cigelske	11/14, 122 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Logan Wright	14 carries, 50 yards, 2 TDs
	Receiving	Logan Wright	5 receptions, 43 yards

At Appalachian State

Georgia Southern at Appalachian State

1 2 3 4 Total Eagles 0 0 3 0 3 •Mountaineers 7 0 10 10 27 Date: November 27, 2021 Location: Kidd Brewer Stadium Boone, NC Game start: 2:35 p.m. EST Elapsed time: 2 hours and 55 minutes Game attendance: 28,005 Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C) • Weather: Sunny • Wind: W 9 MPH Referee: Kyle Olson TV announcers (ESPN+): David Jackson (play–by–play) and Avery Hall (analyst)

Scoring summary 1 02:18 APP Malik Williams 36-yard pass from Chase Brice (Chandler Staton kick) (8 plays, 80 yards, 3:06) APP 7–0 3 05:19 APP Chandler Staton 40-yard field goal (4 plays, 0 yards, 1:12) APP 10–0 00:53 GASO Britton Williams 38-yard field goal (11 plays, 69 yards, 4:20) APP 10–3 00:40 APP Jalen Virgil 97-yard kickoff returned (Chandler Staton kick) (3 plays, -4 yards, 1:40) APP 17–3 4 13:50 APP Thomas Hennigan 68-yard pass from Chase Brice (Chandler Staton kick) (1 play, 68 yards, 0:10) APP 24–3 06:27 APP Chandler Staton 36-yard field goal (6 plays, 22 yards, 2:26) APP 27–3

See also: 2021 Appalachian State Mountaineers football team and Appalachian State–Georgia Southern football rivalry

Pregame line	Over/under
APP –24.5	55

Statistics	Georgia Southern	Appalachian State
First downs	15	12
Total yards	194	329
Rushing yards	87	94
Passing yards	107	235
Turnovers	1	1
Time of possession	34:35	25:25

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Georgia Southern	Passing	Connor Cigelske	11/24, 107 yards
	Rushing	Jalen White	8 carries, 38 yards
	Receiving	Amare Jones	5 receptions, 56 yards
Appalachian State	Passing	Chase Brice	12/24, 235 yards, 2 TDs
	Rushing	Anderson Castle	6 carries, 31 yards
	Receiving	Thomas Hennigan	3 receptions, 111 yards, 1 TD

References

1. Gough, Lyndsey. "Georgia Southern athletics director, interim coach answer questions day after Lunsford's firing". www.wtoc.com. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
2. "Clay Helton Named Head Football Coach of Georgia Southern Eagles". Georgia Southern University Athletics. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
3. "Georgia Southern Rounds Out 2021 Recruiting Class". Georgia Southern University Athletics. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
4. "Sun Belt Announces Football Preseason Awards & Poll". sunbeltsports.org. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
5. "2021 Georgia Southern Eagles Football Schedule" . Retrieved July 3, 2021.
6. "Georgia Southern Eagles". ESPN. Retrieved July 3, 2021.