Countdown to Kickoff: Texas State takes on Georgia Southern

Georgia Southern has been successful during the Chad Lunsford era, making back-to-back bowl games and establishing itself as one of the tougher teams in the Sun Belt.

This year shouldn’t be different as the Eagles seem to have all the pieces to make another run at bowl eligibility.

The offense should be loaded with experience at every position, but will need to bounce back after having somewhat of a down year. Quarterback Shai Werts will run the triple option for his fourth and final year. He wasn’t able to build off his promising sophomore season, throwing for 799 yards and nine touchdowns and running for 733 yards and five touchdowns in 2019 after putting up 987 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, 908 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in 2018.

Chemistry shouldn’t be an issue for Werts, though. He gets back six offensive linemen with starting experience, last year’s receptions leader in redshirt senior wide receiver Malik Murray (20 catches, 195 yards, three touchdowns) and all five of the team’s top running backs from last season, including seniors Wesley Kennedy and J.D. King, who combined for 1,628 yards and 19 scores on 304 carries (5.3-yard average).

The No. 3 defense in the Sun Belt should be able to stick to its strengths again in 2020, bringing back All-Sun Belt First Team defensive lineman Raymond Johnson III, with 33 total tackles and three sacks, and Second Team linebacker Rashad Byrd, who led the team with 85 tackles to go along with two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles. The Eagles lose their top three cornerbacks from a secondary that allowed 240.6 passing yards per game, third-most in the conference. Redshirt junior safety Kenderick Duncan Jr., who posted 79 stops, eight pass deflections and two picks last year, still remains and the team brought in Duke transfer Javon Jackson to help bolster the unit.

Georgia Southern leads Texas State in the all-time series, 3-1. The Eagles won the most recent meeting between the two teams, taking place Oct. 11, 2018, inside Bobcat Stadium. Georgia Southern earned a safety in the third quarter to go up 15-0. Texas State launched a comeback, with a scoring three-yard run by tight end Keenen Brown late in the third and a 29-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tyler Vitt to wide receiver Jeremiah Haydel with 2:20 remaining in the fourth, cutting the lead to 15-13. However, Vitt’s two-point conversion pass fell incomplete and the Eagles ran out the clock for the win.

The Bobcats are scheduled to visit Georgia Southern on Nov. 14 in Savannah, Georgia. ESPN staff writer Bill Connelly's SP+ projections rank the Eagles 88th in the FBS, ahead of Texas State at No. 123, and predicted a 6-6 season for Georgia Southern, including a 4-4 record in Sun Belt play, before the team had its game against Boise State canceled.