The Georgia Southern Eagles are set to kick off their Sun Belt Conference play this Saturday as they travel to Harrisonburg, Virginia, to face the James Madison Dukes. The game at Bridgeforth Stadium will be broadcast on ESPN+ with a scheduled start at 1:32 p.m. Fans can also tune in via the Georgia Southern Sports Network radio broadcast.
Entering the match, both teams are gearing up to break their even records with James Madison standing at 2-1 and Georgia Southern at 2-2 for the season, each yet to notch a conference win. Historically, the Eagles have been dominant over the Dukes, leading their series 9-2. However, Georgia Southern has faced challenges in Harrisonburg, with James Madison securing both of its series wins at home, including a notable 41-13 victory in 2023.
The past encounters between these teams have seen the Eagles pulling off overwhelmingly successful streaks, especially notable during the late ’80s when they secured eight consecutive wins against the Dukes. Last year’s 28-14 home victory favored Georgia Southern, setting up this weekend’s clash to potentially extend their series lead.
Georgia Southern has a strong record of 26-6 against teams from Virginia but will look to reverse a recent trend, having dropped their last two contests in the Commonwealth. Additionally, Georgia Southern is 6-5 in Sun Belt openers with a 4-2 advantage when these games are on the road, positioning them well for Saturday’s game.
Adding a layer of intrigue to this matchup, Georgia Southern’s tight ends coach, Bryan Schor, once led the Dukes to a national title as a quarterback, highlighting the intertwined histories between the programs.
With both squads aiming to start their conference campaigns strongly, this match promises to be an exciting continuation of a competitive series. Fans of both teams are eager to see whether Georgia Southern can continue its historical dominance or if James Madison can capitalize on their home advantage once again.