Georgia Southern has hired Mike Mutz as the new defensive coordinator. The news broke after we recorded, but Matt gives his instant reaction at the top of the show. The rest of this super-sized episode previews the Birmingham Bowl matchup against App State and features an in-depth discussion about the current state of college football and the Group of 5/6's place in the FBS and the College Football Playoff. 

Show Notes: 

• Instant Reaction: Mutz Hired as DC 
• Birmingham Bowl Most Prestigious Yet for Georgia Southern
• App State Preview Part 2
• Breaking Down the Bowl Selection Process
• App State Pairing Could be Worst Case Scenario for Helton
• State of College Football Deep Dive
• Is JMU Making the CFP Good or Bad Long Term?
• Thoughts on a Potential G5/6 Playoff
• Ideal Scenarios for Reformed Post-Season Play

The regular season has come to a close and Georgia Southern somehow made a bowl game, finishing 6-6 overall and 4-4 in Sun Belt play after the Eagles' first win at Marshall in 35 years. The following day, news broke that Defensive Coordinator Brandon Bailey was relieved of his duties, in what appears to be a complete overhaul of the Georgia Southern defense headed into 2026. In this episode, Matt and Cody discuss the firing, preferences for our next defensive coordinator and discuss the upcoming bowl game. 

Show Notes: 

• Eagles Beat Marshall for First Time in 35 Years
• Bailey and LB Coach Fired: More Changes to Come? 
• What Helton Needs to Prioritize in a DC 
• Camden Brown Caps Off Record Regular Season 
• Brown Should be the Case Study for P4 Wideouts
• Weston Bryan's Future with the Eagles Offense
• Bowl Game: Does It Matter and Is a Win Possible?
• Eagles Must Elevate Above Mediocrity

Old Dominion handed Georgia Southern its worst home loss in program history on Senior Night, a 45-10 drubbing where the Eagles didn't score a touchdown until garbage time and had negative rushing yards at the half. The Eagles now cling to the hope of bowl eligibility by trying to win at Marshall for the first time since 1990. 

Show Notes: 

• Comparing ODU Loss to the Georgia State Loss Under Fritz
• If Changes Don't Happen After Marshall, It's Time to Revolt
• Offensive Overhaul May be Needed as Well 
• Fans Are in Two Boats: Apathetic or Furious 
• What DC Worth Their Salt Would Sign Up for this Circus?
• Bowl Eligibility Is On the Line at Marshall
• Thundering Herd in Similar Position After Loss Against App

OJ Arnold has one of the best performances from a Georgia Southern player in recent memory with nearly 400 yards of total offense and touchdowns running, passing and receiving to lead the Eagles to a 45-40 shootout win against Coastal Carolina. Now 5-5 on the year and 3-3 in the Sun Belt, Georgia Southern hosts Old Dominion for Senior Night. Can the Eagles find a way to slow down ODU's rushing attack and score points against one of the best defense in the conference? 

Show Notes: 

• Have Yourself a Day, OJ Arnold!
• Camden Brown Snags Three More Touchdowns
• Clock Management at the End of the First Half
• Defense Had Its Moments, but Still Allowed 480 Yards
• Freedom II Reveal and Thoughts 
• Crowd Review: Thin and Cleared Out in Third Quarter 
• ODU Preview: Monarchs Are Rolling as of Late
• Eagles Will Need to Play Near Perfect and Hope for ODU Mistakes
• Can the Eagles Make a Bowl, and Does It Ultimately Matter?

Georgia Southern got a big win on the road against App State. While it always feels great to beat your rival, the question remains: was this a good win or is App State that bad? Matt and Cody reflect on the game and preview the home matchup against Coastal Carolina.

Show Notes: 

• Always a Great Day to Beat App
• Eagles Still Haven't Played a Complete Game
• Redzone Offense Becoming an Issue
• Defense Still Allowed Over 400 Yards After Hot Start
• Coastal Carolina Has Been an Up and Down Team
• Coastal Is a One-Man Show on Offense
• Key to Victory Will be Efficiency and Consistency on Offense

Georgia Southern heads up to Boone, North Carolina to take on rival App State on a Thursday night, nationally televised game. The Eagles are searching for answers after a letdown on the road against Arkansas State, where Georgia Southern's defense gave up nearly 500 yards and the offense could only muster three points in the second half. Now, following the dreaded bye week, the Eagles must face a 4-4 App State team in one of the toughest venues in the Sun Belt Conference. 

Show Notes: 

• Sad State of the Program: How Did We Get Here?
• Is Strength and Conditioning to Blame for Any of This?
• Will a Coordinator Change at Season's End Be Enough?
• What Will It Take to Move on from Helton After This Season?
• Budget Insights: Can We Afford the Buyout After All?
• Monken Rumor: Army's Coach Interested in a Return to the Boro
• Arkansas State Letdown: Poor Play-Calling and Clock Management
• App State Preview: Mountaineers Trying to Find a QB1
• Eagles Will Need Consistent Offense for Four Quarters to Win

Georgia Southern gets its first Sun Belt Conference win of the season thanks to a dominate second half against in-state rival Georgia State. Now, the Eagles must find a way to win a conference game on the road as they head to Jonesboro to face Arkansas State.

Show Notes:

• Tale of Two Halves Against Georgia State
• Will the Eagles Every Play a Complete Game? 
• Defense Gives Up 444 Yards in a Blowout Win
• JC French Had His Best Game of the Year
• Arkansas State: Mirror Image of the West
• Eagles Struggle on the Road While Red Wolves Thrive
• Arkansas State's Offensive Woes Could Benefit Eagles Defense

Georgia Southern falls to 2-4 overall and 0-2 in Sun Belt Conference play as the Eagles failed to overcome a horrendous first half against Southern Miss at home on a Thursday night, nationally televised game. Now, the Eagles are desperate for a win as they host in-state Rival Georgia State, who will be looking for it's first win of the season against an FBS opponent. 

Show Notes:

• Horrible First Half Dooms Eagles Against Southern Miss
• Have We Played Even a Complete Half of Football?
• French Admits to Lacking Confidence; Mindset Can't Continue 
• Helton Needs to Look in Mirror and Accept Accountability 
• Everything Looks Hard for the Eagles Offense
• Georgia State Heads to Statesboro Struggling 
• This Is a Must-Win for the Eagles for Many Reasons

It's our first emergency podcast of the season! On the morning of Oct. 1, an anonymous X (Twitter) account called hailsouthern365 sent us and a few other a Google Drive link that contains what appears to be present and past Georgia southern football contracts. It's a treasure trove, Eagle Nation. From the expired contracts of Jeff Monken and Willie Fritz to the current deals of Head Coach Clay Helton and his coordinators and assistants, this leak sheds light on a lot of things.

Please note: The X account has revealed himself, and noted that the files were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Show Notes:

• Helton's Five-Year Extension Has Occurred EVERY Year 
• Buyout Over $3M and Doesn't Drop Under a Million Until After 2028
• Aplin and Bailey Guaranteed Through 2026 
• Several Assistants Guaranteed Through Next Season
• Poor Performance Doesn't Count for 'For Cause' Termination
• Database Includes Contracts of Monken, Fritz and Others
• Where Do We Go From Here? 
• Listener Question: Evaluation of the Program After a Decade in FBS

Georgia Southern dropped its Sun Belt Conference opener to James Madison 35-10 in a game that was never close and was never competitive. Now, the Eagles head into their dreaded bye week, where they are just 1-6 in the Clay Helton era, before hosting a surging Southern Miss team in a Thursday night affair on Oct. 9. 

Show Notes:

• JMU Result Not Surprising: Sign of More to Come? 
• Offensive and Defensive Lines Were Dominated 
• Defense Remains Dreadful, But Offense Not Much Better 
• The Dreaded Bye Week, Where Eagles Are 1-6 Under Helton
• Southern Miss Preview: Huff and Braxton Seeking Revenge
• East Title Seems Out of Question, Is a Bowl Even Likely? 

After a rough start, Georgia Southern got things rolling to defeat FCS opponent Maine 45-17 to finish out-of-conference play at 2-2. Now, the season truly begins, as the Eagles head up to Virginia to face James Madison, the preseason favorite to win the Sun Belt East. 

Show Notes:

• Rough First Quarter Against Maine 
• New Secondary Sponsor in Section 103! 
• Eagles Need to Pull Out a Complete Game Against JMU 
• Weston Bryan Continues to Shine, Will Play Rest of Season
• JC French Doing Enough to Win, Turnovers Unfortunate 
• Dalen Cobb Was a Few Plays Away from Record Day 
• JMU Preview: Dukes Only Allowing 17 PPG
• Eagles Must Slow Down JMU Rushing Attack 
• GS Needs Clean Sheet and Forced Turnovers 
• Sun Belt Preview 2.0: Who's the Favorites After Four Weeks?