This weekend The Eagles of Georgia Southern University will prepare for one of their most anticipated games of the season (besides App. State)—The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs.

Last season, to my recollection, the Eagles barely beat the Mocs by a score of 28-27 and if the Eagles don’t want this season to repeat, they are going to have to work hard and play hard.

Right now, the Eagles sit at No. 1 in the Southern Conference, and UTC sits at No. 3, but don’t let that bronze placement fool you. The Mocs and their football program have been working hard to produce their 3-1 SoCon and 4-3 overall record.

Last week the Eagles were able to bury the Furman Paladins’ ego in the ground from their 38-17 win. The aid to that victory was the work of both Eagle quarterbacks Jerick McKinnon and Ezayi Youyoute. Even though Youyoute’s playtime was short lived, he still brought the force and kept the momentum going. McKinnon did a great job lasting thought the game and becoming more comfortable behind the snap.

One of the things that I believe that the Eagles need to keep doing is passing the ball. I think that threw a curveball at the Paladins last week, and it gave the Eagles some confidence. I don’t think that you can continue to win football games without the passing game, so I think that it’s good that the Eagles are finally breaking into that.

This game this weekend will definitely be a challenging one for the Eagles, but with all of their persistence, hard work and concentration, I think coach Monken and his Eagles will be able to pull off a 28-17 win over the Chattanooga Mocs.