STATESBORO — After last week’s game was postponed thanks to COVID-19, Georgia Southern is as fired up as ever to take the field again. However, this is no ordinary game, as the Eagles will take on the #19 team in the country in the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.

Georgia Southern’s showdown this weekend against Louisiana should prove to be one of the most entertaining matchups of the entire Sun Belt season. Both teams bring an effective offense and hard-nosed defense to the table, which should create for a physical battle Saturday night.

Louisiana boasts one of the most balanced offenses in the country as they average nearly the same amount of yardage on the ground and through the air. Their backfield is a two-headed monster consisting of seniors Trey Ragas and Elijah Mitchell, both of whom have more than 3,000 career yards from scrimmage.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Ragin’s Cajuns have shown one glaring weakness that should work in favor of the Eagles: their rushing defense. Against Georgia State this weekend, the Louisiana defense gave up a glaring 223 yards to the Panthers. Georgia Southern, who is known for being one of the most prolific rushing offenses in all of college football, should look to attack this from the opening snap.

In addition to taking on a lackluster rush defense, star running back Wesley Kennedy III, the team’s leading rusher in 2019, will return to action on Saturday night. The trio of Shai Werts, Kennedy III, and JD King should feast on a defense that has not yet shown they can stop anything in the ground game. It would not be much of a shock to anyone if the Eagles walk off of Cajun Field with multiple 100-yard rushers Saturday night.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles return star nose tackle CJ Wright will return to the rotation. Against Campbell, the defensive line struggled to create a lot of pressure when they needed it most, so the return of Wright should elevate the defensive line as a whole. In addition to Wright, the Eagles will also welcome the return of starters starting cornerback Darrell Baker, Jr. and potentially starting safety Kenderick Duncan, Jr., two crucial members of the secondary who’s absence was extremely noticeable in week one against the Camels.

Once again, this game could prove to be one of the most exciting in college football this weekend. Georgia Southern expects to return over half of the 33 guys who were inactive week one, which should provide a much needed boost on both sides of the ball. With a number of key players returning to action, the Eagles have a legitimate chance to come out of Louisiana with a shocking upset victory.

DJ’s Prediction: Georgia Southern wins a thriller 26-24