The Eagles (3-2, 2-1 Sun Belt) are coming off of a 27-26 loss to Arkansas State, after giving up a touchdown in the final seconds. Georgia Southern dropped its second straight game and will look to bounce back against Georgia Tech on Saturday, who has lost three straight. This is the first time GS has found themselves on a losing streak since the 2013 season. Now, the Eagles have a chance to go against an offense that is nearly identical to their own.

GS blew their lead against ASU last Wednesday after forcing five turnovers and only scoring three points off of them. The Eagles were not able to capitalize on their attempts in the red zone either only managing to kick field goals. While both teams take pride in their running game, the Eagles hold a slight advantage. GS has the sixth-ranked rushing offense in college football averaging 286.6 yards per game. GT averages 229.2 yards on the ground per game, which is 26th in the FBS.

2014 was the last time these two teams met and GT came away with the win after narrowly escaping an upset. In the last matchup, GS rallied from behind scoring 28 straight points after trailing 35-10 at halftime. The Eagles were unable to put the game away and they allowed the game-winning touchdown pass with 23 seconds left. In that game, GS managed to compile 528 yards of total offense.

“Again, a power five opponent, an ACC opponent, and in State. We need to be able to go play well, we need to be able to execute, and we need to be as fundamental as we can be. If we have a chance to execute and do those things and win it will be very important for us,” Tyson Summers, GS head coach, said about the importance of winning the game against GT

Not only do the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets share home state together, but they now share the same coach in their respective histories. Former GS Head Coach Paul Johnson is the current head coach for GT. Johnson led the Eagles to consecutive NCAA Division I-AA Football Championships in 1999 and 2000.

The game will be at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, GA this Saturday. Both teams are looking forward to ending their losing streaks this weekend. This will be a game oriented around the running game. The game will reminiscent of their 2014 match, but this time, the Eagles get the late score and make the critical defensive plays.