Now entering his fourth year at the helm, head coach Clay Helton has Georgia Southern poised for its most legitimate Sun Belt title push since his arrival in Statesboro.
The Eagles are coming off an encouraging 8-5 season — highlighted by a 6-2 conference mark and a second-place finish in the Sun Belt East — and return a loaded roster with 72 players back from 2024.
Despite a disappointing 28-23 loss to Sam Houston in the New Orleans Bowl, optimism remains high. Georgia Southern showed real growth last year, particularly in close games, going 4-3 in contests decided by 10 points or fewer — their best record in such matchups since 2020.
At the Sun Belt media days, Helton talked about how having no changes to the coaching staff is helping his squad. “That consistency of leadership and coaching and knowing what to expect on a day-to-day basis is really important for our guys,” Helton said. “I think in my 30 years of coaching, consistency is imperative to championship seasons, or hopefully championship seasons.”
“What did you do today?” – @CoachMackBrown#HailSouthern pic.twitter.com/9VEDiKPwrY
— Georgia Southern Football (@GSAthletics_FB) August 15, 2025
With a veteran quarterback at the helm, depth at the skill positions, and experience across the board, Georgia Southern enter 2025 with high expectations: contend for the East and make a serious run at the conference championship. Just as important as their on-field talent, though, is the culture the program has build — one rooted in accountability, discipline, and a shared vision.
“It’ll be harder for guys to just be able to come in and pick up the culture immediately,” said redshirt senior Davion Rhodes said during Sun Belt Media Days. “But, for the most part for our guys, they [have] picked up the culture almost immediately and they understand not just only the culture, but understanding what we have built.”
Roster Turnover
Quarterback JC French IV, a redshirt junior, is back under center after a solid first season as the full-time starter. With another offseason in Helton’s system, French is expected to make a significant leap.
Golden watch ✨#HailSouthern | @jcfrench_ pic.twitter.com/QppJ9FgOey
— Georgia Southern Football (@GSAthletics_FB) August 19, 2025
“I think last [season] was a very big learning opportunity for me,” French said during media days. “I feel like there was adversity in the season and I think that only helped me get better throughout the whole season.”
Looking at the skill positions, the backfield will feature a versatile one-two punch in O.J. Arnold and David Mbadinga, who combined for seven touchdowns last seasons. Josh Dallas and Dalen Cobb will headline a deep, dynamic group of receivers that includes preseason All-Sun Belt first-team selection Josh Dallas.
The offensive line remains intact, returning key pieces in preseason All-Sun Belt first-team selections Pichon Wimbley and Caleb Cook — a unit that helped improve protections and maintain offensive balance throughout 2024.
Defensively, the Eagles return a strong core at every level. The secondary brings back four starters that includes preseason All-Sun Belt first-team selection Chance Gamble, who also led the team with three interceptions last season, and Justin Meyers, who recorded 61 tackles.
On the defensive line, Rhodes, who led the unit with six tackles for loss and three sacks, is joined by Latrell Bullard and Da’Shawn Davis to provide experience and disruption. Linebackers Davon Hicks and Jacob Hammonds return to anchor a group that excelled in short-yardage defense.
Special teams should remain a steady asset for Georgia Southern in 2025, with Preseason All-Sun Belt first team punter Alex Smith (42.7-yard average) and placekicker TJ Hartley III both returning to anchor the unit.
More in-depth information about what the 2025 Georgia Southern roster may look like can be found here.
Schedule Breakdown
Georgia Southern opens the 2025 season with a challenging two-game road stretch that will test the team early. The Eagles travel west to face Fresno State on Aug. 30 in a Group of Five showdown, followed by a high-profile trip to USC on Sept. 6 — a game that marks Helton’s return to Los Angeles, where he led the Trojans from 2015 until his dismissal during the 2021 season.
While expectations will be modest in those contests, the opportunity for a statement upset adds extra intrigue.
𝗘𝗬𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗔𝗚𝗟𝗘𝗦.
Behind a conference-best 9 Preseason All-Sun Belt picks, @GSAthletics_FB attempts to challenge for first @SunBeltFB Championship Game berth.
» https://t.co/o7DlUguGKh pic.twitter.com/R3jfNVRkAn
— Sun Belt (@SunBelt) August 7, 2025
Conference action kicks off with a major divisional test at James Madison on Sept. 27 — a potential tone-setter in the East. The Eagles return home for a rivalry clash with Georgia State on Oct. 18 in the latest installment of Modern Day Hate.
The rivalry gauntlet continues with a national televised Thursday night showdown at Appalachian State on Nov. 6 in the always-intense Deeper Than Hate series.
From there, the stretch run could shape the division race. Coastal Carolina visits Statesboro on Nov. 15, followed by Old Dominion on Nov. 22. The regular season concludes with a potential title game play-in on Nov. 29 at Marshall — a matchup that could carry major implications for the Sun Belt East crown.
Projected 2025 Record
Floor: 6-6
Ceiling: 10-2
Projection: 8-4
Story to Watch
Georgia Southern’s 2025 hopes are closely tied to the continued development of JC French IV.
In his first season as the full-time starter, French showed real promise — he was accurate, mobile and composed in key moments. He handled pressure reasonably well for a young quarterback but struggled at times with decision-making, holding the ball too long or forcing throws into traffic.
“Going into my second year, my confidence [is] just at an all-time high because I know I’ve been through those situations and I know it’s nothing new to me, so I’ll be able to get through it,” French said.
To take the next step — both individually and as a team — French needs to become more decisive and aggressive with his downfield reads. If he can sharpen his timing, trust his arm on intermediate and vertical concepts, and protect the ball more consistently, he has the physical tools and football IQ to emerge as one of the Sun Belt’s top quarterbacks.
About The Author
