The much-anticipated 2024 season opener for the Georgia Southern Eagles will take place Saturday at 4 p.m. as they host the Boise State Broncos at Paulson Stadium.
Unlike some teams in the Sun Belt Conference the Eagles have had trouble in the past getting schools with nationwide name recognition to come to Paulson Stadium. That all changed in 2021 when the 14th ranked BYU Cougars made a visit to Statesboro.
The Eagles lost that game to BYU 34-17 before a crowd of over 20,000. This time around the game against Boise State is expected to be a sell-out and the Eagle players and coaches are not hoping to keep it close, they are expecting to win.
“These are two schools with storied histories and traditions of excellence,” said Eagle coach Clay Helton. “We think this is one of the premiere games in all of college football Saturday. In this new 12-team playoff world you have to welcome these opportunities. You are trying to build a resume to be a part of the national story. Boise has built a national brand, a win over them would go a long way toward continuing to build our brand.”
While the Eagles have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball, the one big question mark throughout fall camp was who would start at quarterback. Helton announce last week that the battle between Indiana transfer Dexter Williams and sophomores J.C. French and David Dallas was won by French who will start Saturday against the Broncos.
“Since I was named starter, it makes me want to lead this team even more,” French said. “I think the biggest thing I have improved on is the mental side of things. There is pressure being named starter, but I think of pressure as a privilege. We have one of the top G-5 teams coming in here and we have a great chance to show the college football world who Georgia Southern is and put our name out there.”
Helton said he has seen French’s confidence continue to rise the last week in practice and feels like he is ready for the big stage in Saturday’s game with Boise State.
“I love how he has gone from being in a competition to being QB-1,” Helton said. “You can see his demeanor and confidence grow. The way he has performed in practice has been impressive. I am also proud of the way David Dallas and Dexter Williams have handled themselves since the announcement. They have continued to get better and they know if their opportunity comes, they are ready to go.”
Boise State has been one of the top G-5 teams in the nation for years, and only Appalachian State has won more games without being invited to the College Football Playoffs. The Broncos struggled a bit coming out of the gates last year, and fired head coach Andy Avalos late in the season. His replacement was Spencer Danielson who helped lead them to three straight wins and a Mountain West Championship.
“They have proven to be one of the premiere G-5 teams in the country,” Helton said. “Coach Danielson has done a great job with this team and they have some great playmakers out there on both sides of the ball. You look at these early ballgames and it’s usually the team that doesn’t beat themselves that comes out on top. This is a team that is ball-controlled and balanced so we have to make sure to stay away from self-inflicted wounds like penalties and turnovers to be successful.”
Coach Helton has talked about the Eagles being more balanced, well they are going up against a team that epitomizes that. The Broncos passed for 3,088 yards and rushed for 3,008 yards. They are led by one of the top backs in the nation in Ashton Jeanty who rushed for 1,347 and 14 touchdowns and also had 569 yards receiving. The only real question mark comes at quarterback where the Broncos had a battle between USC transfer Malachi Melton and sophomore Maddox Madsen. Danielson named Madsen the starter only a few days before Helton named French the starter at Georgia Southern.
“They are very balanced and do a good job with the run game setting up the pass game,” said Eagle linebacker Marques Watson-Trent. “They have a great running back and a new quarterback who we don’t know much about. When we play anyone here at Paulson Stadium, we feel like we are expected to win. That comes with the tradition we have built through the years. I feel like if we play the right way and execute, we have a chance any Saturday.”
Helton knows his defense will be challenged but feels they are greatly improved in the second year under defensive coordinator Brandon Bailey.
“Ashton Jeanty is one of the premier players in the country,” Helton said. “He had nearly 2,000 yards rushing and receiving and didn’t even play the whole season. We have a huge challenge defensively so I am thankful for the veteran leadership we have over there. I don’t know if you can stop Ashton, but you have to find a way to slow him down.”
