The Georgia Southern Eagles will face the App State Mountaineers in a Sun Belt Conference matchup on Thursday night. Both teams currently hold a 1-3 record.
Appalachian State excels at stopping the run, allowing just 110 rushing yards per game. In contrast, Georgia Southern's defense concedes 240 rushing yards per game. This significant gap could play a critical role in determining the game's outcome.
Georgia Southern's offense has been led by quarterback JC French IV, who has shown potential. However, their defense continues to be a vulnerability.
Appalachian State's offense faced a setback last week with a loss to Old Dominion, scoring only 21 points after averaging 39 points in the two previous games. This marks their second consecutive defeat, placing pressure on them to win two of the remaining four games to qualify for a bowl game.
Appalachian State leads the all-time series against Georgia Southern, though the Eagles claimed last year's matchup with a 29-20 win.
JC French IV, Georgia Southern's quarterback, enters the game with 1,677 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, six interceptions, and five rushing touchdowns.
Summary: Appalachian State's strong run defense and home advantage contrast Georgia Southern's struggles on the road, making defensive performance the likely key to this game.