College Football: 6 potential sleeping giants
1. Georgia Southern
- Program Record: 368-177-9
- Bowl Game Appearances: 1
- Conference Championships: 11
- Highest Finish in the AP Top 25: None
- Enrollment: 18,005
- Location: Statesboro, GA (population 28,422)
- 174 miles from Jacksonville, FL
- 209 miles from Atlanta, GA
- 243 miles from Charlotte, NC
- 315 miles from Orlando, FL
- 355 miles from Birmingham, AL
- 370 miles from Tampa, FL
- 461 miles from Mobile, AL
- 519 miles from Miami, FL
Though new Sun Belt Conference rival Georgia State better fits the UNLV mold explained on the previous page, and Georgia Southern is a polar opposite in terms of easy access (if you’ve ever driven on I-16 you know), the Eagles actually have a better chance at making a Miami or Florida State-like jump into the upper echelon of college football. Seriously.
Most college football fans probably know that prior to joining FBS, Georgia Southern was one of the most successful programs at the FCS /Division 1-AA level. Though they first played football in 1924, the Eagles did not field a varsity team from 1941-1984 until Erk Russell helped revive the program following a stint as defensive coordinator for the Georgia Bulldogs. In just its second year of varsity competition, Georgia Southern won its first national championship. Over the next 15 years, the Eagles won five more titles.
The Eagles beat Florida as recently as 2013, their last season in college football second division, and took Georgia to overtime in 2015. Southern also gave Georgia Tech and Ole Miss fits last year, and intend to treat Auburn and Indiana the same way in 2017.
More than just a successful lower-division program, Georgia Southern has an identity. The Eagles have traditionally operated with a triple-option offense, initiated by Russell and run most successfully under current Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson, who posted a 62-10 record and won two national titles in five years.
The Eagles also have high standards. Coaches that don’t win big don’t last long. Frank Ellwood went 4-7 in his only season at the helm before giving way to Johnson, Brian Van Gorder was 3-8 in one season in Statesboro, and current head coach Tyson Summers stirred up anger among the fan base and quickly found himself on the hot seat after an unimpressive 5-7 campaign in 2016.
Next: 10 stars that make 2017 the year of QB
Last but not least, there’s plenty of talent available nearby. While the triple option may not be sexy to five-star quarterback recruits, the Eagles are closer to Jacksonville, FL than Atlanta, and have the entire Sunshine State at their disposal – not to mention the wealth of talent sprinkled all over south Georgia. Alabama isn’t far either, especially talent centers like Mobile and Birmingham. There are plenty of hungry option quarterbacks to be found, in addition to every other position.
With all this in mind, Georgia Southern should be a candidate to climb the conference ladder should an opportunity arise. With the southern college town feel found in Statesboro as the cherry on top, Georgia Southern is a legitimate sleeping giant in college football.