Georgia Southern Football Preview 2026: Can the Eagles Reload and Keep Winning?
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Georgia Southern needed a little bit of a tweak, but this year it’s undergoing an overhaul.
It wins under head coach Clay Helton, and now it has work to do after four years of – for the most part – good offenses, rough defenses, and a formula that’s been good enough to be consistently decent.
This year, to make a push in the Sun Belt East, it’s about improving, not just maintaining. That might be tough with so many new players taking over.
Can Georgia Southern Reload Without Taking a Step Back?
Georgia Southern Quick Hits
- Head Coach: Clay Helton (5th year, 27-25; 11th year overall: 73-49 )
- Best Case / Worst Case: Play for the Sun Belt title/A losing season for the first time in three years
- Key Player: MJ Stroud, EDGE Sr.
- 2025 Record: 7-6
- Biggest Question: Can the offense keep firing with so many new starters?
Georgia Southern Key 2025 Stats
- 3rd Down Conversions: Opponents 46%, Georgia Southern 45%
- First Downs Allowed: Opponents 324, Georgia Southern 287
- Sacks: Opponents 29 for 146 yards, Georgia Southern 12 for 77 yards
Offense
The Georgia Southern offense continues to be a blast.
It might not always be consistent, and it wasn’t at its best last season, but it has the ability to crank up the production when it’s humming.
Offensive coordinator Ryan Aplin has a lot of work to do, though, with this year’s attack.
What’s Working
The offense knows how to put up points when it gets rolling. It scored more than 40 four times last season, and more than 24 in 18 games over the last two seasons (going 14-4 when it does).
The passing game should be great if the main man stays healthy. Max Johnson has been around the block, suffered a massive injury, and now he’s the right fit for the Georgia Southern attack as long as he’s in one piece.
There’s competition for the job, but no matter what, the Eagles bomb away.
There’s plenty to like at receiver. The portal brought in several new pieces, including Kam Mikell from Colorado and Alex Taylor from North Carolina. There won’t be a problem averaging close to eight yards per attempt again.
What Needs Work
The new receivers had better be great right away. There’s talent coming in, but the experience isn’t there.
Last year’s receiving corps was loaded with senior stars, and now the three main men are gone. The system makes the playmakers to a certain extent, but there’s a “prove it” factor here.
Don’t forget to run the ball. The Eagles are a momentum team when it comes to the ground attack – they’ll crank up well over 40 carries when it’s working. They went 7-1 when running for more than 130 yards, 0-5 when they didn’t.
The line takes a big hit. Top guard Caleb Cook is off to USF, center Chandler Strong is playing for North Texas, and tackle Robert Wright will be working at Michigan State. There’s a little bit of experience returning, but it’s an all new front five, starting with …
Player to Watch
Matthew Williams, OT Jr.
Next man up. The 6-3, 295-pound left tackle isn’t huge, but he can move. He and Colin Alexander have to grow into stars on the outside of the new line – pass protection is everything with Max Johnson under center.
Defense
The defense needed a total overhaul, and that’s what Mike Mutz is for.
The former Stephen F. Austin defensive coordinator did a whale of a job last year, and now it’s up to him to finally turn around a miserable defensive situation, and do it with a slew of new transfers.
What’s Working
The Stephen F. Austin defense is everything Georgia Southern wants and needs. More on this in a moment, but there wasn’t any pass rush coming from the Eagles. SFA was No. 1 in the FCS in tackles for loss and tenth in sacks. It was also third in the nation against the run.
There are a few good pieces to work with. Brandon Tyson should be a star after making 84 tackles with plenty of pressures – the veteran linebacker has the quickness and talent to put up even bigger numbers.
MJ Stroud led the Sun Belt with 15.5 tackles for loss, along with 6.5 sacks.
Throw in Abilene Christian transfer Rashon Myles and 230-pound Diego Aviles from Wingate, and there should be an improvement at the position.
Just avoid being awful. As long as the Eagles can hold serve on defense, they’ll be doing their job. They went 7-1 when allowing fewer than 260 rushing yards, and were 0-5 when allowing more.
What Needs Work
Where’s the pass rush? Mutz might want to crank up a big-time pass rush, but there isn’t anything in place to be dangerous in the backfield right away.
O’marion Brown is a tackle coming from Wofford, but he can get behind the line. It might be Anthony Bynum (Middle Tennessee) or bust.
The Eagles had the third-worst defense in America. Again, just don’t be totally awful. Charlotte and Sam Houston – two completely miserable teams last season – were the only two that were worse.
But if you’re going by total yards and not yards per game, no one gave up more – 5,961 in 13 games. This won’t be fixed overnight.
There wasn’t a pass rush when Stroud wasn’t great. The Eagles came up with just 12.5 sacks, and Stroud had over half of them. The Mutz system should create playmakers, but there isn’t a sure-thing group of pass rushing terrors certain to step up and destroy.
Player to Watch
MJ Stroud, EDGE Sr.
He’ll be keyed on by everyone, but he’s good enough to keep producing. After not doing too much over his first three seasons, the 6-2, 235-pound edge rusher figured it out, with 33 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 15.5 tackles for loss.
Keys to the Season
- Establish the quarterback situation right away, and keep the production rolling.
- The defense has to make more big plays and get off the field.
- The offensive line has to be a force from the start.
Player Who Needs To Shine
Max Johnson, QB Sr.
It’s been a wild ride. He looked like the next great LSU quarterback, and after two years, he left for Texas A&M.
After two years with the Aggies, he left for North Carolina, suffered a horrible injury early on, and only played five games as a Tar Heel. The seventh-year senior has the size, experience, and arm to be amazing in this attack.
Biggest Concern
All the new players on offense
The coaching staff is used to this – Georgia Southern has done the overhaul thing before. But not only does the offense have to all but start over personnel-wise, but the attack has to be better and more consistent.
Biggest Game
at Coastal Carolina, Oct. 3
Last year’s Eagle team got stuffed by James Madison and Old Dominion, losing to the two teams by a combined score of 80-20.
Those two are who Georgia Southern plays next after opening up the Sun Belt slate at Coastal Carolina.
Transfer Portal
The staff did a wonderful job of restocking the shelves.
Unlike most good Group of Six programs that have to work to replace lost parts through the portal, there’s a little bit of that happening, but mostly the team has to replace graduates.
Best Signing
Rashon Myles Jr., LB (Abilene Christian)
A tremendous get for the program, Myles is a two-time FCS All-American who gets all over the field, making 113 tackles with a whopping five recovered fumbles. He’ll be an instant difference-maker.
Biggest Loss
JC French IV, QB (Cincinnati)
He took to the gig, throwing for close to 5,700 yards and 37 touchdowns over the last two seasons for the Eagles. It would’ve been nice to have him around running this attack in his fourth season.
Other Names to Know
- O’marion Brown, DT (Wofford)
- Kam Mikell, WR (Colorado)
- Noah Mangham, CB (Abilene Christian)
CFN Season Prediction
The offense will be strong, but it’ll be a little bit worse. The defense won’t be great, but it’ll be a little bit better.
Georgia Southern has settled into a decent groove under Clay Helton. It’s a winning program, it goes to bowl games, and it should be more of the same, even with a team that has so many known unknowns.
CFN Prediction: 7-5
Get to the second half of the year. The Eagles only leave Georgia once after October 15th, and that’s when they’ll go on a run.
It’ll be too tough to get past the Sun Belt East with James Madison and Old Dominion looking strong, but there will be a fifth bowl appearance in the last five years.
Related: Sun Belt Football 2026 Win Totals: Spring Predictions for All 14 Teams
This story was originally published by College Football News on Jun 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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