Georgia Southern Secures First Road Win of the Season
Georgia Southern achieved their first road victory of the season Thursday, narrowly beating Appalachian State 25-23 in their intense "Deeper Than Hate" rivalry game at App State.
JC French IV's Career-High Performance
Quarterback JC French IV threw for 352 yards, the highest of his season, and accounted for two touchdowns—one passing and one rushing in the second half.
“The O-line did an amazing job today protecting me and the receivers making plays. I probably could have had 450 if I just put it on the money.”
Key Contributions from OJ Arnold and Defense
Running back OJ Arnold added 105 rushing yards with crucial late runs that helped secure the win for the Eagles. Defensively, Georgia Southern contained Sun Belt's leading rusher Rashod Dubinion to only 40 yards on 12 carries and limited the ground game to 77 total yards, their best performance this season.
Freshman Kicker Tripp Bryant's Clutch Performance
Freshman kicker Tripp Bryant was pivotal, connecting on four of five field goal attempts from distances of 21, 26, 23, and 24 yards. His final field goal early in the fourth quarter extended Georgia Southern’s lead to 25-16, sealing the victory on a cold, hostile night.
Summary
With this win, Georgia Southern improves to 4-5 on the season, sitting just two wins shy of another bowl game appearance.
Author's Note
This victory highlighted Georgia Southern’s balanced attack and resilience on the road, setting a promising path toward postseason play.