GATA Talk

After taking a bye week with the team, GATA Talk is back, and there is a ton to discuss. What does James Madison's exit mean for Georgia Southern? With more conference realignment on the horizon, where do the Eagles fall in it all? Are conference championship games and bowl games a thing of the past? It's also Hate Week, with a home rivalry game against App State on Halloween night with a lot on the line. 

Show Notes:

• Is JMU's Exit Good or Bad for Georgia Southern Moving Forward?
• Does the Sun Belt Backfill or Stay at 13 Teams?
• With More Realignment Looming, How Is GS Positioning Itself? 
• 24-Team Playoff: Pros and Cons for G6 Schools 
• Are CCGs, Divisions and Bowl Games a Dying Breed? 
• Sun Belt Adds San Juan Bowl Against the ACC 
• ODU Recap: Eagles Once Again Struggle to Put a Bad Team Away 
• A Cautionary Tale of Celebrating a Backup QBs Performance
• Hate Week: App State Coming in with Momentum and Confidence 
• Fraud Alert? Outside of JMU, App Has Had a Cupcake Schedule
• Whiteout at Paulson: What Will the Atmosphere Be Like? 
• The Boro and GS Has Exploded the Past 20 Years, School Spirit Hasn't

Please note, this was recorded Sunday night prior to JMU's announcement that they were leaving the Sun Belt for the American. Matt and Cody react to the home loss to JMU and preview Thursday's matchup with ODU. 

Show Notes:

• Once Again Couldn't Put Together a Complete Game
• Sun Belt Championship Essentially Out of Reach
• Crucial Moments: 3rd-and-2 w/ Weston, Onside Kick, Sequence Before Ford Kick
• Georgia Southern Field Goal Kickers at 5-11 on the Year
• Shoutouts for Gutsy Efforts by Sears and Dallas 
• Officiating and the Phantom Timeout: We Look at the Tape
• ODU Preview: Struggling Team with a Little Confidence 
• Shutting Down ODU's Run is Key
• Offense Has to be Aggressive Early and Never Let up

Georgia Southern starts conference play 1-0 with a one-score win against Coastal Carolina on the road. The Eagles looked great at times, and bad others, continuing their inconsistent play. Special teams and a lack of a real running game are major concerns headed into a huge matchup against defending Sun Belt champion James Madison. 

Show Notes:

• Glad We Won, but How You Win Matters
• Two Goal Line Turnovers Cost Coastal 
• Eagles Special Teams Is a Major Lability 
• Weston Bryan Flashes Breakaway Speed 
• Lack of Real Running Game Is a Major Concern
• Defense Bent and Almost Broke in Half at Times
• James Madison Preview: Dukes Looking for First Win at Paulson 
• JMU Will Present Major Test of Stopping the Run
• Eagles Offense Must be More Consistent for Chance at Upset 
• Special Teams Needs to be Conservative and Safe

Georgia Southern ends its out-of-conference schedule a disappointing 1-3 after a 42-28 loss to Houston. Now, the Eagles head up to Conway to face Coastal Carolina in a battle of struggling programs looking to start 1-0 in Sun Belt play.  

Show Notes:

• Defense Struggles Against Houston
• Max Johnson Has Best Game, but Still Outshined by Weigman
• Houston's O-Line Dominates Eagles' Front 7
• Through 4 Games, Eagles Still Unable to Play a Complete Game 
• Has Georgia Southern Ever Played 4 Complete Quarters Under Helton?
• Hollins and Myles Out, and Alex Taylor's Breakout Game 
• Coastal Preview: Two Teams Desperate for a Win
• Coastal's Offense Runs Through Its QB
• What a Win or Loss Would Mean for the Season

Georgia Southern lets a 17-point lead slip away after special teams blunders, some defensive lapses and a stagnant second-half offense in a 31-27 loss to Jax State. The Eagles now find themselves 1-2 and staring 1-3 in the mirror with a home game against a ranked Houston team. 

Show Notes:

• Second Half Collapse of Epic Proportions 
• Special Teams Absolutely Horrific Through Three Games
• Play Calling Still Bad, Especially in Second Halves 
• QB Play Remains Suspect with Inability to Throw Downfield
• Should We Let Weston Bryan Run the Offense?
• Why This Team Isn't Competing for a Sun Belt Championship
• Defense Shows Its Human, But Still Greatly Improved
• Houston and Willie Fritz Will Be Hunting a Wounded Duck