The 2020 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia, and competed in the East Division of the Sun Belt Conference. They were led by third-year head coach Chad Lunsford.
Preseason
Sun Belt coaches' poll The Sun Belt coaches poll was released on August 25, 2020. Georgia Southern was picked to finish second in the East Division.
Preseason All-Sun Belt teams The Eagles had five players selected to the preseason All−Sun Belt teams; three from the defense and two from special teams.
Defense
1st team
Raymond Johnson – SR, Defensive Line Rashad Byrd – R-SR, linebacker Kenderick Duncan Jr. – R-JR, defensive back
Special teams
1st team
Wesley Kennedy III – SR, return specialist
2nd team
Anthony Beck II – R-SO, punter
Schedule Georgia Southern had games against Boise State and Ole Miss, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They added a November game with Army on August 11. On October 7, the game against Appalachian State scheduled for October 14 was postponed to December 12 due to COVID-19 positive tests within the Mountaineers' football program.
Game summaries
Campbell
Statistics CampbellGeorgia Southern First downs 17 20 Total yards 380 346 Rushing yards 143 284 Passing yards 237 62 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 26:04 33:56
Team Category Player StatisticsCampbell Passing Hajj-Malik Williams 17/27, 237 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Hajj-Malik Williams 11 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD Receiving Jai Williams 4 receptions, 72 yards, 1 TDGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 7/13, 53 yards, 1 TD Rushing Shai Werts 14 carries, 155 yards, 1 TD Receiving D. J. Butler 3 receptions, 22 yards, 1 TD
At Louisiana
Statistics Georgia SouthernLouisiana First downs 21 18 Total yards 447 438 Rushing yards 192 148 Passing yards 255 290 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 35:14 24:46
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 11/18, 255 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing J. D. King 24 carries, 100 yards, 1 TD Receiving Wesley Kennedy III 2 receptions, 105 yardsLouisiana Passing Levi Lewis 18/32, 290 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Chris Smith 4 carries, 54 yards Receiving Peter LeBlanc 3 receptions, 64 yards
At Louisiana–Monroe
Statistics Georgia SouthernLouisiana–Monroe First downs 19 24 Total yards 369 426 Rushing yards 340 92 Passing yards 29 334 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 34:53 25:07
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 3/7, 29 yards Rushing J. D. King 21 carries, 196 yards, 1 TD Receiving Beau Johnson 1 reception, 17 yardsLouisiana–Monroe Passing Colby Suits 31/54, 334 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Colby Suits 7 carries, 51 yards Receiving Tyler Lamm 5 receptions, 66 yards
UMass
Statistics UMassGeorgia Southern First downs 10 20 Total yards 191 436 Rushing yards 111 308 Passing yards 80 128 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 29:09 30:51
Team Category Player StatisticsUMass Passing Mike Fallon 7/12, 41 yards, 1 INT Rushing Will Koch 4 carries, 41 yards Receiving Samuel Emilus 4 receptions, 28 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 11/16, 128 yards, 3 TDs Rushing Wesley Kennedy III 6 carries, 106 yards, 1 TD Receiving Malik Murray 4 receptions, 68 yards, 1 TD
At Coastal Carolina
Statistics Georgia SouthernCoastal Carolina First downs 12 20 Total yards 218 382 Rushing yards 119 130 Passing yards 99 252 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 27:43 32:17
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 7/20, 94 yards, 2 INTs Rushing J. D. King 15 carries, 67 yards, 1 TD Receiving Malik Murray 2 receptions, 46 yardsCoastal Carolina Passing Fred Payton 15/28, 252 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs Rushing Shermari Jones 5 carries, 44 yards Receiving Jaivon Heiligh 5 receptions, 107 yards
South Alabama
Statistics South AlabamaGeorgia Southern First downs 16 15 Total yards 264 345 Rushing yards 64 250 Passing yards 200 95 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 28:19 31:41
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Alabama Passing Desmond Trotter 20/27, 200 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Carlos Davis 20 carries, 70 yards Receiving Kawaan Baker 5 receptions, 65 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 5/9, 95 yards, 1 INT Rushing Wesley Kennedy III 13 carries, 91 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Malik Murray 1 reception, 38 yards
Troy
Statistics TroyGeorgia Southern First downs 14 20 Total yards 235 411 Rushing yards 34 326 Passing yards 201 85 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 17:13 42:47
Team Category Player StatisticsTroy Passing Jacob Free 21/47, 201 yards, 2 INTs Rushing Jamontez Woods 3 carries, 23 yards Receiving Kaylon Geiger 6 receptions, 49 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 12/13, 85 yards, 1 INT Rushing Gerald Green 10 carries, 109 yards, 1 TD Receiving NaJee Thompson 1 reception, 35 yards
Texas State
Statistics Texas StateGeorgia Southern First downs 18 20 Total yards 299 437 Rushing yards 30 386 Passing yards 269 51 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 18:41 41:19
Team Category Player StatisticsTexas State Passing Brady McBride 7/13, 155 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Brock Sturges 6 carries, 31 yards Receiving Marcell Barbee 5 receptions, 71 yards, 1 TDGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 6/9, 51 yards, 1 INT Rushing Shai Werts 21 carries, 120 yards, 3 TDs Receiving Wesley Kennedy III 1 reception, 23 yards
At Army
Statistics Georgia SouthernArmy First downs 12 20 Total yards 311 268 Rushing yards 175 243 Passing yards 126 25 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 21:36 38:24
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 6/7, 80 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Wesley Kennedy III 8 carries, 71 yards Receiving Malik Murray 3 receptions, 41 yardsArmy Passing Tyhier Tyler 1/1, 25 yards Rushing Tyhier Taylor 35 carries, 121 yards Receiving Chris Cameron 1 reception, 25 yards
At Georgia State
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Statistics Georgia SouthernGeorgia State First downs 13 22 Total yards 370 427 Rushing yards 296 55 Passing yards 74 372 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 30:48 29:12
Team Category Player StatisticsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 4/7, 67 yards Rushing Logan Wright 8 carries, 143 yards, 2 TDs Receiving Khaleb Hood 1 reception, 44 yardsGeorgia State Passing Cornelious Brown IV 28/39, 372 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Destin Coates 15 carries, 47 yards, 1 TD Receiving Sam Pinckney 10 receptions, 126 yards
Florida Atlantic
Statistics Florida AtlanticGeorgia Southern First downs 16 18 Total yards 322 339 Rushing yards 133 269 Passing yards 189 70 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 23:15 36:45
Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Atlantic Passing Javion Posey 7/15, 107 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Javion Posey 8 carries, 61 yards Receiving Jordan Merrell 3 receptions, 67 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Justin Tomlin 3/12, 70 yards Rushing Justin Tomlin 20 carries, 78 yards Receiving Logan Wright 2 receptions, 65 yards
Appalachian State
Statistics Appalachian StateGeorgia Southern First downs 17 16 Total yards 381 349 Rushing yards 173 204 Passing yards 208 145 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 34:52 25:08
Team Category Player StatisticsAppalachian State Passing Zac Thomas 18/29, 208 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT Rushing Nate Noel 13 carries, 103 yards, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Hennigan 8 receptions, 64 yards, 1 TDGeorgia Southern Passing Miller Mosley 5/14, 122 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs Rushing Justin Tomlin 6 carries, 76 yards, 1 TD Receiving Dexter Carter Jr. 1 reception, 78 yards, 1 TD
Louisiana Tech (New Orleans Bowl)
Statistics Louisiana TechGeorgia Southern First downs 15 17 Total yards 232 448 Rushing yards 113 322 Passing yards 119 126 Turnovers 4 0 Time of possession 25:33 34:27
Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing JD Head 9/14, 78 yards, 1 INT Rushing Israel Tucker 20 carries, 123 yards Receiving Isaiah Graham 3 receptions, 26 yardsGeorgia Southern Passing Shai Werts 7/12, 126 yards, 1 TD Rushing Gerald Green 16 carries, 108 yards, 1 TD Receiving Khaleb Hood 1 reception, 65 yards, 1 TD
References