{"id":12401,"date":"2026-06-30T10:41:31","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T14:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/?p=12401"},"modified":"2026-06-30T10:41:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T14:41:31","slug":"eagles-dominate-appalachian-state-in-jlab-birmingham-bowl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/2026\/06\/30\/eagles-dominate-appalachian-state-in-jlab-birmingham-bowl\/","title":{"rendered":"Eagles Dominate Appalachian State in JLAB Birmingham Bowl"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1500\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/image-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12402\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/image-2.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/image-2-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/image-2-550x367.jpg 550w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/image-2-100x67.jpg 100w, https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/image-2-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-f56f613f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Georgia Southern Eagles and Appalachian State Mountaineers had played against each other a total of 41 times as they headed into the 2025 JLab Birmingham Bowl, but never at a neutral site. That all changed on Dec. 29, 2025, as the two teams met for the second time in the fall with bowl bragging rights on the line.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Eagles beat the Mountaineers 25-23 earlier in the season in Boone, North Carolina, but the &#8220;Deeper Than Hate&#8221; rivalry was played again in Birmingham, Alabama, with Georgia Southern coming out on top 29-10 to claim Clay Helton&#8217;s first bowl win as the program&#8217;s head coach.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The matchup between these two Sun Belt teams added to the excitement at the bowl game. Georgia Southern fans turned out in force to cheer the Eagles to victory.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eagles immediately flew into action, going 11 plays in 66 yards to take a 7-0 lead on Terrance Gibbs&#8217; first career touchdown. Tripp Bryant added two field goals to end the half, giving the Eagles a 13-3 lead before the break.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Southern started the second half the same way it started the game, soaring down the field to score on a Weston Bryan 3-yard touchdown. Marcus Sanders Jr. took a 32-yard touchdown catch from JC French IV to make the score 26-7. Bryant added a late 27-yard field goal to secure the win for Eagle Nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\"><em>\u2014 Bradley Mullis<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Georgia Southern Eagles and Appalachian State Mountaineers had played against each other a total of 41 times as they headed into the 2025 JLab Birmingham Bowl, but never at a neutral site. That all changed on Dec. 29, 2025, as the two teams met for the second time in the fall with bowl bragging [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":9937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[91,92],"class_list":["post-12401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-athletics","tag-fall-2025","tag-spring-2026"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO 4.9.9 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Georgia Southern Eagles and Appalachian State Mountaineers had played against each other a total of 41 times as they headed into the 2025 JLab Birmingham Bowl, but never at a neutral site. 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