Marshall at Georgia Southern: Eagles Defend East Lead, Herd Eyes Six Wins

Marshall heads to Statesboro with two straight wins and a chance to pull even with Georgia Southern in conference play. Tony Gibson also settled one of the week’s biggest questions Tuesday, naming Zion Turner his starting quarterback.

The Herd (5-3, 2-2 Sun Belt) visit the Eagles (4-4, 3-1) at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, Nov. 7, on ESPN+. Georgia Southern is celebrating homecoming at Allen E. Paulson Stadium after winning its last two games to take first place in the East.

Turner gets the start

“Zion’s the guy,” Gibson said during his Tuesday press conference.

Gibson said Turner has earned the job and is moving the offense. He also defended him over the interception returned for a touchdown in the 36-23 win at ODU, saying the play was not really his quarterback’s fault. As noted in our Marshall-ODU recap, the receiver’s missed catch contributed to the interception.

Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Khalil Wilkins remain available if Marshall needs a spark. Gibson’s comments establish who will start, though he left room for the others to play.

Marshall still has to get more from its passing game. The three quarterbacks combined to complete 8-of-18 passes for 142 yards against Old Dominion, and the Herd converted 2-of-14 third downs. A total of 12 penalties for 94 yards helped stall possessions that could have put the game away earlier.

Gibson pointed Tuesday to false starts, holding calls and an alignment penalty. Those mistakes repeatedly cost Marshall manageable downs. Turner will have a difficult enough assignment against Georgia Southern’s defense without penalties forcing him into obvious passing situations.

Georgia Southern’s defense can force Turner to throw

Judah Price rushed for 82 yards on 15 carries in the ODU victory. T.J. Lester added 76 on eight attempts and scored both of Marshall’s offensive touchdowns, including a 49-yard run.

Georgia Southern is allowing 20.5 points per game, second in the Sun Belt. The Eagles held App State to just six net rushing yards in their 19-3 win Saturday, including 24 yards lost on three sacks. The Mountaineers finished with 12 first downs and converted 2-of-9 third-down attempts.

“I don’t know if you could play any better than what we did defensively,” Clay Helton said afterward, according to the Statesboro Herald’s game report.

The Eagles also got important plays behind the defensive line in the App State win. Chance Gamble broke up three passes and intercepted another, while Chace Calicut intercepted a pass and forced a fumble. Stopping Price and Lester early would give that secondary more opportunities against a Marshall passing game still searching for consistency.

Gibson said Marshall’s backs need to trust their blocking and avoid bouncing outside too early. Georgia Southern can make those decisions costly if it forces Turner into long-yardage situations. Marshall needs enough from its backs to keep the Eagles from anticipating the pass.

Johnson has the receivers to sustain long drives

Georgia Southern’s Max Johnson completed 35-of-46 passes for 323 yards without an interception in the App State win, according to the updated official box score. The Eagles allowed no sacks, converted 8-of-17 third downs and held the ball for a school-record 43:54.

Alex Taylor caught 10 passes for 93 yards, and Josh Dallas added seven receptions for 86. Jeremiah Ware supplied a 50-yard catch. Taylor and Dallas give Johnson reliable options underneath, while Ware’s long reception showed the cost of allowing space farther downfield.

Helton credited Johnson’s decision-making with helping the Eagles avoid turnovers, according to the Statesboro Herald’s game report. Georgia Southern kept its defense rested by extending drives and did not give App State extra possessions through interceptions or lost fumbles.

That puts some pressure on Marshall to produce stops without relying on takeaways. The Herd forced four turnovers against Old Dominion, including three interceptions, but still allowed 409 yards, with 329 coming through the air. Kenyatta Hardge had two sacks and forced a fumble on the Monarchs’ second possession.

Gibson said Johnson’s quick release makes extra pressure difficult to use effectively. If the rush does not arrive, the Eagles can get the ball to a receiver before Marshall’s defenders recover into coverage.

Gibson expects tackling to decide much of that matchup: “Did we tackle well in space or did we not?”

For Georgia Southern, the key is to keep Taylor and Dallas involved and make Marshall defend the full length of the field. The Herd need to end those short completions before the first-down marker, especially when Johnson has time to choose his target.

Both offenses left touchdowns on the field

Marshall scored on all six red-zone possessions against ODU, but five ended in field goals. Those 36 points also included Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw’s 100-yard return of a missed field goal on the final play of the first half.

Georgia Southern had similar trouble finishing drives against App State. Four red-zone trips produced one touchdown and three field goals, with Tripp Bryant adding a fourth field goal from 48 yards. Bryant and Jorge Diaz Nicolas went a combined 9-for-9 on field goals in those two games.

Georgia Southern also rushed for 102 yards on 32 attempts against App State. Johnson’s passing kept the offense moving, but the Eagles have room to get more from their ground game near the goal line. Scoring one touchdown in four red-zone trips left them leaning on Bryant despite their advantage in possession.

Marshall had the same problem, managing only one offensive touchdown inside the 20 despite reaching it six times against ODU. Both kickers delivered when called upon. Either offense can put more pressure on the other by finishing those drives in the end zone.

Georgia Southern has to handle being out front

“The biggest thing is managing success,” Eagles receiver Andre Greene Jr. said in WSAV’s Monday report. He said the coaches demand more after a good performance, a timely message with Georgia Southern back at home and defending first place.

“What we did on Saturday, we won one battle. One,” Helton said in his Monday comments, as reported by WSAV.

He said the Eagles need an unbeaten November to accomplish what they want: “We need to go 4-0.”

Gibson said Tuesday he has not brought up bowl eligibility with his team. Marshall is one win from six victories, but the division race remains open enough to give the Herd more to pursue over its final four games.

A Marshall win would put both teams at 3-2 in conference play and give the Herd the head-to-head victory. That would not automatically put Marshall in first place. James Madison enters the week at 4-2 in the Sun Belt standings.

A Georgia Southern win would move the Eagles to 4-1 and drop Marshall to 2-3, leaving the Herd two games behind with three conference games remaining. Marshall can leave Statesboro with six wins and the head-to-head advantage over the Eagles, but it will need more touchdowns from an offense that repeatedly settled for field goals in Norfolk.

Marshall Thundering Herd at Georgia Southern Eagles

Allen E. Paulson Stadium — Statesboro, Georgia

Kickoff: Saturday, November 7, at 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN+

Radio: WPMX 94.9 FM / Georgia Southern Sports Network (Georgia Southern); WDGG 93.7 FM / Thundering Herd Sports Network (Marshall)

Game information: Marshall at Georgia Southern

Tickets: https://gseagles.evenue.net/list/FB

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