Saturdays in Statesboro are unlike any other, especially when football season is in full force. Even when away games are being played, the restaurants are buzzing (pun intended) with customers who are trying to get a glimpse of their favorite team compete on tv. With Georgia Southern recently entering the Sunbelt Conference, football fans, now more than ever, are anxious to see their team dominate at the top level.
September 13, 2014 will be a date to remember as GSU’s football team and thousands of students and fans head to Atlanta, GA to take on Georgia Tech. GSU has been preparing for teams of this caliber all summer and fall semester, and the anticipation to take the field for kickoff is unlike any other. After the win over University of Florida last November, the GSU community has faith that their team can compete at this level.
Georgia Southern prepared numerous tailgates and cookout locations throughout the Tech campus in Atlanta to enjoy their Saturday in the city before watching possibly the most anticipated game of the season. Students from all over the state traveled in carpools, busses, Marta, and other forms of transportation after acquiring a ticket to this sell-out game. Because many other Georgia teams were away this weekend, the football game in the heart of the city drew immense attention and anticipation as the clock neared noon.
The first half of the game did not look how the GSU team or fans had intended, as Tech scored within the first three minutes. Scoring continued until GSU put a score on the board with 6:43 left in the first quarter. Fans seemed somewhat hopeful their team could rally back yet disappointed they were witnessing this upset before their eyes.
To every Southern fan’s pleasant surprise, with 1:41 left in the third quarter, the score was 30-35, and GSU could see a glimpse of hope in their future. Coach Willie Fritz’s halftime speech seemed to be working as Southern rallied back to take the lead early in the fourth quarter by a score of 38-35.
This team was the one all Southern fans recalled from last November in the swamp, but unfortunately the final score did not end in the Eagle’s favor, as Tech scored with 0:23 left on the clock in the fourth quarter to take the win at 42-38.
Southern fans still have as much team spirit and enthusiasm for their team as ever and patiently await long-lasting rival Appalachian State’s arrival in the ‘boro on September 25, 2014. ASU joined the Sunbelt along with GSU this season, so a Thursday night game at Paulson Stadium has become quite the anticipated game since the athletic department released the schedule. No doubt, Southern fans would have preferred a victory today, but the Eagles played with an ACC team and look forward to many more exciting performances in the FBS this upcoming 2014 season.
