BREAKING: Georgia Southern Square Off in Historic New Orleans Bowl Showdown
Sam Houston will make its inaugural bowl appearance in the New Orleans Bowl on Thursday, facing Georgia Southern. The Bearkats will do so under the guidance of interim head coach Brad Cornelsen, who steps in after K.C. Keeler resigned following 11 successful years, including a 2021 FCS championship and overseeing the program’s transition to FBS and Conference USA. Cornelsen, previously the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Virginia Tech, joined Sam Houston in 2023.
Cornelsen expressed pride in the team’s progress, especially the senior players, and emphasized the significance of finishing the season with 10 wins at the historic Superdome.
Georgia Southern, coached by Clay Helton, is heading to its third consecutive bowl game. The Eagles have made seven bowl appearances in 11 seasons since moving up to FBS. Georgia Southern finished 8-4, second in the Sun Belt’s East Division, while Sam Houston went 9-3, narrowly missing a spot in the Conference USA championship game.
Key players for Georgia Southern include senior linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, the Sun Belt’s defensive player of the year, and a veteran offensive line supporting quarterback JC French and running back Jalen White. The Eagles’ passing game features top receivers Derwin Burgess Jr., Dalen Cobb, and Josh Dallas.
On the defensive side, Sam Houston leads Conference USA in defense, allowing just 20 points per game and 315.6 yards per game. Standout players include defensive back Caleb Weaver, linebacker Kavian Gaither, and defensive end Chris Murray, who was named to the All-Conference USA first team.
Offensively, Sam Houston relies on quarterback Hunter Watson, who has thrown for 1,598 yards and 11 touchdowns, along with rushing for 623 yards and seven touchdowns. Running back Jay Ducker leads the team in rushing with 719 yards and seven touchdowns. The offensive line features key contributors in Ethan Hagler and James Dawn II.
Despite both teams’ rich histories as former FCS powerhouses with a combined seven national championships, this will be the first-ever meeting between Sam Houston and Georgia Southern. The Eagles previously defeated Louisiana Tech 38-3 in the 2020 New Orleans Bowl.