Georgia Southern Survives Jacksonville State in Week 3, 41-34

Georgia Southern finds their first win of the season in their home-opener against Jacksonville State, 41-34. The Eagles cover the 3.5-point spread and the game soars over the 58.5-point line. This game was a classic shootout. With that said, let’s dive into this Georgia Southern vs. Jacksonville State 2025 game recap.

Georgia Southern vs. Jacksonville State 2025 Game Recap

Over-Powered Offense

Georgia Southern quarterback JC French balled out. French completed 16 of his 24 pass attempts for a total of 191 yards, and a passing touchdown. French also used his legs, totaling nine carries for 33 yards on the ground and a rushing touchdown. It was clear Coach Helton wanted to give French more designed-runs and make him a real factor in the run game.

Eagles wide receiver Dalen Cobb and running back OJ Arnold were dominant against the Gamecocks. The veteran running back had 133 total yards on 16 carries with a pair of rushing touchdowns. Arnold was integral for the Eagles late in the game as they tried to burn the clock because the Gamecocks could not bring him down. Dalen Cobb also showed up in a big way for Georgia Southern. Not only did Cobb have six receptions for 70 receiving yards, and was their leading receiver, but Cobb also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Cobb averaged 11.7 yards per reception and had 42 yards after catch.

Auburn transfer wide receiver Camden Brown found the end zone for the third consecutive game. Brown has become an automatic anytime touchdown scorer and nothing changes in week three. Brown only had two receptions for 33 yards, suggesting teams are starting to circle him as the guy to stop. Don’t expect Brown to be stopped anytime soon.

Dimming Rush Defense

Although the Eagles were in control for the first three quarters, they never were able to put Jacksonville State away. Leading up to the game, many believed the Eagles rush defense would not be able to keep up with the dynamic Gamecock rushing attack. Cam Cook and quarterback Gavin Wimsatt were able to rush for two touchdowns, with 59 yards on 12 carries. However, the Eagles were able to keep Cook out of the endzone. Still, the Gamecocks found a way to take the lead late in the third quarter after a bad fumble by Georgia Southern. While the Eagles defense did look better against a great running back, it is still the biggest concern for this team heading into conference play.

Now, he may not have scored, but Cam Cook was still the Gamecocks best weapon. Cook finished the game with 120 rushing yards on 21 carries. No one was used more than Cook, and that is what the Eagles expected. Yet even then, they could not stop him.

Georgia Southern wanted to force Wimsatt to make plays with his arm, and they were able to get an interception early. Yet after that turnover, the Gamecocks relied on their star running back and them after leading the whole game. Cam Cook is the best runner the Eagles will see all year, and Fresno State was the best rushing scheme they will see all year. So with that in mind, I’m not ready to say the Eagles are unable to stop the run, but they need to improve.

Next Week: Hosting Maine

The Eagles will turn their attention to the Maine Black Bears, hosting them in Statesboro at Paulson Stadium on September 20. The Black Bears have started the 2025 season 0-3 and are desperate to find a win. However, the Eagles will also be desperate for a win to try and even out their record before heading into Sun Belt play. This will be the last opportunity for Coach Helton to figure out how to fix this Eagles defense before getting into the games that matter.