Georgia Southern vs. Maine 2025 Recap: Eagles Soar Over Black Bears, 45-17

The Georgia Southern Eagles defeated the Maine Black Bears 45-17, covering the 22.5-point spread and going over the total of 57.5. An ugly first half of football did not cost Georgia Southern their undefeated home record, and the Eagles will advance to 2-2 before conference play. Meanwhile, the Black Bears drop to 0-4 on the season. With that in mind, let’s dive into this Georgia Southern vs. Maine 2025 game recap.

Georgia Southern vs. Maine 2025 Recap

An Awesome Offensive Attack

The Eagles offense looked amazing, but especially in the second half. Auburn transfer wide receiver Camden Brown had another dominant performance. The wideout had his first 100+ yard game as an Eagle and continues to score a touchdown for Georgia Southern in every game. Brown’s total touchdowns for the season now sit at five, which is T-12th most in the country, alongside Michigan running back Justice Haynes and Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton.

Coach Helton also made an emphasis to keep using wide receiver Dalen Cobb in the run game, and it worked out well. Although Cobb only had three carries for a total of eight rushing yards, he still found the end zone on one of those carries. Not to mention, his continued use in the run game is what set up the trick play, double-pass, that put the Eagles right at the one-yard line.

Eagles running back OJ Arnold was integral to the win, too. Arnold had 97 yards on 13 carries, averaging 6.5, with one touchdown. Arnold had an early fumble, but did not let that stop him from having a monster game. The running back also threw Camden Brown a touchdown to make up for it.

Georgia Southern quarterback JC French continues to have an outstanding season. French threw for 253 yards, completing 19-of-31 attempts. The redshirt junior also had six carries for 42 yards, averaging seven yards per carry. French had one interception that was returned for a Black Bear pick-six, but it was not an ill-advised pass but rather a great defensive tip drill.

Stepping Up in the Second Half

The second half was all Eagles. The Black Bears opened the game up with a quick touchdown drive to go up 7-0, but that would be their last offensive score of the night. Georgia Southern’s defense allowed just three points in the second half despite Maine getting to the red zone multiple times. Georgia Southern defensive back Elijah McDowell got his first career interception on one of those red zone possessions.

The Eagles run defense was stellar in the second half and the Black Bears ended the game with 109 yards on the ground, averaging only 3.6 yards. This was a major point of emphasis for the Eagle coaching staff, and it was crucial that the Georgia Southern defense solved some issues before beginning conference play next week.

The Eagles special team’s unit showed up again this week. Georgia Southern did miss one field goal attempt at the end of the first half, but the punt team played exceptional. If the Maine returner did not call for a fair catch, he was getting hit hard by Southern’s special teams. The punt team also forced a turnover after the Black Bear returner muffed a fair catch.

Looking Ahead: First Conference Game at James Madison

The Eagles will head to Virginia next week to take on their first conference opponent, James Madison. The Dukes come into this game 2-1, with two 100+ yard running backs in Wayne Knight and George Pettaway. JMU was the Sun Belt Champion betting favorite coming into the season, per FanDuel. This is a great opportunity for the Eagles to steal a big conference win on the road to get momentum heading into their Sun Belt schedule.

Georgia Southern will need a better first half if they plan to defeat the Dukes on Saturday, but have plenty to build on after an impressive defensive second half. JC French will also have to make sure to take care of the ball, even if the interception tonight came from a great defensive play. If French can continue to feed his wide receivers while eliminating interceptions, expect this offense to really start rolling.

Shrine Bowl Prospects

Senior Dalen Cobb was awesome to watch tonight. The 5-foot-9, 180-pound receiver was used in the run and pass game and had a touchdown in the air and on the ground. Cobb could be a serious asset at the next level with his versatility and athleticism. Cobb’s best play tonight was a 25-yard TD catch that came in the third quarter that put the Eagles up 31-17, allowing the defense to sit back and play conservative.

The Black Bears also have a stud who could go to the next level in running back Sincere Baines. The junior stands at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, and is not easy to bring down. Although the Eagle defense was successful at mitigating his damage and keeping him out of the end zone, Baines still averaged 5.9 yards. Baines brings his rushing yards total on the season to 311, which would rank him 16th in FBS. Baines currently sits at 10th in FCS rankings.