Box Score Georgia Southern made its debut as a member of the Sun Belt Conference and Football Bowl Subdivision against N.C. State today at Carter-Finley Stadium today. Here are some sights and sounds from the tailgate areas, outside the stadium and in the sections occupied by Eagle Nation collected by long-time sports journalist Tom Shanahan.

The Eagles begin their 2014 home campaign next Saturday, Sept. 6, at Paulson Stadium against Savannah State. Tickets can be purchased in the Athletics Ticket Office beginning Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m., by phone at 1-800-GSU-WINS or by e-mail at tickets@georgiasouthern.edu. 

TAILGATING
Georgia Southern fans brought their reputation for tailgating to Raleigh, although most of the blue canopies were far from the prime parking spots reserved for Wolf Pack fans with parking permits.

But amid a sea of red stood a blue-and-white canopy occupied by Colby and his wife Jennifer of Raleigh and Kasey and his girlfriend Shelby of Bluffton, S.C.  They declined to share their last names, but Colby and Jennifer are regulars at N.C. State games.

--- "It's exciting to have them come here to play here," said Colby, a 2007 Georgia Southern graduate. "We come to a lot of N.C. State games, but this makes it easy to see (Georgia Southern). I think we have a chance against them. They only won three games last year. I'm very optimistic."

--- "It was a good chance to see an old friend and see Georgia Southern play a team from a high-caliber conference," said Kasey, a Georgia Southern grad who drove five hours from Bluffton, S.C.

--- Kasey's girlfriend Jennifer said she "was dragged here" but she was enjoying the tailgate began and looked forward to the kickoff.
And what did the regular N.C. State tailgaters think of the upstart program from Statesboro, Ga.?

--- "I knew nothing about them until a friend told me they upset Florida last year at The Swamp," said Bert Andia of Greensboro. "This may be a tougher game than I thought, but I'm just happy the season has started and we're playing anybody."

WAITING FOR TICKETS
Some parents of Georgia Southern players and Eagles season-ticket holders waited to pick up their tickets at will call just outside the stadium.
Gene and Shirley Blackmon are long-time season ticket holders from Rincon, Ga.

-- "We go back to Erk Russell," Gene said. "We go to a lot of games. We were at the Florida game; that was great to beat a high-caliber team in their place. I didn't make it when we played up here (at North Carolina in 2009 at nearby Chapel Hill) and lost, but hopefully we can get revenge."
The parents of punter Ryan Nowicki (Jon and Tamm ) and backup long-snapper Jake Abraham (Jeffrey) waited at the will call gate for tickets set aside by the players.

--- "We go to all the games," said Jon Nowicki. "I won't be surprised if we get a win here. There are a lot of unknowns with the new coaches, but I'm optimistic."
Tammy said she felt the fans have moved on from the disappointment of former head coach Jeff Monken leaving for Army and have accepted new head coach Willie Fritz and his staff.

--- "I think the fans love the new regime. I think the combination of the fans and the new facilities have raised expectations and excitement."

--- "I think is a long time coming," said Jeffrey Abraham of the move to the FBS. "I think this is a great opener and great experience for the kids and the school."

IN THES STANDS
Georgia Southern's 1,500 fans were located largely in section 1 in the lower level and section 9 of the upper level. As the two lines separated to walkways to the two levels, students headed to section 9 shouted "Georgia!" and fans headed to section 1 responded "Southern!"
Their roar overtook Carter-Finley when Matt Breida broke off a 61-yard touchdown run for a 7-0 lead with 9:07 left in the first quarter.
Michael Bowles was a 12-year-old fan from Augusta attending the game with his father Ralph, a 1982 Georgia Southern grad. His daughter Emily is a freshman at Georgia Southern.

--- "I'm excited about being in the new conference," Michael said. "It's exciting."

--- "We've been looking forward to this game for three years when they announced it," Ralph said. "We went to the North Carolina game, too (when Michael was 7).

The students waved towels and the Georgia Southern fans erupted with the 61-yard touchdown run for a7-0 lead.

--- "Everybody is excited about the new conference," said Lance Coleman, a Georgia Southern junior from Savannah. "I didn't make it to the Florida game, so I wanted to be here. I'm excited to see what our new coach can do. People are still learning about him. Maybe he can prove something here."

--- "I like playing in the new division (FBS) and the new conference," said Samantha Martina, a Georgia Southern junior from Atlanta. "We wanted to come to this game. We thought it'd be a good adventure."

The Georgia Southern fans weren't limited to students and alumni.

--- "I grew up a Georgia Southern fan and wanted to be here," said Casey Hadden, an 18-year-old from Statesboro who attend a tech school. "It was a 5-and-a-half our drive, but it's worth it."

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.