Photos from moving trophies and new display installation

STATESBORO, Ga. – At any one time, Georgia Southern's Football National Championship trophies have been hoisted above the heads of winning coaches, admired, coveted, photographed and cherished. The six wood and metal NCAA icons which represent the very best of the best, found a new home this week in the Eagles' new Football Operations Center.

In 2000, after residing primarily in coaches' offices as revered conversation pieces, the national championship trophies were moved to the then-brand new Parrish Football Center. Glass cases in the main lobby area kept the trophies alongside photos of the Eagles' championship teams, national awards and honors and other significant pieces of Georgia Southern history.

Those six trophies will now be showcased at the west end of the Hall of Fame atrium in the new Football Operations Center, in a special space that will welcome alumni, fans and former Eagles. The championship trophies are enclosed in a large six-sided centerpiece designed by Whitfield Signs that offers a close-up view of each trophy with bold numerals for each year and descriptions of the title games.

Eagle fans are welcome to view Georgia Southern's six national championship trophies in their new home following the Football Operations Center ribbon cutting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, August 16th. Self-guided tours through the new facility begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude 15 minutes prior to the start of the "Meet the Eagles" autograph signing event at 11 a.m. on the North Concourse.

Coach Erk Russell led Georgia Southern to back-to-back national championships in 1985 and 1986, becoming the first Division I-AA team to accomplish that feat. In 1989, Georgia Southern became the first 15-0 collegiate team in the 20th century en route to its third title, then the most by any one Division I-AA program. The Eagles added their fourth national championship in 1990 under Tim Stowers, continuing the legacy. The NCAA would present two more championship trophies to Georgia Southern as Coach Paul Johnson guided the Eagles to consecutive titles in 1999 and 2000 for the program's unprecedented fifth and sixth national championships.

Georgia Southern, the most successful program at the FCS level, brings that history and tradition to its first year in the FBS and Sun Belt Conference. Season tickets are on sale online now at GSEagles.com/fbtix and weekdays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS. The five-game home campaign opens September 6th vs. Savannah State with two historic Thursday night games on ESPNU September 25th vs. Appalachian State and October 30th vs. Troy.

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.