STATESBORO - For the sixth time in school history, the Georgia Southern Eagles will be competing in a postseason bowl contest, taking on the Ohio Bobcats in the Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway, S.C., on Saturday, December 16. In preparation for the bowl game, this feature will highlight information about the Eagles' opponent.

EAGLES VS MACTION
Georgia Southern is no stranger to playing teams from the MAC. The Eagles are currently 5-2 all-time against current MAC teams, with the Eagles' last matchup against a MAC team happening on September 23 of this season, when the Eagles defeated the Ball State Cardinals in Muncie, Indiana, 40-3. Previous matchups include the 2018 Camellia Bowl against Eastern Michigan (GS won 23-21), the 2015 GoDaddy Bowl against Bowling Green (GS won 58-27), and two regular season matchups against Western Michigan (GS won 43-17 in 2015, WMU won 49-31 in 2016). Last season, the Eagles played the Buffalo Bulls in the Camellia Bowl, falling to UB 23-21.

OHIO'S ROAD TO MYRTLE BEACH
The Bobcats opened the season to a 3-1 record in non-conference play, which included a 10-7 home victory over the Iowa State Cyclones, the first time since 2017 the Bobcats took down a Power 5 opponent. Ohio started MAC play 2-0 with victories over Bowling Green and Kent State before going 1-2 over the next three games, falling to Northern Illinois and eventual-MAC Champions Miami (OH), but defeating Western Michigan between the two losses. The Bobcats finished the season with three straight wins, defeating Buffalo, Central Michigan (its first victory over the Chippewas since 2011), and Akron, to finish the regular season with a 9-3 record and a 6-2 mark in the MAC.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
For both Georgia Southern and Ohio, this is the first time ever that both squads will compete in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The bowl is one of the newer bowls to take place, as this is the fourth edition of the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The Sun Belt is 2-0 in the game, with App State posting a 56-28 victory over North Texas in 2020 and Marshall defeating UConn 28-14 in 2022. The MAC has never competed in the bowl game, making Ohio the first MAC team to play in the bowl game.

TWO CHEERS FOR BRIN
While the Myrtle Beach Bowl will be Brin's first bowl experience with the Eagles, it will not be the first time he has competed in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. The quarterback went to the bowl game with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane in 2021, defeating the Old Dominion Monarchs 30-17 in the game. Brin also earned MVP honors at the game after a 22-for-34 performance with 285 yards through the air and two touchdowns. 

FROM OHIO TO THE BORO
Several Georgia Southern icons have come to Statesboro by way of Athens, Ohio. 

• Ken Winstead, the current Senior Associate AD for Development at Ohio, was in a similar role at Georgia Southern from January 1982 to July 1986. 
• John Ratliff was the Assistant Athletic Director for Promotions and Marketing for the Eagles, where he pent eight years in that position before going on to be the AD at North Florida, as well as Keene State and Oglethorpe. 
• Frank Ellwood was an administrator for Georgia Southern from 1990-1998, serving as the interim athletic director in 1995 and as the head football coach in 1996. Ellwood played quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 1953-1956, winning a National Championship in 1954. Ellwood served as an assistant coach on the Ohio football team from 1962-1974.
• One connection that stands out is Bucky Wagner, who served as Georgia Southern's AD from 1981-1995. Wagner famously revived the previously-dormant football program at Georgia Southern, hiring Erk Russell as the head football coach, and helped bring four FCS (Div. I-AA) National Championships during his tenure. Wagner was a quarterback for the Bobcats from 1958-1960, where he and the Bobcats won the 1960 College Division National Championship with a perfect 10-0 record, outscoring opponents 269-34 that year. He was named All-MAC First Team QB that season.