Thursday, October 15
Norfolk, VA
7:30 PM
Georgia Southern University
at
Old Dominion
GAME PREVIEW: Thursday Night Lights On Tap For Eagles
10/12/2026 3:30:00 PM | Football
Squad looking to bounce back at Old Dominion
STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern football team travels to S.B. Ballard Stadium Thursday to take on Old Dominion in Sun Belt Conference action. Kickoff is set for 7:35 p.m. and it will be carried on ESPN2. The game will also be available via radio on the Georgia Southern Sports Network. Here's all you need to know about the game:
Game 7: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026 • 7:35 PM
Location: Norfolk, Va. (S.B. Ballard Stadium; 21,944)
Records:
Old Dominion: 2-4, 1-2 SBC
Georgia Southern: 2-4, 1-1 SBC
Broadcast Information
Broadcast: ESPN2
PBP: Courtney Lyle; Analyst: Rene Ingoglia
Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Adam Young (@youngpbp); Analyst: Frank Sulkowski (@TheBigGuyWJCL); Sidelines: Jeff Roberts (@JeffRoberts__)
GS: GAME NOTES (PDF)
Radio Affiliates
Inside The Series
Overall Record Tied, 3-3
In Statesboro ODU leads, 2-1
In Norfolk GS leads, 2-1
Rahne vs. GS 3-1
Helton vs. ODU 1-3
Helton vs. Rahne Rahne leads, 3-1
Current Streak ODU, won three (2023-)
Last Meeting ODU 45, GS 10 (2020)
Longest GS Streak Three (2011-22)
Longest ODU Streak Three (2023-present)
Largest GS Win 14 points (2012 in Norfolk)
Largest ODU Win 35 points (2025 in Statesboro)
GS vs. current Sun Belt Members 73-71-1
GS vs. teams from Virginia 26-9
GS in Commonwealth of Virginia 12-4
GS at Ballard Stadium 2-1
Helton at Ballard Stadium 1-1
Of Note:
Countdown to Kickoff
10: Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton has been the head coach for teams that played on a short week (less than seven days between games) 10 previous times.
9: Georgia Southern has only lost nine times in 35 previous contests to teams from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but have lost its last four, including last week at home against James Madison.
8: The Eagles have eight second-quarter scores, the most of any of the four quarters.
7: Georgia Southern and ODU will be meeting for the seventh time on Thursday with the series tied 3-3.
6: Under new defensive coordinator Mike Mutz, the Eagles have 15 sacks in six games already this season after having 12 in 13 games a season ago.
5: Max Johnson is fifth in the FBS in completions per game with 24.67.
4: Fourteen players have made their first collegiate start this season, the fourth-most in the FBS behind only Navy (18), East Carolina (17) and Hawai'i (15).
3: Southern has played three previous games at Ballard Stadium, winning two of them. In victories, they averaged 38.5 points per game and scored just 19 in the loss while giving up 47.
2: Third-year defensive lineman Eli Anders has picked up his first two career sacks this season. He's one of four players with two or more sacks this season.
1: Max Johnson is the first player in program history to throw three touchdown passes in three consecutive games.
Up Next:
Oct. 31 vs. App State - Statesboro, Ga. - TBA
BUY TICKETS
Game 7: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026 • 7:35 PM
Location: Norfolk, Va. (S.B. Ballard Stadium; 21,944)
Records:
Old Dominion: 2-4, 1-2 SBC
Georgia Southern: 2-4, 1-1 SBC
Broadcast Information
Broadcast: ESPN2
PBP: Courtney Lyle; Analyst: Rene Ingoglia
Radio: Georgia Southern Sports Network
PBP: Adam Young (@youngpbp); Analyst: Frank Sulkowski (@TheBigGuyWJCL); Sidelines: Jeff Roberts (@JeffRoberts__)
GS: GAME NOTES (PDF)
Radio Affiliates
Inside The Series
Overall Record Tied, 3-3
In Statesboro ODU leads, 2-1
In Norfolk GS leads, 2-1
Rahne vs. GS 3-1
Helton vs. ODU 1-3
Helton vs. Rahne Rahne leads, 3-1
Current Streak ODU, won three (2023-)
Last Meeting ODU 45, GS 10 (2020)
Longest GS Streak Three (2011-22)
Longest ODU Streak Three (2023-present)
Largest GS Win 14 points (2012 in Norfolk)
Largest ODU Win 35 points (2025 in Statesboro)
GS vs. current Sun Belt Members 73-71-1
GS vs. teams from Virginia 26-9
GS in Commonwealth of Virginia 12-4
GS at Ballard Stadium 2-1
Helton at Ballard Stadium 1-1
Of Note:
- Georgia Southern and Old Dominion will be meeting for the seventh time on Thursday with the series tied 3-3. The first game between the two teams came in the 2011 FCS Round of 16 as the Eagles beat the Monarchs 55-48 at Allen E. Paulson Stadium in Statesboro. The next year, Georgia Southern went to Ballard Stadium and beat the fourth-seeded Monarchs 49-35 in the FCS Quarterfinals. Since joining the Sun Belt, ODU has won three of the four games, including each of the past three games.
- The Eagles are 26-9 all-time against teams from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but have lost the last four games (2024 & 2025 ODU, 2025 & 2026 JMU).
- Since restarting football in 1982, Georgia Southern is 12-11 all-time in games played on Thursdays, 7-4 at home, 5-6 on the road and 0-1 at a neutral site for a bowl game. Last season, Southern went 1-1 on Thursday, falling to Southern Miss at home and beating App State on the road. The most memorable Thursday night game in program history came when the Eagles battled the elements for the victory over Middle Tennessee State in the 1989 "Hugo Bowl."
Countdown to Kickoff
10: Georgia Southern head coach Clay Helton has been the head coach for teams that played on a short week (less than seven days between games) 10 previous times.
9: Georgia Southern has only lost nine times in 35 previous contests to teams from the Commonwealth of Virginia, but have lost its last four, including last week at home against James Madison.
8: The Eagles have eight second-quarter scores, the most of any of the four quarters.
7: Georgia Southern and ODU will be meeting for the seventh time on Thursday with the series tied 3-3.
6: Under new defensive coordinator Mike Mutz, the Eagles have 15 sacks in six games already this season after having 12 in 13 games a season ago.
5: Max Johnson is fifth in the FBS in completions per game with 24.67.
4: Fourteen players have made their first collegiate start this season, the fourth-most in the FBS behind only Navy (18), East Carolina (17) and Hawai'i (15).
3: Southern has played three previous games at Ballard Stadium, winning two of them. In victories, they averaged 38.5 points per game and scored just 19 in the loss while giving up 47.
2: Third-year defensive lineman Eli Anders has picked up his first two career sacks this season. He's one of four players with two or more sacks this season.
1: Max Johnson is the first player in program history to throw three touchdown passes in three consecutive games.
Up Next:
Oct. 31 vs. App State - Statesboro, Ga. - TBA
BUY TICKETS
Players Mentioned
OLB
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QB
/ FootballMonday, October 12
Monday, October 12
Sunday, October 11
Sunday, October 11
