Underdog Dynasty - Georgia Southern vs. Georgia State Week: No Brotherly Love HereAn unofficial The American, Conference USA, Sun Belt, and Independent football bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52546/ud_favicon.png2015-12-05T17:42:11-05:00http://www.underdogdynasty.com/rss/stream/96053832015-12-05T17:42:11-05:002015-12-05T17:42:11-05:00State Upsets Southern to claim GSU
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<p>Entering the game S&P gave Georgia State a 15% chance to defeat Georgia Southern. Silly advanced stats metrics, don't you know that in rivalry games you're supposed to throw all records and statistics out the window.</p>
<p>In a battle to determine who's the real GSU, Georgia State defeated Georgia Southern 34-7 behind the arm of Nick Armbuckle as he passed for 346 passing yards and three touchdowns. With the win, State will make their first bowl appearance in school history.</p>
<p>Georgia Southern's potent triple option attack was stuffed all day long. Once Matt Brieda got hurt it was curtains for the Eagle's offense as they were unable to stay on the field to give their defense a rest.</p>
<p>By the time Southern's defense settled in the deficit was too much to overcome as a seven-seven tie entering the second half turned into a 13 point deficit going into the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>Southern's option attack is built to, well, run the ball. Not pass. Once the Eagles had to rely on the passing attack to move the ball down the field State's defense swarmed.</p>
<p>Kevin Ellison threw two interceptions with 53 yards and Fabian Washington didn't fare any better as he completed two passes for 15 yards.</p>
<p>In just his third season in Atlanta, Trent Miles has completely turned around the Georgia State program. In three season Georiga State went winless to bowl eligible.</p>
<p>Next up, both State and Southern will await there postseason destination.</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/5/9855136/georgia-state-upsets-georiga-southern-34-7-bowl-bidCyrus Smith2015-12-04T14:00:02-05:002015-12-04T14:00:02-05:00GSU vs. GSU: FIGHT!
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<p>A week of hate has led to this: #SouthernNotState can close out a 9-3 regular season with a win.</p> <p><b>Start Time:</b> 2:00 p.m. EST, Dec. 5</p>
<p><b>Location: </b>Paulson Stadium, Statesboro, Georgia</p>
<p><b>TV/Streaming:</b> ESPN3.com (The Official Channel of the Sun Belt)/WatchESPN App</p>
<p><b>Radio: </b>Georgia Southern <a href="http://www.wdun.com/listen/">here</a>. Georgia State <a href="http://www.georgiastatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=638342">here</a></p>
<p><b>Records:</b> GSU (8-3, 6-1 Sun Belt), GSU (5-6, 4-3) Figure it out</p>
<p><b>Weather: </b>57 degrees at kickoff, partly cloudy, 9 mph winds</p>
<p><b>Betting Line:</b> Georgia Southern -21. Over/Under of 58.5</p>
<h3>Georgia State Outlook</h3>
<p>As much as it pains this Southern grad to admit it, State has improved this year. Granted, there wasn't really a way for them to get worse, but still.</p>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/georgia-state-panthers">Panthers</a> come into Paulson Stadium riding a three-game win streak and needing an upset victory for a guaranteed bowl birth. Remember, this is a team that went 1-23 during 2013 and 2014.</p>
<p>Coach Trent Miles got the State job based on a reputation for turning around sorry programs, and it appears he may be doing that for the other GSU. The team also got an influx of former UAB players after the Blazers were permanently axed for six months.</p>
<p>Quarterback Nick Arbuckle is the unquestioned leader of the team, and any chance the Panthers have to hang around will hang on on his right arm. Arbuckle has thrown for 23 touchdowns and 3,814 yards, with a 64.2 completion percentage and the Sun Belt's second-highest quarterback rating. They call him "Favrebuckle," and he does have a bit of a Brett Favre habit with 10 interceptions this season.</p>
<p>State burned Southern last year for a lot of yards and will look to do so again this time around. Freshman wide receiver Penny Hart is the squad's most dangerous receiver. The Buford native stands just 5-9 but has seven touchdowns and nearly 1,000 receiving yards.</p>
<p><span>Robert Davis</span>, <span>Donovan Harden</span> and <span>Keith Rucker</span> all know how to catch a ball as well, combining for 14 scores. By yardage Hart and Davis are the Sun Belt's top two WRs.</p>
<p>State does not run the ball well, however, with nearly 80 percent of its yards coming through the air. This means Georgia Southern will be able to drop several players into coverage or, more likely, hit State with a series of different blitz packages to try and put pressure on the QB. Arbuckle isn't the most mobile guy, "rushing" for -82 yards this year.</p>
<p>The Panthers are seventh in the conference in total defense, and actually fare better against the run than the pass.</p>
<p>While Georgia State has improved, their three-game win streak met a collective "meh" from Vegas. State is a three-touchdown dog, the same spread Southern got against South Alabama last week. The Panthers' conference wins have mostly come against basement dwellers, and they managed to fall to a 4-7 ULL team so weak Mark Hudspeth could bench press it 25 times.</p>
<h3>Georgia Southern Outlook</h3>
<p>You could say this team is <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/georgia-southern-eagles/2015/12/3/9838716/georgia-southern-eagles-two-rappers-football-paulson-party-song-music/in/9605383">ready for a #PaulsonParty</a>. It's Senior Day in Statesboro for a class that won two conferences titles and beat Florida in between.</p>
<p>The seniors are 21-2 at Paulson Stadium (29-2 for any fifth-year guys) and haven't lost at home in more than two calendar years. Don't look for anything to change Saturday.</p>
<p>Outside of the whole GSU-GSU deal, this game is a battle of opposing philosophies. Southern is the nation's number one rushing offense. State comes in at number 125. The Panthers are number eight nationally in passing. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/georgia-southern-eagles">Eagles</a> rank number 127 — dead last.</p>
<p>The question then is who do you trust? If you know about the famous quote <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/4/10/8380435/part-2-erk-russell-stories-georgia-southern-football-fans-maybe-havent-heard-sun-belt">from Erk Russell</a>, or the famous quote <a href="http://quoteinvestigator.com/2011/10/04/pass-3-things/">from Darrell Royal</a>, you know the answer is rushing. There are less variables for a successful run game and the clock just melts away.</p>
<p>Not only that, the defense has been a major unsung hero for Georgia Southern this season. In the past it seemed like the secondary was always an achilles heel. That could not be farther from the truth in 2015. Arbuckle will be very lucky to not throw at least one interception, with Antonio Glover alone picking off quarterbacks six times this season. Look for Antwione Williams, Bernard Dawson, Jamal Johnson and others to spend a lot of time in the backfield as well.</p>
<p>Running back Matt Breida needs just five yards to pass 3,000 for his career and he's only a junior. Breida also leads the FBS with five runs of 60-plus yards. Quarterback Kevin Ellison is a master at running the Fritzkrieg and averages more than seven yards a carry. Dangerous.</p>
<p><b>Slightly off-topic rant</b>: If we're going to call this game a rivalry, it should have a better name than "modern hate." That name is a big pet peeve as it contains three major flaws. 1). What kind of rivalry is named after another rivalry? 2.) Georgia and Georgia Tech played last weekend, how is that not modern? 3.) What if the two GSUs are still playing 100 years from now? Doesn't make sense.</p>
<p>Let's get a different name. Leave any good ideas in the comments, although no name might be even better.</p>
<h3>Prediction</h3>
<p><strike>When these two teams meet you can throw out the</strike> Georgia Southern wins and covers.</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/4/9833118/georgia-southern-eagles-vs-georgia-state-panthers-preview-tv-streaming-start-time-betting-lineHaisten Willis2015-12-03T19:16:17-05:002015-12-03T19:16:17-05:00GA Southern vs GA State: You Can Have the "U"
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<p>Yes, I said it. And I mean it. </p> <p>If you <a href="https://twitter.com/AUTigerGSUEagle">follow me on Twitter</a>, then you may have noticed that all season long I have been abbreviating "Georgia Southern" as "GS." Not "GSU," but simply "GS." That's all been building towards this moment.</p>
<p>I know there are people who want Georgia Southern vs Georgia State to be a rivalry. In a way, it is just by being an in-state game. There's been a lot of hate built up since Georgia State announced their football program would begin in 2010. There's been a lot of talk about who is "the real GSU."</p>
<p>First, I have to get one thing straight. When it comes to the academic side of things, it doesn't matter. At all. Both schools have very respectable programs and should be proud to call themselves "GSU." I'm sure Grambling State feels the same way. This is only on the athletics side of things, and primarily football, at that.</p>
<p>Sure, I could talk about having a dedicated basketball arena (even if it is old and in need of serious work) vs a third-floor gym, but that's not germane to the discussion of football, is it?</p>
<h3>The Confusion</h3>
<p>There are plenty of Georgia Southern fans who will disagree with me on this one, but I would rather Georgia Southern fans drop the discussion on "who is the real GSU?" altogether. How many times have you been frustrated when announcers or articles say "Georgia State" when they mean "Georgia Southern"? Why continue to give them more things to be confused about?</p>
<p>There's nothing I've hated more over the last few years than to see Georgia Southern's triumphs mentioned on TV and be referred to as "Georgia State." Or to have people say "GSU? Didn't y'all just start football a few years back?" when I mention Georgia Southern.</p>
<p>You're never going to get rid of the confusion completely, though. Georgia Southern has distanced itself from using "GSU" in anything athletics related, but the names are still just too close for there to not be some slips of the tongue that make people say the wrong thing. Correct where the mistake is made, but never follow up with discussions on who is "the real GSU."</p>
<h3>It Lends Legitimacy</h3>
<p>For a few years, now, we've been subject to claims by Georgia State people that they're going to immediately be successful (proven false many times over) and will surpass Georgia Southern quickly in all areas of football (also proven false). I've even seen claims that the only reason Georgia Southern moved up is because Georgia State did. They want to build the ties. They want to try to say the schools' fates are tied together.</p>
<p>They're not. Georgia Southern could have and should have moved up well over 15 years ago, but the administration wasn't behind it at all. It took a strong administration with a desire for the move to get it to happen. That it happened to be around the time Georgia State started their football program is inconsequential.</p>
<p>Georgia State fans have tried from their beginning to establish supremacy over Georgia Southern. There were all the claims about the Dome being a huge recruiting tool, Atlanta media markets, etc. None of that could change the fact that they were starting from scratch. They didn't let that stop them from acting superior right off the bat, though.</p>
<h3>Where has it gotten them?</h3>
<p>Hey, look, they won their first FBS game this year! They've even won a few of them. Good for them. And one day they'll beat Georgia Southern. It'll happen. I don't think it's this year, but it will happen. However, that's still not ever going to change their status as a commuter school in downtown Atlanta with no solid fan base and zero history of success at football.</p>
<p>Georgia Southern sits in a quiet little southeast Georgia farming town. It's an hour away from beautiful Savannah. Oh, and there are championship flags flying above our stadium. Six of them. In <b><i>our</i></b> stadium. Not in a Dome where we're so low in priority that we get bumped to a Wednesday night just so we can play our first ever game at home. That's Our House.</p>
<p>Yes, those are FCS titles. No, they don't matter on the FBS scene. So why do we still talk about them? Well, you see, the Eagles won them. Six of them. In less than 20 years. Georgia Southern was a constant force on the FCS level. The Eagles were always listed among the elite. Most people respect that. You know why many wouldn't? Because they have no accomplishments of their own. Because some people think that a "media market" is all it takes for someone to be great.</p>
<p>I don't see New York City's college football team doing big things, do you? What do you mean "they don't have one"? Oh, that's right, Media Markets don't automatically equal greatness.</p>
<p>Greatness isn't given to you. Alabama isn't great just because they're Alabama. They're great because Nick Saban is one of the most intense and hardest working coaches in the nation. Where's Tuscaloosa on the "Media Market" list?</p>
<p>They built a tradition starting back at the beginning of their program and continue building off it, today. Georgia Southern is the same way. Georgia State's fans seemed to think that right from the start they were going to be great because of all the things they were given. Now they've been discovering that it takes work. Hard work.</p>
<h3>Runts</h3>
<p>Statesboro is a small town. Georgia Southern was a small school when football restarted. But a great man once said that "runts try harder." Georgia Southern went from small and humble to large and proud. The Eagles didn't get that way because of intangibles, they got that way through intense effort and earned the respect of everyone else along the way.</p>
<p>Do you want to know why Georgia Southern fans hate Georgia State fans? It's because for the last 7-8 years we've been subjected to their sense of superiority. Their arrogance that they are so much better when they have absolutely zero reasons to feel that way.</p>
<p>When I was down at Georgia Southern for grad school, I would drive from Statesboro to Atlanta for drill once per month. Around Exit 90, just 26 miles north of Statesboro, there was a giant billboard announcing Georgia State football was coming soon (this was 2009, early 2010).</p>
<p>There was no earthly business for that billboard to be down there. No one in southeast Georgia would care about Georgia State football. However, a lot of Georgia Southern students are from the Atlanta area and had to pass by that same billboard. It was like they were trying to announce even before they played their first game that they were going to be The Big Thing.</p>
<p>It took them over two years to earn their first conference victory. It took Georgia Southern one year to win the conference. Who's superior, now?</p>
<h3>Take The "U." I Don't Want It.</h3>
<p>Georgia State wants to act like they're the big brother. They're not. They're the insecure little brother who is still growing up. They have no real success to hang their hat on. They want to wave their arms and yell about how they have DA DOME (or are they already moving on to claiming they'll get The Ted, now?). They sit in one of the worst parts of downtown Atlanta and act like they have it made.</p>
<p>I'll take a sleepy little farming town a short drive from the coast any day, you can keep your sky scrapers and dirty streets. I'll take a beautiful campus covered in pine trees, even with the heat and the gnats; it's so much better than breathing in MARTA bus exhaust. I'll take the soft sounds of a lazy little town over the noise of cars honking and sirens blaring. I would much rather deal with the rare traffic from farming equipment than deal with the gridlock of the perimeter.</p>
<p>I don't want to be associated with Georgia State in any way. I don't want the confusion. I don't want people to have to ask which school is which. I don't want to even suggest they're on our level. "Battle for the U"? No. Take the "U." Keep it. We'll be GS, GaSouthern, GASO, I don't care, anything but something that might allow us to be mistaken for that commuter school. They don't deserve the comparison.</p>
<p>One school has a tradition of winning. The other has a tradition of boisterous claims unsubstantiated in any fact.</p>
<p>#HailSouthern. And No Place Else.</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/3/9836174/georgia-southern-vs-georgia-state-you-can-have-the-uWalt Austin2015-12-03T15:46:53-05:002015-12-03T15:46:53-05:00Georgia Southern Replaces "GSU" with "GA.ST" on Georgia State Helmet in FOC<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/Toby_GSU/status/672514533139828736">Georgia Southern Replaces "GSU" with "GA.ST" on Georgia State Helmet in&nbsp;FOC</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Something look different? Georgia Southern places helmets inside its football operations center behind one endzone of Paulson Stadium each week, one for the home team and one for the opponent. This week, that opponent wears a certain set of initials on its lids. Not anymore.</p></p></div>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/12/3/9845120/georgia-southern-replaces-gsu-with-ga-st-on-georgia-state-helmet-inHaisten Willis2015-12-03T09:00:02-05:002015-12-03T09:00:02-05:00Welcome to the #PaulsonParty
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<p>Two Rappers Play for Georgia Southern, and They Want You at the #PaulsonParty </p> <p>When you cruise into Paulson Stadium for the Georgia Southern game against Georgia State this Saturday, listen close. If you do, you'll hear the new Eagles football anthem "Paulson Party."</p>
<p>What's it sound like? Click below:</p>
<p><iframe src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/235838442&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true" frameborder="no" scrolling="no" height="450" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>Not only is this a pretty cool song about Georgia Southern football, it's by two members of the team. The first is redshirt freshman offensive lineman <a href="http://gseagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1463&path=football">Christian "C Will" Williams</a>, and the second is junior safety <a href="http://gseagles.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=1385&path=football">Robert "Two5ive" Brice</a>. Williams' stage name is obvious, and so is Brice's once you learn what number he wears for the Eagles.</p>
<p>The full version dropped Wednesday, but the song was teased in a #GATALifestyle video earlier in the week:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Paulson Party. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://t.co/r01iR6ExiY">pic.twitter.com/r01iR6ExiY</a></p>
— #GATALifestyle (@gatafblifestyle) <a href="https://twitter.com/gatafblifestyle/status/671387265818587140">November 30, 2015</a>
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<p>Since it's not every day someone both plays on the team and makes the hype music, we caught up with C Will to learn his inspiration for the song, how he balances rapping with being a student-athlete and what exactly a Paulson Party is.</p>
<p><b>HW:</b> Not only are you a rapper, you are actually on the football team at Georgia Southern. How are you able to balance doing so much at once?</p>
<p><b>CW: </b>Being both a student-athlete and rapper isn't as hard as people think, you just have to plan your time wisely, and put your all into both if you really love them. And I love them both.</p>
<p><b>HW:</b> How did you get started rapping, what do you enjoy about it and where do you hope to go in your music career?</p>
<p><b>CW:</b> I used to rap all the time in high school and I made a couple songs but I never really started until I got here at GSU. That is when I met Robert "Two5ive" Brice, the second rapper on the song. I hope to take my music career as far as the man above lets me take it, all I know is that I love making music and hope I can continue.</p>
<p><b>HW:</b> Let's talk about the Paulson Party song. Where did you get the idea for it? What's your favorite thing about this song?</p>
<p><b>CW:</b> After I came out with<a href="https://spinrilla.com/mixtapes/official-c-will-revelation-testimony"> my second mixtape on Spinrilla</a> (the biggest mixtape app in America) on Nov. 24, one of my teammates Andy Kwon told me I should make a song about GSU. So, Friday night before the South Alabama game I stayed up and I wrote it. Since we party and never lose in Paulson, I figured it was like a big party, especially considering we have the very BEST fans in America!</p>
<p><b>HW:</b> The official GATALifestyle Twitter account included the song in a recent video clip. How did they find out about the song and decide to use it?</p>
<p><b>CW: </b>Yes GATALifestyle is a blessing and I am thankful for that clip. They found out about it because me and Brice were so stoked about the song that we decided to tell the man behind GATALifestyle about it and he loved it.</p>
<p><b>HW:</b> What exactly is a Paulson Party? Can we expect to hear the song in Paulson Stadium Saturday?</p>
<p><b>CW:</b> Paulson party is simple, we win, we GATA, and our fans help us out on a show. You will definitely hear the song Saturday afternoon. It will be a Paulson Party!</p>
<p><b>HW: </b>BONUS: Music or football, what's more fun?</p>
<p><b>CW:</b> Football would have to be my love, it's my first love!</p>
<p>------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>There you have it. You've got two days to learn this song so you can sing along. I'm assuming you already know how to Paulson Party.</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/georgia-southern-eagles/2015/12/3/9838716/georgia-southern-eagles-two-rappers-football-paulson-party-song-musicHaisten Willis2015-11-30T19:48:56-05:002015-11-30T19:48:56-05:00GSU vs. GSU Hate Week Has Begun
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<p>#SouthernNotState is out in full force.</p> <p>After the first all-time meeting between Georgia Southern and Georgia State ended in a 69-31 win for the Eagles, the countdown to year two began. Now that it's here, Southern fans (full disclosure: <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/2014/10/22/7041125/why-georgia-southern-hates-georgia-state-sun-belt-college-football-rivalry">that includes me</a>) are all over the Internet showing their school pride and disdain for that "other" GSU over in downtown Atlanta.</p>
<p>It's only Tuesday, but that doesn't mean we can't treat ourselves to some of the best #SouthernNotState to surface so far.</p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">That time of the year when a <a href="https://twitter.com/GaStateFB">@GaStateFB</a> Ass whippen is on tap.Buckle up your chin straps you silly wannabes. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GATA?src=hash">#GATA</a> <a href="https://t.co/FglFQSN2Pb">pic.twitter.com/FglFQSN2Pb</a></p>
— Michael Tanner (@Tann1Gsu40) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tann1Gsu40/status/671361913696223232">November 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">You listening <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdobson_7">@mattdobson_7</a> ?? Their fans and players gonna be for a rude awakening come Saturday. <a href="https://t.co/VwP9CQqQfe">pic.twitter.com/VwP9CQqQfe</a></p>
— GoEaglesGATA (@GoEaglesGATA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoEaglesGATA/status/671381588421152768">November 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Let's get this straight! We are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> and we are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheRealGSU?src=hash">#TheRealGSU</a>! <a href="https://t.co/aLoUjP5ppt">pic.twitter.com/aLoUjP5ppt</a></p>
— GA Southern Parking (@GSParking) <a href="https://twitter.com/GSParking/status/671408436165419008">November 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Guess what week it is! Hate state week <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/southernnotstate?src=hash">#southernnotstate</a></p>
— Shelby Todd (@shelbs_madison) <a href="https://twitter.com/shelbs_madison/status/671444396278181888">November 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Raise your hand if you hate Ga State <a href="https://t.co/bgrQEegDCZ">pic.twitter.com/bgrQEegDCZ</a></p>
— Robert Ellis (@therealgsu12) <a href="https://twitter.com/therealgsu12/status/671430769642971136">November 30, 2015</a>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/sunbeltbullies">@sunbeltbullies</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GSAthletics_FB">@GSAthletics_FB</a> How I imagine GA St. marketing meetings <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HateStateWeek?src=hash">#HateStateWeek</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/denythebowlgame?src=hash">#denythebowlgame</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GATA?src=hash">#GATA</a> <a href="https://t.co/KAw4UhcOz5">pic.twitter.com/KAw4UhcOz5</a></p>
— Benjamin Still (@StillBenjamin) <a href="https://twitter.com/StillBenjamin/status/671364834336837632">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Paulson Party. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://t.co/r01iR6ExiY">pic.twitter.com/r01iR6ExiY</a></p>
— #GATALifestyle (@gatafblifestyle) <a href="https://twitter.com/gatafblifestyle/status/671387265818587140">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Last year when Georgia Southern fans took over the Dome against Georgia State <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://t.co/9yCGpaSPlG">pic.twitter.com/9yCGpaSPlG</a></p>
— Hail Southern! (@GaSouthernGATA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaSouthernGATA/status/671394202538897409">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OurHouse?src=hash">#OurHouse</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OneMoreTime?src=hash">#OneMoreTime</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailSouthern?src=hash">#HailSouthern</a> <a href="https://t.co/KuewF0YKVa">pic.twitter.com/KuewF0YKVa</a></p>
— Wartown Eagle (@WartownEagle) <a href="https://twitter.com/WartownEagle/status/671064861611311104">November 29, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailSouthern?src=hash">#HailSouthern</a> <a href="https://t.co/haR4M66s0j">pic.twitter.com/haR4M66s0j</a></p>
— Parker Wynn (@ParkPlace5) <a href="https://twitter.com/ParkPlace5/status/671324722618114048">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I can't wait to open up a bottle of this on Saturday. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailSouthern?src=hash">#HailSouthern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://t.co/qGtLKdCKko">pic.twitter.com/qGtLKdCKko</a></p>
— Ga Southern Troll (@GaSouthernTroll) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaSouthernTroll/status/670728293415522306">November 28, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">GAgState week -a fun time to watch delusional Panthers fans take to Twitter with outlandish claims of upset <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sosilly?src=hash">#sosilly</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/southernnotstate?src=hash">#southernnotstate</a></p>
— Jessica Buffkin (@missjessjones1) <a href="https://twitter.com/missjessjones1/status/671337204116021250">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://t.co/3v0iqebwKU">pic.twitter.com/3v0iqebwKU</a></p>
— GATAgirl Erica (@emoney1789) <a href="https://twitter.com/emoney1789/status/671464708105482240">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">1 fan, 5 screen names. only at georgia state. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailSouthern?src=hash">#HailSouthern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a></p>
— ansley (@ansleymwhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/ansleymwhite/status/671458791423102976">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Of course, Georgia State has their own version of the hashtag, and I would be remiss to not include a few of theirs as well.</p>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Anyone really good at statistics? & willing to make some $. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GSU?src=hash">#GSU</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/statenotsouthern?src=hash">#statenotsouthern</a></p>
— ♛ (@krystalcaliyah) <a href="https://twitter.com/krystalcaliyah/status/669559031653081089">November 25, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Guess I'll go by Saxbys before class .... What time does Starbucks close in the student center <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gsu?src=hash">#Gsu</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateNotSouthern?src=hash">#StateNotSouthern</a></p>
— ✨TerriJ✨ (@iAM_TerriJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/iAM_TerriJ/status/671448741568712704">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">GSU <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/statenotsouthern?src=hash">#statenotsouthern</a> has got to be the most unorganized and administratively challenged universities I have ever attended.</p>
— Sesali (@BadFatBlackGirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/BadFatBlackGirl/status/671369213680963585">November 30, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Keep it coming guys, IT'S HATE WEEK.</p>
<p>---------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>UPDATE: All right, we'll throw in one more.</p>
<p>
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<div class="fb-video" data-allowfullscreen="1" data-href="/StouthouseMedia/videos/vb.169903086358592/1225412280807662/?type=3">
<div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
<blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/StouthouseMedia/videos/1225412280807662/">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/StouthouseMedia/videos/1225412280807662/">Southern, not State 2015</a>
<p>There's just one thing keeping Georgia State from being bowl-eligible.</p>
Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StouthouseMedia/">Stouthouse Media</a> on Monday, November 30, 2015</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2015/11/30/9822726/georgia-southern-eagles-vs-georgia-state-panthers-hate-week-sun-belt-college-footballHaisten Willis2014-10-22T18:00:02-04:002014-10-22T18:00:02-04:00Why GSU Hates GSU
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/BwMp-rxDmNz4Zx_VvmLLoL0aG5I=/0x0:3000x2000/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42479066/20140913_ajw_gb1_038.JPG.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In 2010, Georgia State didn't have a campus, a stadium or a football team. Four years later, they still don't. </p> <p>Earlier this season, I wrote about how Georgia Southern shares one of the South's great rivalries with Appalachian State. But while there's plenty of animosity between the former FCS powers, <a href="http://www.underdogdynasty.com/sun-belt-conference/2014/9/25/6841673/app-state-and-georgia-southern-this-game-college-football-mountaineers-eagles">hate is a strong word</a> when it comes to GSU-ASU.</p>
<p>GSU-GSU? That's Another Story.</p>
<p>The sheer length of <a href="http://csnbbs.com/thread-708745.html">this post</a> on a Sun Belt message board tells you there's no love lost between the Panthers and the Eagles. Before we talk about why, how about a little #SouthernnotState.</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> is <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/THEREALGSU?src=hash">#THEREALGSU</a> ...GA STATE IS THE DEAD <a href="http://t.co/OiEPCy6eo5">pic.twitter.com/OiEPCy6eo5</a></p>
— Billionaire G (@G_YBM) <a href="https://twitter.com/G_YBM/status/524358458217623552">October 21, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Bye week is over. It’s time to GATA in the ATL. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HailSouthern?src=hash">#HailSouthern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GATA?src=hash">#GATA</a> <a href="http://t.co/NFvI412Yu0">pic.twitter.com/NFvI412Yu0</a></p>
— Ga Southern Troll (@GaSouthernTroll) <a href="https://twitter.com/GaSouthernTroll/status/523971159331983360">October 19, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>This will NEVER get old. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SouthernNotState?src=hash">#SouthernNotState</a> <a href="http://t.co/iS4wcV62NI">pic.twitter.com/iS4wcV62NI</a></p>
— Hail-Southern.com (@Hail_Southern) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hail_Southern/status/523122233997549568">October 17, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p><span>Oh yea, Georgia State has their own version.</span></p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Got asked several times while on campus today: companion tickets are $10 and are available at the Sports Arena box office <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StateNotSouthern?src=hash">#StateNotSouthern</a></p>
— Parker Hendricks (@GSUParker) <a href="https://twitter.com/GSUParker/status/524601192748703744">October 21, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p>So there's that. Anyway, why all the hate?</p>
<p><b>"Younger, full-time, 'traditional' college kids"</b></p>
<p>Legendary Georgia Southern coach Erk Russell made "One More Time" part of the school's lore. Fans still yell it after every kickoff (you won't miss it in the Georgia Dome Saturday) and it was <a href="https://twitter.com/GreenGridiron/status/519306084797132800">plastered on the helmets</a> when Southern played Idaho two weeks ago. This weekend though, One More Time is a misnomer. These teams are meeting for the first time.</p>
<p>For years the state of Georgia was a quart low on football teams. As late as 2009, when Alabama had four and Louisiana had five, the Peach State sported just two FBS programs. Georgia Southern and Savannah State were the lone FCS schools, the rest playing in Division II or lower.</p>
<p>Technically, that changed when Georgia State announced on April 17, 2008 it would start a football program. Sort of.</p>
<p>Georgia State was always a strange fit for football. The school's <a href="http://video.realviewtv.com/education/gsu/mobile_overview/?channel=2">scattered Atlanta campus</a> and high percentage of commuter students (17 percent of undergrads live on campus) don't exactly scream traditional college, and certainly don't fit the white-columned image of a southern football school.</p>
<p>That commuter school tag is exactly what State wanted to shake off in hitting the gridiron.</p>
<p>"On-campus Greek housing, which opened this summer, will also attract younger, full-time, 'traditional' college kids," read a <a href="http://www.atlantamagazine.com/great-reads/georgia-state-football-team/">2010 Atlanta Magazine story</a> about the new team. "But football, Georgia State believes, is still the linchpin."</p>
<p>So football happened. They hired former Georgia Tech and Alabama coach Billy Curry to start a program. And man, did they put him to work.</p>
<p>Plenty of stadiums could handle a Georgia State football crowd. Herndon Stadium, Grady Stadium, some lawn chairs scattered around a youth soccer field. Instead, State went with none other than the home of the Atlanta Falcons, the 75,000-seat Georgia Dome.</p>
<p>Coupling these ambitions, it played a year of provisional football and a single year in FCS before transitioning toward the big time in 2012.</p>
<p>Perhaps it's no surprise Curry couldn't keep pace with the whiplash-inducing timeline. Since going 6-5 against a pillow-soft schedule in 2010, they've won a grand total of five games. State is 11-41 all time. They've lost to something called Lambuth, a team so bad it <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/04/15/lambuth_university_to_end_operations">doesn't exist anymore</a>. They've paid students to come to games, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj-BaSYdQsc">literally</a>.</p>
<p>Curry had enough by the end of 2012. The school, recognizing its predicament, hired Trent Miles, whose calling card was turning a dismal Indiana State squad into a decent team. But Miles has struggled just as mightily as Curry. He's 1-18, the win coming by one point against FCS Abilene Christian.</p>
<p>Saturday's game will be Georgia Southern's second in Da Dome. The Eagles beat Middle Tennessee there in 1995. With a victory, Southern can claim more wins against current FBS members in the Dome (2) than State (1).</p>
<p><b>GS vs. GSU</b></p>
<p>Given the history, one could wonder why Southern fans talk about this game at all. A win by State is extremely improbable. If it did happen, pedigree is still in the Eagles' favor and will be for years and years to come.</p>
<p>Georgia Southern is a pretty new team itself, in business since 1981 after dropping football during World War II. In the modern era, it's won six FCS national titles, a bucketful of conference crowns and boasts a .731 all-time winning percentage.</p>
<p>But the truth is Georgia State's foray into football had a huge impact on both schools. State has been around since 1913, yet it re-wrote the fight song and Alma Mater, switched up its logos and changed the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pounce_%28mascot%29">mascot</a> just for the occasion (which explains lyrics like "w<span>e're from the A-T-L, we're gonna give 'em Hell," which don't exactly scream John Phillip Sousa).</span></p>
<p>Oh, and there was one other change: After years of avoiding the term, the school began formally <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_State_Panthers#Addition_of_football">using the initials</a> "GSU." They followed through by slapping the letters on the side of their football helmets. Around the same time, billboards popped up on the interstates leading from one GSU to the other advertising the new team.</p>
<p>The hate was born.</p>
<p>Georgia Southern went so far as to change its primary athletic logo from a stylized "GS" to one spelling out "Georgia Southern" to avoid confusion. Officially, the Sun Belt calls Georgia Southern "GS" and Georgia State "GSU," which is what you'll see on the scoreboard during Saturday's game.</p>
<p>More importantly, Georgia Southern jumped to FBS itself after nearly 30 years at the I-AA/FCS level. State had to be part of the reason. Lest we forget, a year after winning the school's last FCS title in 2000, coach <span>Paul Johnson</span> was offered the job at Navy. He told Southern's then athletic director <span>Sam Baker</span> only one thing might keep him in Statesboro -- a move to the top level of football.</p>
<p>Baker's response? Nah, we're good. That wasn't an option once State entered the scene.</p>
<p>The step up has paid off for the Eagles. They're 4-0 in conference with a good shot at the Sun Belt title, and broke the regular season attendance record earlier this year at Paulson Stadium.</p>
<p>Still, a lot of Southern fans are insulted Georgia State plays in the exact same conference based on nothing more than location.</p>
<p>Remember, the conference realignment craze of 2010-2012 was driven by TV markets. Missouri joined the SEC to grab St. Louis. Colorado brought Denver to the Pac-12. Rutgers lured The Big Apple to The Big Ten. Georgia State, apparently, would bring Atlanta to the Sun Belt.</p>
<p>The problem is none of those other teams actually play in their desired media market. As we'll see Saturday, Georgia Southern has a lot more Atlanta fans than Georgia State.</p>
<p><b>"Southern, not State"</b></p>
<p>The worst part for Southern is a lot of folks can't even remember who is who.</p>
<p>ESPN, especially, cannot separate one GSU from the other to save its life. Part of it is life as a lesser-known FBS school, part is a byproduct of having two schools in the same state, in the same conference, with the same initials.</p>
<p>Part of it is unacceptable.</p>
<p>Even during Southern games <i>in Statesboro, </i>where the school's name is spelled out in four-foot tall letters on the freaking 50 yard line, ESPN's announcers call us Georgia State.</p>
<p>To the unaffiliated it's harmless. To those in the know, they're confusing this:</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>FB: Fun night at Paulson Stadium, 2nd-largest crowd all time. Let's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PackPaulson?src=hash">#PackPaulson</a> for Homecoming Oct. 11! <a href="http://t.co/mnGFdfav5L">pic.twitter.com/mnGFdfav5L</a></p>
— GS Football (@GSAthletics_FB) <a href="https://twitter.com/GSAthletics_FB/status/515992540462723075">September 27, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>with this:</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>This ain't intramurals, brother <a href="http://t.co/78wFzNQGl7">pic.twitter.com/78wFzNQGl7</a></p>
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanWolken/status/504768204192096256">August 27, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p>They're confusing this:</p>
<p> </p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>MASSIVE UPSET IN THE SWAMP! Georgia Southern, more than a four touchdown underdog, beats Florida 26-20.</p>
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/404372514698452992">November 23, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>With this:</p>
<p><span></span></p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Georgia State went 0-12 with the 119th toughest schedule in the country. Smh.</p>
— Roy (@Atta_Boy_Roy) <a href="https://twitter.com/Atta_Boy_Roy/status/407934705644736513">December 3, 2013</a>
</blockquote>
<p> </p>
<p><span> </span></p>
<p>They're confusing six national titles with 11 wins. Confusing the nation's #1 rushing offense with its #114 rush defense. Confusing a classic college town with... downtown Atlanta.</p>
<p>You get the idea. Luckily, a clever Southern fan (who I once shadowed at the Statesboro Herald) came up with this <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=putYM15zC0Y">friendly reminder</a>: It's Southern. Not State.</p>
<p><b>White Out</b></p>
<p>Since Georgia State falls well short of the 15,000 attendance minimum for FBS (an NCAA policy with even less bite than the Panthers), they're uber pumped for the coming influx of Southern fans. Oct. 25 was no coincidence: Georgia is off, Georgia Tech is in Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>State even threw in another cash-drop to beg students through the gates. This could be the biggest event <strike>on campus </strike>at Georgia State since Lambuth closed shop.</p>
<p>To make clear Southern fans aren't pulling for Wrong Name U, Athletic Director Tom Kleinlein has called for a White Out. State has helped by calling for a blue out, but should have called for red: Those seats don't play around at Georgia State games.</p>
<p>The matchup itself shouldn't be close. Signs point to an easy Eagle victory, hopefully a speed bump en route to a Sun Belt championship. The future remains bright for Georgia Southern football.</p>
<p>As for State... I hear Lambuth knows how to fix a football problem.</p>
https://www.underdogdynasty.com/2014/10/22/7041125/why-georgia-southern-hates-georgia-state-sun-belt-college-football-rivalryHaisten Willis