Georgia Southern

The Eagles enter 2026 with significant offensive uncertainty after losing quarterback JC French IV to Cincinnati via the transfer portal, creating a competition for the starting role that will define their season trajectory. Georgia Southern's JP+ rating of -8.1 points ranks 110th nationally, with an offense grading at -0.7 (#74) masking deeper continuity concerns and a defense struggling at -7.8 (#129). The transfer portal brought notable additions including quarterback Max Johnson from North Carolina and receivers Ashton Hollins from Illinois and Cam'Ron King from Auburn, but the Eagles lost considerable production with 18 departures compared to 17 arrivals.

JP+ projects 5.6 wins for Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt conference that should provide opportunities against teams like Marshall at home and Georgia State on the road, though road tests at Clemson and Jacksonville State loom as potential season-defining challenges. The offensive line reset combines with quarterback uncertainty to create a fragile replacement ecosystem that could significantly impact the team's ability to improve on last year's 6-6 record. If the new signal-caller can establish rhythm early and the defense shows improvement from its bottom-tier ranking, the Eagles could surprise in conference play. If not, another mediocre season awaits in Statesboro.