The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Deeper Than Hate

App State14-11Georgia Southern
National Program III#70 of 138–Regional Program III#100 of 138▲
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →
This year’s game — the live preview →
2 players crossed straight to the rival since 2021 — the turncoat ledger →

App State leads the all-time series 14-11. They've met 25 times since 2003. Georgia Southern has won the last 4.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

App State
Transfer portal
-4
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -28
What fans are saying · player performance
One fan believes tryout performances predict pro success
The SBC rated the guy 3rd team. I could care less about his freaking NFL combine ratings. Evidently he was so bad he rated 3rd team SBC.
Verified verbatim
Georgia Southern
Transfer portal
+3
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +6

Stature & the series, 2003–2026

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeApp StateGeorgia Southernevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: App State won, gray: Georgia Southern won)198020002020

The identity war

App State has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 13 seasons of real play-level data (2014–2026), App State led 10 and Georgia Southern led 3.

more passmore runApp StateGeorgia Southern20142016201820202022202420262018App State 21.8 ptsGeorgia Southern won 34-14
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

Georgia Southern once won 4 in a row. The biggest win was Georgia Southern by 47 in 2004. The biggest crowd, 31,876, was in 2025.

The coaching duels

Shawn Clark vs Clay Helton1-2
Dowell Loggains vs Clay Helton0-3
Scott Satterfield vs Willie Fritz1-1
Scott Satterfield vs Tyson Summers2-0

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
25-10
App State leads
1st-rounders
0-0
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
App StateGeorgia Southern
1980s1-0
1990s6-0
2000s3-3
2010s9-5
2020s6-2

Best picks, either side

2012Brian Quick Wide Receiver · St. Louis RamsRd 2, pick 1#33 overall
1986Dino Hackett Linebacker · Kansas City ChiefsRd 2, pick 8#35 overall
2008Dexter Jackson Wide Receiver · Tampa Bay BuccaneersRd 2, pick 27#58 overall
1997Dexter Coakley Linebacker · Dallas CowboysRd 3, pick 5#65 overall
1993Harold Alexander Punter · Atlanta FalconsRd 3, pick 11#67 overall
2013J. J. Wilcox Safety · Dallas CowboysRd 3, pick 18#80 overall
2010Armanti Edwards Wide Receiver · Carolina PanthersRd 3, pick 25#89 overall
2020Darrynton Evans Running Back · Tennessee TitansRd 3, pick 29#93 overall

Recent meetings

Gate premium

Georgia Southern1.10×its own average home crowd

A modest gap over a small sample of games — real, but not a dramatic swing.

2026Georgia Southern19-3
2025Georgia SouthernBirmingham Bowl29-10
2025Georgia Southern25-23App State — decided by 2
2024Georgia Southern29-20
2023App State55-27
2022Georgia Southern51-48
2021App State27-3
2020App State34-26
2019Georgia Southern24-21App State — App State favored by 13.5
2018Georgia Southern34-14App State — App State favored by 11.0
2017App State27-6
2016App State34-10
2015App State31-13
2014Georgia Southern34-14

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is App State’s chance to win through that meeting. App State is 1-2 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter. Fans of both teams were loud at once in 2023. The bracket marks where.

2026Georgia Southern 19-3App State lost 3-19 at Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 26%, low under 1%, high 33%.
2025Georgia Southern 29-10App State lost 10-29 vs Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 30%, low under 1%, high 30%.Steady
2025Georgia Southern 25-23App State lost 23-25 vs Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 68%, low 4%, high 73%.Busy
2024Georgia Southern 29-20App State lost 20-29 at Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 42%, low 11%, high 87%.
2021App State 27-3App State won 27-3 vs Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 92%, low 88%, high better than 99%.
2020App State 34-26App State won 34-26 at Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 78%, low 24%, high 98%.
2019Georgia Southern 24-21App State lost 21-24 vs Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 86%, low under 1%, high 86%.
2018Georgia Southern 34-14App State lost 14-34 at Georgia Southern. Chance to win started at 78%, low under 1%, high 86%.
Read a quote from each meeting
  • 2025
    “That field goal debacle was peak college football”
    A fan of another team
  • 2025
    “what a dumb 2-pt attempt”
    A fan of another team

Meetings with their own story page

12 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2025.