1985 Georgia Southern Eagles football team

American college football season

1985 Georgia Southern Eagles football

NCAA Division I-AA champion

NCAA Division I-AA Championship, W 44–42 vs. Furman

Conference| Independent
Record| 13–2
Head coach|

* Erk Russell (4th season)

Offensive coordinator| Paul Johnson (1st season)
Offensive scheme| Option
Defensive coordinator| Len Gravelson (1st season)
Base defense| 4–4
Home stadium| Paulson Stadium

Seasons

<- 1984

1986 ->

1985 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings

* v
* t
* e

| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 9 Georgia Southern ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 13  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 11 Eastern Washington ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. 18 Richmond |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Colgate |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 1
Delaware |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Tennessee State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
No. 16 William & Mary |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Lafayette |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
James Madison |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Lehigh |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Holy Cross |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 6  | - | 1
Florida A&M |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Western Kentucky |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Bucknell |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Northeastern |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0

* ^ - NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1985 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented the Georgia Southern Eagles of Georgia Southern College (now known as Georgia Southern University) during the 1985 NCAA Division I-AA football season. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia. The team was coached by Erk Russell, in his fourth year as head coach for the Eagles.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Opponent| Rank| Site| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 7| vs. Florida A&M| |

* Gator Bowl
* Jacksonville, FL (Bold City Classic)

| W 27–21| 18,086| [1]
September 14| Middle Tennessee| |

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| L 10–35| 9,227| [2]
September 21| at Troy State| |

* Veterans Memorial Stadium
* Troy, AL

| W 17–10| 6,400| [3]
September 28| at Chattanooga| |

* Chamberlain Field
* Chattanooga, TN

| W 19–14| 8,892| [4]
October 5| Tennessee Tech| |

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 34–0| 9,152| [5]
October 12| Bethune–Cookman| No. 19|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 46–24| 8,063| [6]
October 26| Newberry| No. 8|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 38–17| 12,831| [7]
November 2| at James Madison| No. 7|

* JMU Stadium
* Harrisonburg, VA

| L 6–21| 5,000| [8]
November 9| UCF| No. 16|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 35–18| 7,759| [9]
November 16| East Tennessee State| No. 12|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 46–7| 8,142| [10]
November 23| at South Carolina State| No. 10|

* Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
* Orangeburg, SC

| W 43–30| 6,543| [11]
November 30| No. 15 Jackson State| No. 9|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA (NCAA Division I-AA First Round)

| W 27–0| 4,128| [12]
December 7| at No. 1 Middle Tennessee| No. 9|

* Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium
* Murfreesboro, TN (NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal)

| W 28–21| 9,500| [13]
December 14| at No. 4 Northern Iowa| No. 9|

* UNI-Dome
* Cedar Falls, IA (NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal)

| W 40–33| 12,300| [14]
December 21| vs. No. T–2 Furman| No. 9|

* Tacoma Dome
* Tacoma, WA (NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game)

| W 44–42| 5,306| [15]

* Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee Poll released prior to the game

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Georgia So. outlasts FAMU, 27–21". Pensacola News Journal. September 16, 1984. Retrieved November 13, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "MTSU rambles 35–10 over Georgia Southern". The Tennessean. September 15, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Ham paces Ga. Southern to 17–10 win". The Atlanta Constitution. September 22, 1985. Retrieved November 11, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Ham leads Eagles over UTC 19–13". The Atlanta Journal & Constitution. September 29, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Southern routs Tech". The Daily News-Journal. October 6, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Southern takes 46–24 victory". The Macon Telegraph & News. October 13, 1985. Retrieved September 7, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "Georgia Southern rolls past Newberry". The Greenville News. October 27, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
8. ^ "James Madison Dukes upend Georgia Southern, 21–6". The Daily News Leader. November 3, 1985. Retrieved October 12, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
9. ^ "Georgia Southern rallies to down Central Florida". Indian River Press Journal. November 10, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
10. ^ "Ham leads Southern ro 46–7 win". The Macon Telegraph & News. November 17, 1985. Retrieved November 20, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
11. ^ "Georgia Southern explosion buries S.C. State 43–30". The State. November 24, 1985. Retrieved September 7, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Georgia Southern advances". The Columbus Ledger. December 1, 1985. Retrieved April 8, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "Georgia Southern earns date against UNI with upset win". The Waterloo Courier. December 8, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
14. ^ "Southern wins, moves into final with Furman". The Macon Telegraph & News. December 15, 1985. Retrieved December 1, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
15. ^ "Erk's Eagles land with a title". The Atlanta Constitution. December 22, 1985. Retrieved March 26, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.

## External links

[edit]

* 1985 Football Media Guide at gseagles.com

* v
* t
* e

1985 Georgia Southern Eagles football—NCAA Division I-AA national champions

* Brad Bernard
* Tracy Ham
* Fred Stokes

* Head coach: Erk Russell

* Assistant coaches: Paul Johnson
* John Pate
* Mike Sewak
* Tim Stowers

* v
* t
* e

Georgia Southern Eagles football

Venues|

* Womack Stadium (1982–1983)
* Paulson Stadium (1984–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Appalachian State
* Georgia State

Culture & lore|

* Freedom
* GUS
* "Georgia Southern Fight Song"
* Southern Pride Marching Band

People|

* Head coaches
* Statistical leaders
* NFL draftees

Seasons|

* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942–1981
* 1982
* 1983
* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

National championship seasons in bold

* v
* t
* e

NCAA Division I-AA/FCS football champions

1970s|

* 1978: Florida A&M
* 1979: Eastern Kentucky

1980s|

* 1980: Boise State
* 1981: Idaho State
* 1982: Eastern Kentucky
* 1983: Southern Illinois
* 1984: Montana State
* 1985: Georgia Southern
* 1986: Georgia Southern
* 1987: Northeast Louisiana
* 1988: Furman
* 1989: Georgia Southern

1990s|

* 1990: Georgia Southern
* 1991: Youngstown State
* 1992: Marshall
* 1993: Youngstown State
* 1994: Youngstown State
* 1995: Montana
* 1996: Marshall
* 1997: Youngstown State
* 1998: UMass
* 1999: Georgia Southern

2000s|

* 2000: Georgia Southern
* 2001: Montana
* 2002: Western Kentucky
* 2003: Delaware
* 2004: James Madison
* 2005: Appalachian State
* 2006: Appalachian State
* 2007: Appalachian State
* 2008: Richmond
* 2009: Villanova

2010s|

* 2010: Eastern Washington
* 2011: North Dakota State
* 2012: North Dakota State
* 2013: North Dakota State
* 2014: North Dakota State
* 2015: North Dakota State
* 2016: James Madison
* 2017: North Dakota State
* 2018: North Dakota State
* 2019: North Dakota State

2020s|

* 2020: Sam Houston State
* 2021: North Dakota State
* 2022: South Dakota State
* 2023: South Dakota State

* v
* t
* e

1985 NCAA Division I-AA football playoff participants

* Akron
* Arkansas State
* Eastern Washington
* Furman
* Georgia Southern
* Grambling State
* Idaho
* Jackson State
* Middle Tennessee
* Nevada
* Northern Iowa
* Rhode Island

Champion – Georgia Southern Eagles

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*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number