1989 Georgia Southern Eagles football team

American college football season

1989 Georgia Southern Eagles football

NCAA Division I-AA champion

NCAA Division I-AA Championship, W 37–34 vs. Stephen F. Austin

Conference| Independent
Record| 15–0
Head coach|

* Erk Russell (8th season)

Offensive coordinator| Tim Stowers (2nd season)
Home stadium| Paulson Stadium
(capacity: 18,000)

Seasons

<- 1988

1990 ->

1989 NCAA Division I-AA independents football standings

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| Conf |  |  | Overall
Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 Georgia Southern ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 12  | - | 0  | - | 0
No. 14 Youngstown State ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 9  | - | 3  | - | 0
No. T–10 William & Mary ^  |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 1
Liberty |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 7  | - | 3  | - | 0
Western Kentucky |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
James Madison |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 1
Lamar |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 0
Arkansas State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Nicholls State |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Samford |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Northeastern |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 0
Fordham |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 6  | - | 0
Towson |  |  | - |  |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0

* ^ - NCAA Division I-AA playoff participant

Rankings from NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee poll

The 1989 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented Georgia Southern College (now known as Georgia Southern University) as an independent during the 1989 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by Erk Russell in his eighth and final year as head coach, the Eagles compiled a record of 15–0 and won the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship, the program's third national title in five seasons. After completing an 11–0 regular season, Georgia Southern advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, beating Villanova in the first round, Middle Tennessee, in the quarterfinals, Montana in the semifinals, and Stephen F. Austin in NCAA Division I-AA Championship Game. The Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia.

## Schedule[edit]

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

|
|
|
|
|
|

September 2| Valdosta State| No. 2|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 31–10| 16,007|
September 9| West Georgia| No. 2|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 48–7| 11,939|
September 16| vs. Florida A&M| No. 2|

* Gator Bowl
* Jacksonville, FL

| W 28–0| 13,481|
September 21| Middle Tennessee| No. 3|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 26–0| 16,449|
October 7| Savannah State| No. 2|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 35–14| 20,507|
October 14| at Nicholls State| No. 2|

* John L. Guidry Stadium
* Thibodaux, LA

| W 21–13| 5,286|
October 21| UCF| No. 2|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 31–17| 19,640|
October 28| at Samford| No. 2|

* Seibert Stadium
* Birmingham, AL

| W 52–7| 6,042|
November 4| at James Madison| No. 2|

* JMU Stadium
* Harrisonburg, VA

| W 36–21| 11,685| [1]
November 11| Chattanooga| No. 1|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 34–13| 24,078|
November 18| Marshall| No. 1|

* Paulson Stadium
* Statesboro, GA

| W 63–31| 16,323|
November 25| No. 16 Villanova| No. 1|

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

| W 52–36| 10,161| [2]
December 2| No. 10 Middle Tennessee| No. 1|

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

| W 45–3| 11,272|
December 9| No. 6 Montana| No. 1|

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

| W 45–15| 10,421|
December 16| No. 3 Stephen F. Austin| No. 1|

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

| W 37–34| 25,725|

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

[3]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Rally pushes Southern to 9–0". The Atlanta Constitution. November 5, 1989. Retrieved October 13, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
2. ^ "Eagles rally past Villanova 52–36". The Atlanta Journal and Constitution. November 26, 1989. Retrieved April 21, 2022 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "1989 Football Schedule". CFBDataWarehouse.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2017.

## External links[edit]

* 1989 Football Media Guide at gseagles.com

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1989 Georgia Southern Eagles football—NCAA Division I-AA national champions

* Brad Bernard
* David Cool
* Giff Smith
* Kevin Whitley

* Head coach: Erk Russell

* Assistant coaches: John Pate
* Tommy Spangler
* Tim Stowers

* v
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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

National championship seasons in bold

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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

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1989 NCAA Division I-AA football playoff participants

* Appalachian State
* Eastern Illinois
* Eastern Kentucky
* Furman
* Georgia Southern
* Grambling State
* Idaho
* Jackson State
* Maine
* Middle Tennessee
* Missouri State
* Montana
* Stephen F. Austin
* Villanova
* William & Mary
* Youngstown State

Champion – Georgia Southern Eagles

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