By: Capers Childs

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Georgia Southern football enters the 2026 season looking to build off a 7-6 campaign that ended with a Birmingham Bowl victory over App State.

But with a number of new faces across the roster, the Eagles will have plenty to prove as they look to take the next step under head coach Clay Helton.

One of the biggest changes comes at quarterback, where seventh-year transfer Max Johnson brings plenty of experience to an Eagles offense looking to replace JC French IV and last season’s production.

Johnson, a 6-foot-5 Athens native, joins Georgia Southern after he previously played at LSU, Texas A&M and North Carolina. He steps into an offense that must replace all 11 starters from last season, making his experience especially valuable as the Eagles navigate a roster filled with new faces.

Johnson has made 24 career starts at the Power Four level, giving Georgia Southern a quarterback who has already faced some of the highest levels of competition in college football. His experience will be especially important as he works to build chemistry with a new group of offensive players and establish an identity for the Eagles early in the season.

After spending his career at Power Four programs, Johnson now gets the opportunity to lead a new-look Georgia Southern offense in his final season of college football.

Fifth-year wide receiver Josh Dallas will be a familiar face for many Eagles fans. Dallas appeared in just two games in 2025 after suffering a hip injury but returns as one of the more experienced pieces of the Georgia Southern offense.

He has appeared in 26 games during his career and will look to provide Johnson with a reliable target as the Eagles work to establish a new identity on offense.

While the Eagles have plenty of new faces on offense, a lot of experience returns on the other side of the ball.

Sixth-year defensive back Chance Gamble returns as one of Georgia Southern’s most experienced defensive leaders and will look to take a step forward.

Outside linebacker MJ Stroud also returns after recording 6.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season, giving the Eagles another proven playmaker on the defensive front.

With Gamble leading the secondary and Stroud providing pressure, Georgia Southern will look to its veteran defenders to anchor a defense looking to improve in 2026.

The Eagles will not have much time to find their identity before facing some of their biggest tests this season. Georgia Southern opens its season at home against Charleston Southern before traveling to Clemson on Sept. 12 for a matchup against one of the nation’s top programs.

The Eagles then return to Paulson Stadium on Sept. 26 to host Houston, giving Georgia Southern another Power Four opponent — but this time in front of its home crowd.

The matchup represents a rare opportunity for the Eagles to welcome a Power Four program to Statesboro and test themselves against that level of competition on their home field.

After opening Sun Belt play, Georgia Southern will face several familiar conference opponents, including James Madison, Old Dominion, App State and Marshall, and these promise to be some intense matchups.

With Clemson waiting on the road and Houston coming to Statesboro, the Eagles will have two early opportunities to measure themselves before conference play begins.

Combined with a new-look offense and veteran defensive leaders, Georgia Southern enters 2026 with plenty of questions to answer — but also plenty of opportunities to prove it can take the next step.