Georgia Southern’s Monken: ‘We Expected to Win the Game’

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Georgia Southern did the unthinkable Saturday when the Eagles went into “The Swamp” and knocked off the Florida Gators, 26-20.

Just two days later, their head coach made a stop in Macon.

Jeff Monken was the guest speaker at Monday’s Macon Touchdown Club meeting.  The coach spoke about the team’s big win, which he said was in no way a fluke.

Georgia Southern led the game 20-10 late in the third quarter before a Florida rally tied it up at 20. 

It was no problem for the Eagles, though.  They scored again late in the fourth and held on to a 6-point lead to give Florida its first loss to an FCS team since 1946.

“We expected to win the game,” Monken said after he was asked if he’s had time to let the win sink in.  “We went into the football game expecting to win, prepared to win, and as I told our team, “Don’t be surprised when it happens.’  So, I guess I’m not surprised it happened. I think our kids were prepared, they played as hard as they could, and I believe we’ve got a great football program at Georgia Southern capable of beating anybody when we play our brand of football.”

The brand Monken speaks of is the triple option offense, which Florida just couldn’t figure out.

The Eagles had zero passing yards in the game, but they didn’t need any.  They rushed for 429.

Georgia Southern will move to the FBS next season where it will play in the Sun Belt Conference.