App State will close out their regular season Saturday in a road matchup with Georgia Southern, a matchup with a history so intense that the game has become known as “Deeper Than Hate.” 

“This game has a little bit more added to it because it’s such a great rivalry game,” said head coach Shawn Clark. “They have a great fan base, it’s going to be a hostile environment.”

The Mountaineers hold a 13-12 all-time advantage against the Eagles, dating back to 1987. This is a rematch of last year’s regular season finale, which ended in a dominant win for App State.

The Black and Gold come in 5-5 and fourth in the Sun Belt East Division. Their previous matchup ended in a 34-20 victory against James Madison last Saturday at The Rock.

Georgia Southern is 7-4 and sits second in the Sun Belt East Division. They will come into the contest following a 26-6 win over Coastal Carolina. 

“Their offense is putting up great numbers, they have a great quarterback, they’re really good at the skill position, their offensive line has been playing very well,” Clark said. 

Holding teams to 20 points in two of their last three games, App State’s defense will need another standout game to contain this high-powered Eagles offense.

With Georgia Southern’s passing defense coming in ranked last in the Sun Belt, the Black and Gold will have opportunities to exploit them through the air. Junior wide receiver Makai Jackson led the James Madison game in receiving yards with 162 and a touchdown.

A win this weekend would make the Mountaineers bowl eligible, with six wins and a record above .500. A loss would end their season. 

“We know what’s at stake. This is a chance for postseason play,” Clark said. “We have a task at hand and that’s what we are going to concentrate on this weekend.”

The game will kick off at 6 p.m. Saturday and can be streamed on ESPN+.