2002 Georgia Southern Eagles football team
{{short description|American college football season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox college sports team season
| year = 2002
| team = Georgia Southern Eagles
| sport = football
| image =
| image_size =
| conference = Southern Conference
| short_conf = SoCon
| TSNRank = 3
| record = 11–3
| conf_record = 7–1
| head_coach = Mike Sewak
| hc_year = 1st
| off_coach = Mitch Ware
| oc_year = 1st
| off_scheme =
| def_coach = Rusty Russell
| dc_year = 6th
| def_scheme =
| captain =
| stadium = Paulson Stadium
| champion = SoCon champion
| bowl = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
| bowl_result = L 28–31 vs. Western Kentucky
}}
{{2002 Southern Conference football standings}}
The 2002 Georgia Southern Eagles football team represented the Georgia Southern University as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon) during the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Led by first-year head coach Mike Sewak, the Eagles compiled an overall record of 11–3 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, winning the SoCon title for the sixth consecutive season. Georgia Southern advanced to the NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship playoffs, where they defeated Bethune–Cookman in the first round and Maine in the quarterfinals before falling to Western Kentucky in the semifinals. Eagles played their home games at Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Georgia.
Schedule
{{CFB schedule
| rankyear = 2002
| rankdivision = NCAA Division I-AA
| poll = The Sports Network
| timezone = Eastern
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = August 29
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| away = y
| rank = 5
| opponent = Delaware
| opprank = 22
| site_stadium = Delaware Stadium
| site_cityst = Newark, DE
| tv =
| score = 19–22
| attend = 19,056
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 7
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 12
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs|title=Gardner–Webb}}
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| tv =
| score = 56–0
| attend = 18,895
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 21
| time = 7:00 pm
| w/l = l
| rank = 9
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=Wofford Terriers|title=Wofford}}
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| tv =
| score = 7–14
| attend = 15,564
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = September 28
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 18
| opponent = Chattanooga
| site_stadium = Finley Stadium
| site_cityst = Chattanooga, TN
| tv =
| score = 38–10
| attend = 8,566
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 5
| time =
| w/l = w
| rank = 18
| opponent = VMI
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| tv =
| score = 52–7
| attend = 15,621
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 12
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 16
| opponent = Western Carolina
| site_stadium = Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium
| site_cityst = Cullowhee, NC
| tv =
| score = 41–24
| attend = 7,749
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 19
| time =
| w/l = w
| rank = 13
| opponent = Appalachian State
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| gamename = rivalry
| tv =
| score = 36–20
| attend = 15,146
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/89892004/no-13-and-growing-up/|work=The Atlanta Constitution|title=No. 13 and growing up|date=October 20, 2002|accessdate=December 1, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = October 26
| time = 2:00 pm
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 10
| opponent = The Citadel
| site_stadium = Johnson Hagood Stadium
| site_cityst = Charleston, SC
| tv =
| score = 28–24
| attend = 16,427
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 2
| time =
| w/l = w
| rank = 9
| opponent = {{cfb link|year=2002|team=East Tennessee State Buccaneers|title=East Tennessee State}}
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| tv =
| score = 40–7
| attend = 16,106
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 9
| time =
| w/l = w
| away = y
| rank = 9
| opponent = Furman
| site_stadium = Paladin Stadium
| site_cityst = Greenville, SC
| tv =
| score = 39–24
| attend = 15,794
| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110109132/georgia-southern-takes-easy-win-over-pal/|work=The Item|title=Georgia Southern takes easy win over Paladins|date=November 10, 2002|accessdate=September 24, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 16
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 4
| opponent = Jacksonville State
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| tv =
| score = 37–13
| attend = 8,544
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = November 30
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Bethune–Cookman
| opprank = 11
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA First Round
| tv =
| score = 34–0
| attend = 7,395
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 7
| time =
| w/l = w
| nonconf = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Maine
| opprank = 7
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal
| tv =
| score = 31–7
| attend = 6,708
}}
|{{CFB schedule entry
| date = December 14
| time = 5:30 pm
| w/l = l
| nonconf = y
| rank = 2
| opponent = Western Kentucky
| opprank = 15
| site_stadium = Paulson Stadium
| site_cityst = Statesboro, GA
| gamename = NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
| tv =
| score = 28–31
| attend = 6,573
}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Georgia Southern Eagles football navbox}}
{{Southern Conference football champions}}
Category:Georgia Southern Eagles football seasons
Category:Southern Conference football champion seasons
Georgia Southern Eagles football
{{collegefootball-2002-season-stub}}