The quest for a fifth national championship begins for the Georgia Bulldogs. Find out how you can watch every game for free this season.

Georgia State has lost four straight games since its lone victory of the season, 37-21 over FCS opponent Murray State on Sept. 13. The Panthers had a particularly deflating defeat last week, getting outscored 21-0 in the fourth quarter of a 41-24 loss at in-state rival Georgia Southern.

Athlon Sports’ Steven Lassan provides his expert prediction for South Alabama vs. Georgia State on Friday in Week 9 of the college football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs received a disappointing bowl protection after Week 8 when they took down No. 5 Ole Miss.

Both South Alabama and Georgia State need to win out to become bowl-eligible, which means the loser of Thursday night’s game is guaranteed a losing record and no postseason berth. The Jaguars enter the game having lost six straight, while the Panthers have lost four in a row.

Georgia Tech is 6-0 and bowl eligible already, heading into their big week eight matchup against Duke. The Yellow Jackets got a 35-20 win over Virginia Tech on

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:02 p.m. on ESPN+, with Georgia Southern also hosting its annual Homecoming and “White Out” game. The Eagles are 15-6 at Paulson Stadium under Helton and have gone 3-3 against the Panthers on their home field.