A 2022 survey conducted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources reported a rise in the number of bald eagle nests throughout the state.
The Georgia Southern Eagles are probably not complaining about that. Now after 10 years in the Sun Belt Conference, GSU is still seeking its first appearance in the conference championship game. An influx of eagles could help that cause, as would a few more touchdowns.
Let’s look at how Georgia Southern University came to be known as the Eagles.
Who (or What) Is the Georgia Southern Eagles’ Mascot?
In Jan. 2024, Georgia Southern celebrated the 20th birthday of Freedom, the bald eagle mascot of the university. Found injured and unable to survive in the wild, Freedom was rescued and brought to GSU in 2004 and is now an irreplaceable member of Eagle Nation.
A bald eagle (named Glory) first appeared at Georgia Southern football games in 1998 when Paul Johnson, the eventual head coach at Navy and Georgia Tech, was patrolling the sidelines. Georgia Southern was competing in the Southern Conference (FCS) at the time before its move to FBS.
Freedom is one of only two American bald eagles in the country flying during collegiate football games. In Sept. 2007, just before kickoff, Freedom made his debut flight from the top of the Allen E. Paulson Stadium pressbox to midfield to the cheers of thousands. That flight has become one of the most popular traditions at GSU before each home football game to the roar of thousands of fans.
Both Freedom and Glory live in the campus-based Center for Wildlife Education and The Lamar Q Ball, Jr. Raptor Center, which has a wetlands area, an old-growth forest, and a mountain display.
Why Is Georgia Southern the Eagles?
Georgia Southern has not always gone by Eagles. In fact, that is actually its third attempt to name a mascot.
From 1924 to 1941, when the institution was known as First District Agricultural & Mechanical School, the nickname was the Blue Tide. Then, following the conclusion of World War II, athletic teams were referred to as the Professors, as the school had become the Georgia Teachers College.
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In 1959, when the school was renamed Georgia Southern College, students voted to choose a new mascot, and the Eagles won out over the Colonels by a narrow margin. The eagle was selected because bald eagles are the national symbol of the United States and can only be found in North America.
As the legacy of the Eagles grows at Georgia Southern, and perhaps Clay Helton leads the team to a couple more victories in the seasons ahead, the population of eagles in the Peach State will continue to soar.