Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 4.14
Allen E. Paulson Stadium 207 Lanier Dr Statesboro, GA 30458
Year Opened: 1984
Capacity: 25,000
The Prettiest Little Stadium in America
The history of Georgia Southern football is a bit of a tail of two programs. Initially named District One A&M, college football was first played on the Statesboro, Georgia campus in 1909, but it would not be until 1929 when a team would be fielded on a regular basis. Like a handful of other schools at the time, the University would suspend the football program during World War II, but like in-state counterpart Mercer, the program would remain dormant for decades after.
Football would return to Statesboro in 1982, and it would not take long for the Eagles to make their return felt, winning the 1-AA National Championship in just their fourth season. Georgia Southern would win five more championships (1986, 1989, 1990,1999, and 2000) before making the jump to college football’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Food and Beverage 4
Paulson Stadium does a good job incorporating many of the local tastes of Statesboro into its stadium concessions – local BBQ joint Dolan’s, burritos from Surcheros Fresh Mex, and Stoner’s Pizza Joint can be found on both sides of the stadium. A handful of food trucks are also available on the home side concourse, which includes local Saucy Shrimp, while a tent also serves the uniquely southern boiled peanuts in both traditional and Cajun styles. Additional traditional concession stands have somewhat limited menus of burgers and hot dogs, but given the numerous other options around the stadium, the limited choices at the main stands are not a massive disappointment.
Those looking to satisfy a sweet tooth have plenty of ways to do so – Italian ice, flavored kettle corn, Dippin’ Dots, and ice cream, along with typical concession stand candy options, are widely available.
Soft drinks here come from the Coca-Cola line, along with PowerAde, while alcoholic beverages are limited to beer, premixed cocktails, and seltzers – beers include those from the Budweiser family, as well as craft brews from Creature Comforts Tropicalia and the Georgia Southern-branded “Hail Southern” lite beer from Fire Maker Brewing Company. Cutwater, Nūtrl seltzers, and premixed Georgia Southern Eagle-themed cocktails are also available.
Atmosphere 4
Many of the best college football environments are rooted deep in the traditions that are unique to the individual campuses. The traditions that surround Georgia Southern football rival those at many of its larger counterparts.
Since 1982 the team has boarded yellow school buses that the university purchased from the local school district for just $1, after which the players roll around campus singing “The Valley Song” as they make their way through the tailgating lot for the Eagle Walk, through well-wishing fans and into the stadium.
There might not be a more dramatic pregame entrance than one involving the flying of a bald eagle – following the pregame performance of the Pride of the South Marching Band, and prior to the Eagles taking the field, Freedom, the school’s live bald eagle mascot, takes off from atop the press box and swoops to its target at midfield, to mass approval from the fans.
Paulson Stadium started as a bit of a basic stadium, and though it has seen significant upgrades over the years, it still holds on to a bit of its simplicity. Georgia Southern does a good job making Paulson Stadium as intimate a venue as possible; stands run the length of the field but are just 20 rows deep on each side, with the far side stands capped with a similar number of seats. Several types of suites are built into the alumni side, at both the field level and the press box level of seating. In addition, social gathering seating is found at either end of the stadium as part of the Gene Bishop Field House and the Bud Lite Cabanas, which front the Ted Smith Family Football Center – the seating layout and smaller sections really concentrate the fan excitement around the field, adding to the overall atmosphere.
Though the Pride of the South Marching Band does play a role in the entertainment during stoppages in play, it is mostly in-house music played over the stadium speakers that fills the time until the game restarts. The band does add short musical drops between plays, but it is mostly the prerecorded music that dominates the stadium experience throughout games here.
Night games certainly add another dynamic to the game experience – the LED lighting at Paulson Stadium allows the facility lights to be turned off, as fans light up the seating bowl with the flashlights from their cell phones, while bobbing to the beat of the in-house music. In addition, blue lighting accenting each of the lighting stanchions adds another element of Eagles personalization to the stadium.
Neighborhood 3
Paulson Stadium is on Georgia Southern’s southernmost reaches of campus. This does remove it a bit from Statesboro’s “Blue Mile”, a recently redeveloped stretch of road that leads from the northwestern edge of campus to downtown Statesboro. The nearby Eagles Corner shopping development is full of eateries serving all meals of the day, and also has a grocery store for picking up last minute tailgating necessities.
In proximity to the center of campus, Dingus McGee’s is just off the northeast edge of campus and is a popular spot during pregame. Also, for those needing to pick up Eagles gear prior to heading to the stadium, they can run next door to the Southern Exchange Company.
While Paulson Stadium is a bit isolated when it comes to surrounding campus athletic facilities, in December of 2024 the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center will open nearly across the street to serve as the home of Georgia Southern men’s and women’s basketball.
Though not in the immediate vicinity, Savannah, Georgia is close enough to be part of a weekend visit to Statesboro.
Fans 4
Much of what makes the college athletics special is the involvement of the student body, and Georgia Southern students deserve a lot of credit for the energy they bring to Paulson Stadium. Students fill nearly the entirety of the field level seating that runs from end zone to end zone behind the visitor side of the field.
While the students deserve a lot of credit for the atmosphere they help create, the alumni and other fans also do their part in setting the tone of the excitement that surrounds the game. As a whole, the fan base is extremely responsive not just to the highs and lows of the game, but also to the call and response cheers that are typically led by the school’s mascot, Gus. Between alternating volleys of “Who’s House?!?...Our House!!!” and “Georgia…Southern!!!”, the fans do a great job playing off each other to create an extremely fun college football atmosphere.
Access 4
Statesboro certainly is not the easiest place to get to – approximately an hour west of the Georgia port city of Savannah and two hours from central Georgia’s Macon, Statesboro does break up the monotonous farmland between the two cities.
At Paulson Stadium there is limited parking, but lots a bit further away from the stadium do provide shuttle service from the Russell Union, which does have free parking. This does make these parking lots a bit more attractive.
The stadium itself has multiple entrances on each side, which helps in limiting backups at the gates. Fans tend to be slow making their way from the tailgating lots into the stadium, but this does seem to alleviate long lines getting into the facility.
Once in Paulson Stadium, the concourse runs completely around the seating areas, making navigation between the two sides rather simple. The walkway does pass behind buildings at either end of the stadium, however as well as behind the press box and suites structure and group seating areas, so the field is not always in sight while making the trek from one side to the other.
There certainly are obstacles when it comes to accessing Paulson Stadium and being able to keep the game in sight, but Georgia Southern certainly takes these challenges into consideration, and takes steps to lessen their impact on the overall experience.
Return on Investment 5
Individual game tickets start at $20 for seating along any of the grassy hills in the corners of the stadium, with seats on the second level of the visiting side starting at $26. Parking can be purchased in advance for $20 for the tailgating lot, or for $25 on the day of. Free parking is available at the Russell Union, and free shuttles bring fans to the stadium. If having a designated tailgating spot at the stadium is not a high priority, the latter might be the way to go if you are looking to save a few dollars on the overall cost associated with attending an Eagles game.
Extras 5
The most successful coach in Georgia Southern history, Erskine “Erk” Russell, is widely acknowledged around the stadium, from his recognition in the stadium’s ring of honor on the façade of the press box to graphics of the championship victories he led. A bust of Russell sits at field level just outside the Eagles entrance to the field, and a statue welcomes fans just outside the western gates, depicting Russell in his trademark “One More Time” pregame t-shirt, with a gallon of water from the “Beautiful Eagle Creek” at his feet.
The back side of the seating areas are used to tell the story of Georgia Southern football – from recognizing the Eagles six NCAA I-AA National Championships to commemorating their upset wins against Florida and Nebraska. The home side stands also pay tribute to Eagles national and conference championships, along with recognizing the players and coaches who have written the history of the program.
The flight of Freedom, the live eagle mascot, before the game has been dubbed “The Most Exciting 30 Seconds in College Football”, and is breathtaking – much like at Auburn football games, it certainly is a dramatic way to get the game started.
The Georgia Southern mascot Gus certainly makes his presence felt throughout the game; Gus regularly can be found doling out fist bumps and high fives to fans, or jumping in the student section to mix it up a bit.
One of the draws of college athletics is that it is often a source of local and institutional pride that brings the team, students, alumni, and community together. As an illustration of this, at Paulson Stadium the team gathers after the game in front of the Pride of the South Marching band, win or lose, to pay tribute to the school and sing the school’s alma mater.
Final Thoughts
Rooted in years of tradition and success at the then I-AA level, before the Eagles jump to the FBS, Georgia Southern football is widely recognized as one of the elite programs in smaller college football. Despite its secluded location in rural Georgia, a visit to Statesboro offers a truly special experience for fans seeking college football on a more intimate scale.
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