▁The ▁E ag les ▁have ▁won ▁six ▁FC S ▁( I - AA ) ▁national ▁champion ships ▁and ▁have ▁produced ▁two ▁Walter ▁Pay ton ▁Award ▁w inners . ▁The ▁E ag les ▁first ▁continu ously ▁field ed ▁a ▁football ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 ; ▁however , ▁play ▁was ▁susp ended ▁for ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁and ▁rev ived ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 . ▁The ▁E ag les ▁competed ▁as ▁an ▁FC S ▁independent ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁as ▁the ▁E ag les ' ▁main ▁conference ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁Trans ▁America ▁Athlet ic ▁Conference ▁( now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Sun ▁Conference ), ▁did ▁not ▁spons or ▁football , ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁Conference ▁from ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁winning ▁ 1 0 ▁So Con ▁champion ships . ▁Georgia ▁Southern ▁joined ▁the ▁Sun ▁B elt ▁Conference ▁upon ▁transition ing ▁to ▁the ▁F BS ▁level ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁The ▁E ag les ▁won ▁the ▁Sun ▁B elt ▁Conference ▁championship ▁out right ▁in ▁its ▁first ▁year ▁as ▁an ▁F BS ▁member . ▁Georgia ▁Southern ' s ▁main ▁Sun ▁B elt ▁rival ▁is ▁App al ach ian ▁State . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Early ▁history ▁As ▁First ▁District ▁A & M , ▁the ▁school ▁began ▁organ izing ▁football ▁teams ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 9 0 9 . ▁However , ▁the ▁college ▁first ▁continu ously ▁field ed ▁a ▁team