Georgia Southern was a force in the old NCAA Division I-AA, winning six national titles from 1985-2000.

The Eagles have kept up their winning ways since moving up from what is now FCS to FBS in 2013.

Georgia Southern beat Florida in its season finale last year, and is off to a 4-2 start this year, and leading the Sun Belt Conference at 3-0.

"They've been a great program for years," said Idaho coach Paul Petrino, whose Vandals (0-5, 0-3 Sun Belt) travel to Statesboro, Ga., to face the Eagles this afternoon at Paulson Stadium. "When their players step on the field, they expect to win, and that's where we've got to get, so that three years down the road, when (quarterback) Matt (Linehan) is a senior, we step on the field and the whole team expects to win."

Georgia Southern is in its second year of transition from FCS to FBS, and is conditionally eligible for a bowl only if there are not enough bowl-eligible teams. The Eagles are in their first season in the Sun Belt, after being in the Southern Conference last year.

Georgia Southern, another option team, boasts the top two rushers in the Sun Belt in running back Matt Breida (676 yards, 8 touchdowns) and quarterback Kevin Ellison (637 yards, 5 TD).

"Their quarterback is really fast," Petrino said. "His whole life he's been running wishbone under center, now he's running it from shotgun.

"But they're a team we can go beat. We just have to battle them; we have to find a way to get it done."

Petrino laughed when asked if he would prefer to play the Vandals' remaining games on the road, since Idaho has fared better away from home so far this season.

"We've got to beat them (Georgia Southern), or they might run the table, because they don't play Louisiana-Lafayette or Arkansas State," Petrino said.

Georgia Southern's two losses have come to established FBS programs, N.C. State (24-23) and Georgia Tech (42-38). The Eagles won 36-28 at New Mexico State last week.

Idaho has lost 12 straight games, dating back to the middle of last season.