STATESBORO -- Another Georgia Southern football season, another 11 chances (or more) for heart failure.

The Eagles opened the season as if it was 2008 all over again.

They rallied twice before sophomore Adrian Mora kicked a career-long 44-yarder to break a tie with 40 seconds left, giving Southern a thrilling 29-26 victory over Albany on Saturday before 18,118 fans in Paulson Stadium.

"It's nothing now to come here and play an exciting game," said GSU quarterback Lee Chapple, a sophomore who has been a part of seven games during 12-game career decided by three points or less or in overtime.

Mora, who was named a preseason honorable mention All-America by College Sporting News, had missed badly from 51 yards during the third quarter.

But his next kick was the money ball.

"(Money ball) is how we prepare in practice," Mora said. "We'll kick all day, but the money ball is the special kick. You never know when it's going to come."

Chapple was on the money on the Eagles' final drive that led to the field. He completed all eight pass attempts for 47 yards while engineering Southern from its own 17 to the Albany 27.

Chapple, who completed his last 15 passes, was 30-of-43 for 259 yards and two touchdowns.

Both touchdown throws were to freshman wide receiver Jamere Valentine who caught six passes for 79 yards. The scoring tosses were 36 and 26 yards.

The Eagles trailed 16-12 at halftime and after pulling ahead 19-16, fell behind again 23-19 in the third quarter against a team that only offers 32 scholarships.

Southern is closer to the 63-scholarship maximum for a Football Championship Subdivision club.

But Albany, the two-time defending champion of the Northeast Conference, gave up more than scholarships to the Eagles.

"When you throw a pick for seven, fumble the ball and give up a field goal and you let them block an extra point, here's 12," Great Danes coach Bob Ford said. "We can't spot this team 12."

The Eagles were dismal in the first half, but lucky to stay within four, 16-12. The 30 minutes of futility seemed to be a carryover from last season when GSU led only three times (in 11 games) at the intermission.

Albany, like its conference partner Central Connecticut State in 2006, hardly seemed intimidated by the big crowd or the Eagles' six national championship banners waving in the steady wind.

Central spoiled Brian VanGorder's coaching debut with a 17-13 victory.

The Great Danes were looking like a pretty good underdog pick as well. They displayed some aggressive play calling by opening their first possession with a reverse. Later in the half, when Southern appeared to regain the game's momentum, a fake punt went for 30 yards and led to a touchdown.

GSU's offense couldn't keep up. It managed only a field goal in the first half and even that was a disappointment considering it had a first-and-goal at the 4 and managed to lose three yards in three plays.

At half, the Eagles had only 88 offensive yards.

Trailing 3-0, Albany began to take over. David McCarty capped a 16-play, 67-yard drive that took eight minutes and 45 seconds with a 1-yard touchdown dive.

The Danes converted four third-down plays for first downs during the impressive march that concluded four plays into the second quarter. Vinny Esposito was 5-for-5 for 47 yards on the drive and three of his passes notched first downs.

Herb Glass booted a 48-yard field goal - tied for third longest in school history - on Albany's next possession to make it 10-3.

The Eagles went three and out on its next possession, but punter Charlie Edwards' 64-yard punt, aided by a diving tip by Darrell Pasco to knock the ball out of bounds at the Albany 1, turned field position around.

Three plays later, GSU cornerback Laron Scott intercepted Esposito's pass and returned it for a game-tying touchdown.

But Ford wasn't letting the momentum get away. When faced with a fourth down on the next possession at their 41, the Great Danes lined up in punt formation but snapped it to Smith, who scooted down the sidelines for a 30-yard gain. The play set up McCarty's second touchdown on a 2-yard run.

McCarty, a Walter Payton candidate after running for 1,852 yards last season, finished with 63 yards on 24 carries.

Southern didn't come away empty-handed when Pasco returned a blocked extra point attempt for a two-point conversion, making it 16-12.

But the Eagles fought back in the second half. No one was apologizing.

"How many times have we been sitting in here and been on the other side?" GSU coach Chris Hatcher said.