MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama won a bowl game for the first time in program history Saturday, beating Eastern Michigan 59-10 in the 68 Ventures Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
The 59 points were the most the Jaguars have scored in a game as a Football Bowl Subdivision program. South Alabama is now 1-3 all-time in bowl games and finished 7-6, giving the program winning records in consecutive seasons for the first time as an FBS member.
Freshman quarterback Gio Lopez was named the game’s MVP after throwing for 192 yards and three touchdowns and running for 88 yards and another score.
Shorthanded Jaguars
South Alabama played without three of its top offensive players: starting quarterback Carter Bradley, leading receiver Caullin Lacy and leading rusher La’Damian Webb. Bradley tried to recover from a lingering knee injury in time for the game but was unable to play.
The Jaguars also lost Dontae Lucas to an injury in pregame warmups and were without James Miller, who was hurt in one of the team’s final practices.
With Bradley out, head coach Kane Wommack and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite rotated senior Desmond Trotter, the listed starter, and Lopez at quarterback.
Fast Start
South Alabama scored on each of its first three possessions. Diego Guajardo opened the scoring with a 46-yard field goal. On the next drive, Trotter hit Jeremiah Webb for 49 yards to set up a 3-yard touchdown pass to DJ Thomas-Jones, and on the following series Lopez threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Jamaal Pritchett for a 17-0 lead.
Eastern Michigan went three-and-out on each of its first two possessions. Its first points came after linebacker Joe Sparacio intercepted Trotter in South Alabama territory, setting up Kenyon Bowyer’s 49-yard field goal that made it 17-3 at the 14:50 mark of the second quarter.
Three More Scores Before the Half
Kentrel Bullock answered with a 17-yard touchdown run. Marquise Robinson then intercepted a pass to set up Lopez’s 20-yard touchdown throw to Thomas-Jones, and Jalen Jordan’s interception led to a 41-yard touchdown pass from Lopez to Pritchett. That play was initially ruled down at the 1 but was changed to a touchdown on review, putting South Alabama ahead 38-3 late in the second quarter.
The Jaguars recovered a muffed Eastern Michigan punt at the 11 with six seconds left in the half, but Guajardo’s 29-yard field goal attempt went wide left.
Second Half
Trotter ran 3 yards for a touchdown on South Alabama’s first possession of the third quarter for a 45-3 lead. Lopez added a 27-yard touchdown run at the 7:50 mark, and freshman PJ Martin ran 6 yards for a touchdown late in the quarter to make it 59-3.
With most of South Alabama’s defensive starters out of the game, Eastern Michigan freshman Cam’Ron McCoy ran 10 yards for a touchdown with 58 seconds left for the final points.
Award Winners
Pritchett was named offensive MVP after catching eight passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Thomas-Jones also caught two touchdown passes among his three receptions for 23 yards.
Defensive end Jamie Sheriff was named defensive MVP in his final game for South Alabama. He had four tackles, two tackles for loss and two quarterback hurries.
South Alabama Statistics
- Lopez completed 14 of 19 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns and led the team with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Trotter was 9 of 17 for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception and ran for 27 yards and a touchdown on five carries.
- Braylon McReynolds ran for 71 yards on 13 carries. Bullock had 68 yards and a touchdown on six carries, Martin had 47 yards and a touchdown on three carries and Tanner McGee had 21 yards on two carries.
- Javon Ivory caught four passes for 51 yards, Jeremiah Webb had 49 yards on one catch and McReynolds had 40 yards on three catches.
- Jaden Voisin led the defense with five tackles. Sheriff, Dallas Gamble, Wesley Miller and Blayne Myrick each had four. Myrick, Yam Banks, Quentin Wilfawn, Khalil Jacobs, Robinson and Christopher Wallace Jr. each had a tackle for loss.
- Robinson and Jordan each intercepted a pass, and Robinson broke up three passes.
Eastern Michigan Statistics
Starting quarterback Ike Udengwu missed on all three of his passes before he was replaced. McCoy completed 12 of 27 passes for 73 yards with two interceptions and led the Eagles with 73 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Terry Lockett caught two passes for 29 yards, and Joseph Walker had three for 22.
Players and Coaches React
“A lot of work goes into a moment like this,” Wommack said. “It goes way beyond just our players this season. There were young men who came here over a decade ago to build something special. They ran on hills on what is now Hancock Whitney Stadium. They came here with nothing, knowing that they were going to build a foundation for us to walk upon.”
“We’ve had a great past, great moments in our present and certainly our best days are ahead of us and that’s really exciting,” he said. “This is a great moment to build upon and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
“It was fun just rotating, seeing Dez ball out,” Lopez said. “I was feeding off his energy. … It meant a lot to be out there with everybody.”
“It means a lot, man,” Trotter said. “And to be able to do it with the guys I came in with, it makes it even more special. And just doing it here at the University of South Alabama, in our city, and our stadium, it means a lot to the city and to the team.”
“To come from where we came from, a losing program, to where we are now is truly incredible,” Sheriff said. “We want to set the standard for the future. We want to have a legacy behind it and start a new tradition here.”
Looking Ahead
Bradley, Trotter and McGee are all departing, leaving Lopez as the top returning quarterback entering spring practice. Pritchett moved into the No. 1 receiver role after Lacy entered the transfer portal. McReynolds, who returned from a broken collarbone late in the season, started the regular-season finale and the bowl game in place of Webb, who ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons.
