MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama will face No. 21 Appalachian State in its homecoming game Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, returning to a Saturday kickoff after back-to-back midweek, nationally televised games against Georgia Southern and Troy. The Jaguars lost both of those contests.
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 26. The game will be televised on ESPNU, with local radio coverage on 99.5 The Jag in the Mobile area and online worldwide through the iHeartMedia app.
Mountaineers Arrive Unbeaten and Ranked
Appalachian State enters the Sun Belt Conference matchup at 6-0 and already bowl eligible. The Mountaineers’ No. 21 national ranking is a conference record. Oddsmakers have installed South Alabama as a 25.5-point underdog at home.
The Mountaineers are averaging 42.8 points per game while allowing 21.7. Their defense has given up only one touchdown in each of its last two games and forced three turnovers against Louisiana-Monroe last weekend.
Running back Darrynton Evans rushed for 136 yards against ULM, 130 of them in the first half, bringing his season total to 676 yards and 10 touchdowns. Quarterback Zach Thomas has completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 1,163 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions.
After the trip to Mobile, Appalachian State faces a short turnaround for a Thursday night game against Georgia Southern, followed by road games at South Carolina and Georgia State.
Mountaineers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz said his team must be prepared for the Jaguars. “They’re backed into a corner so they’re going to have a ton of fight,” Drinkwitz said. “They’ve got a great defensive front, and they’ve got a solid running game, and that’s a recipe for an upset if we don’t take care of business and focus on what we need to do.”
“We’re not trying to climb higher in the rankings,” he added. “We’re just trying to beat South Alabama.”
Jaguars Seek Offensive Production
South Alabama is averaging 16.3 points per game, with a season high of 37 points against an FCS opponent. The offense ranks ninth in the 10-team Sun Belt.
The Jaguars have converted 4 of 13 fourth-down attempts and 31 of 96 third-down attempts this season, and opponents have held the edge in time of possession. In the Georgia Southern game, the Eagles controlled the ball for 40:38 compared with 19:22 for South Alabama.
Running back Tra Minter, wide receiver Kawaan Baker and quarterback Cephus Johnson have been the Jaguars’ most prominent offensive players, with contributions from Jalen Wayne, Jalen Tolbert and Davyn Flenord. The tight end position has produced two receptions and one touchdown this season.
Missed Chances Against Troy
In the loss to Troy, South Alabama trailed 3-0 in the first quarter when it faced fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line after being stopped on consecutive plays. Head coach Steve Campbell sent out the field goal unit to tie the score.
In the second quarter, the Jaguars had first-and-goal at the 3. Minter gained 2 yards, and Johnson lost 2 on a run from the shotgun formation. On fourth-and-goal from the 3, Campbell elected to go for the touchdown, and the pass fell incomplete.
Late in the first half, South Alabama took over at its own 25-yard line with 1:08 remaining. Two incomplete passes and a draw play that gained about a yard led to a punt, and Troy drove for a field goal before halftime.
Campbell said the problem was execution. “It’s not a scheme deal or a play-calling deal, we have to grow up and then make the play,” he said.
Earlier this week, Campbell said he expected his team to come out “pissed off” for the homecoming matchup.
