La’Damian Webb Runs for Three Touchdowns as South Alabama Clinches Bowl Eligibility, Beats Arkansas State 31-3

JONESBORO, Ark. — La’Damian Webb ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns, and South Alabama became bowl eligible with a 31-3 win over Arkansas State on a rainy Saturday afternoon.

The Jaguars improved to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the Sun Belt Conference and extended their winning streak over the Red Wolves to four games. Arkansas State fell to 2-7 and 1-5.

South Alabama’s defense held Arkansas State to 158 total yards and minus-19 rushing yards, and the only points the Red Wolves managed came on a first-half field goal.

Webb Starts It Fast

Webb broke a 69-yard run on South Alabama’s first offensive snap and scored on a short run four plays later, giving the Jaguars a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

A blocked Arkansas State punt went out of bounds at the South Alabama 46, and on the second play of the ensuing drive, quarterback Carter Bradley found a wide-open Jalen Wayne for a 49-yard touchdown and a 14-0 lead.

Arkansas State got its only points on a 32-yard field goal after a 42-yard pass completion. With 2:45 left in the first half, James Miller and Jamie Sheriff sacked quarterback James Blackman in the end zone for a safety, and South Alabama led 16-3 at halftime.

Pulling Away

Webb leaped over the line from the 1 for his second touchdown with 5:18 left in the third quarter. Head coach Kane Wommack went for two, and Bradley connected with DJ Thomas-Jones to make it 24-3.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Lamondre Brooks knocked the ball away from Johnnie Lang, and Gi’Narious Johnson recovered at the South Alabama 48 with 8:50 left.

Offensive coordinator Major Applewhite then called Webb’s number on every play of the final drive. Webb carried 11 straight times and scored on a 1-yard run for his third touchdown as the Jaguars ran 7:16 off the clock.

Statistics

South Alabama gained 362 yards, with 183 rushing and 179 passing, and held the ball for 35:59 to Arkansas State’s 24:01. The Jaguars were 3 of 15 on third down and were penalized eight times for 35 yards, seven of them in the first half. Arkansas State was 2 of 14 on third down and was flagged twice for 25 yards.

• Webb ran for 162 yards on 28 carries, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt. Bradley added 17 yards on four carries.
• Bradley completed 17 of 24 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown.
• Wayne led the team with 83 receiving yards and a touchdown on three catches. Thomas-Jones, in his second game back after an incident on the sideline several weeks ago, had a team-high four catches for 48 yards. Caullin Lacy and Lincoln Sefcik each had three catches.
• Miller led the defense with eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a half sack. Sheriff had 1.5 sacks, and Wy’Kevious Thomas added a sack.
• Diego Guajardo made all four extra-point attempts, and punter Jack Brooks, wearing the honorary No. 5 jersey, averaged 42.8 yards per punt.

Arkansas State’s punters downed six punts inside the South Alabama 20.

For the Red Wolves, Blackman completed 22 of 39 passes for 177 yards and was sacked four times for minus-43 yards. Jeff Foreman had 98 receiving yards on six catches, and Seydou Traore caught a team-high eight passes for 47 yards. Marcel Murray led Arkansas State with 15 rushing yards on four carries.

Up Next

South Alabama travels to Statesboro, Ga., to face Georgia Southern at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. The Jaguars earned their first win over the Eagles last season, 41-14. Georgia Southern is off this weekend.