MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama makes its first road trip under first-year head coach Kane Wommack on Saturday, facing Bowling Green at 3 p.m. Eastern at Doyt L. Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio.
The Jaguars are 1-0 after a season-opening win over Southern Miss. Bowling Green is 0-1 after a 38-6 loss at Tennessee.
Game Information
- Kickoff: Saturday, Sept. 11, 3 p.m.
- Venue: Doyt L. Perry Stadium, Bowling Green, Ohio
- Television: ESPN+
- Radio: Sports Talk 99.5 FM, 96.1 FM The Rocket, iHeartRadio
Wommack Seeks More Urgency
Immediately after the win over Southern Miss, Wommack told his team it needed to play with more urgency and that its performance was well short of the standard he expects. He cited poor execution at times, said the team did not finish well and said he did not consider it a convincing win.
After reviewing film, Wommack said the Jaguars’ running backs showed hesitancy, which allowed holes created by the offensive line to close quickly against an experienced Southern Miss front. Wommack and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite have also pointed to missed blocks by wide receivers and missed checks by the quarterback, stressing that all 11 players have a role on every play.
South Alabama’s Opener in Review
South Alabama ran for 31 yards on 34 carries against Southern Miss. Kareem Walker gained 26 yards on 18 carries, and Terrion Avery added 12 yards on 10 carries. The Jaguars lost one fumble.
The passing game was more productive. Quarterback Jake Bentley completed 17 of 22 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Jalen Tolbert caught five passes for 168 yards, an average of 33.6 yards per catch, with a long of 49. Caullin Lacy had five catches for 67 yards, and Jalen Wayne caught three passes for 20 yards. Walker and Trent Tyre caught the touchdown passes.
Defensively, South Alabama held Southern Miss, coached by Will Hall, to 258 total yards, including 125 rushing yards at 2.9 yards per carry. The Golden Eagles’ longest run was 5 yards, and their longest completion was a 23-yard pass to running back Frank Gore Jr.
The Jaguars intercepted two passes, returning one 48 yards for a touchdown, forced two fumbles and recovered both, and broke up three passes. Keith Gallmon led the team with seven tackles, five of them solo. Seven of South Alabama’s top nine tacklers were defensive front players.
On special teams, Diego Guajardo made a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter, and three of his six kickoffs were touchbacks. Punter Jack Brooks averaged 43.9 yards on eight punts with a long of 54 and placed three inside the 20.
The Jaguars were also flagged for a personal foul on a kickoff that went for a touchback and for a targeting penalty.
Scouting Bowling Green
Bowling Green is in its third season under head coach Scot Loeffler, who is 3-15 with the Falcons. Bowling Green went 0-5 in a shortened 2020 season.
Against Tennessee, the Falcons ran for 32 yards. Nick Mosley led them with 26 yards on eight carries, including a long of 24. Quarterback Matt McDonald completed 25 of 38 passes for 187 yards and was sacked twice. Austin Osbourne had eight catches for 46 yards, Cavon Croom caught five passes for 45 yards, and three other receivers had three receptions each.
Tennessee ran for 326 yards on 64 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per carry, against the Bowling Green defense, with two running backs topping 100 yards. The Falcons allowed 145 passing yards and one passing touchdown. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton, a transfer from Michigan, went 11 of 23 for 140 yards and a touchdown and ran for 44 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Bowling Green sacked Milton three times and recovered two fumbles, one of which it forced.
In the 2020 season, Bowling Green allowed an average of more than 310 rushing yards per game.
History and Road Record
The teams’ only previous meeting came in the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery on Dec. 20, 2014, when Bowling Green won 33-28 in South Alabama’s first bowl appearance.
South Alabama’s 2020 season-opening win at Southern Miss ended a road losing streak that dated to the Jaguars’ win at Troy on Oct. 11, 2017. The Jaguars went without a road win in two seasons during that span.
South Alabama has not started a season 2-0 since 2011, before it began its transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision.
The Jaguars opened as 14.5-point favorites, and the line has since moved to 13.5 points.
