ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Navy’s triple-option offense ran for more than 300 yards against South Alabama on Saturday, and Darius Staten carried seven times for 127 yards as the Midshipmen beat the Jaguars 42-14.
The loss dropped South Alabama to 3-6 with three games remaining. In their first season as a full member of the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Jaguars must win all three to become bowl eligible.
Navy Takes Over After Early Jaguar Lead
Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds ran for 59 yards on 17 carries and completed 10 of 17 passes for 168 yards. The Midshipmen finished with 519 yards of total offense, outgaining South Alabama by 219 yards.
The Jaguars started well. Navy’s opening drive stalled at the South Alabama 20 after a second-down sack by Jesse Kelley and pressure from Romelle Jones, and the Midshipmen settled for a 37-yard field goal.
South Alabama answered with a 14-play, 78-yard drive that took 5:39 and gave the Jaguars a 7-3 lead. That made South Alabama only the second team this season to score a first-quarter touchdown against Navy.
Navy went 91 yards in just over two minutes on its next scoring drive to go ahead 10-7. Quarterback Ross Metheny then led another South Alabama touchdown drive, completing 4 of 5 passes for 41 yards, including a 22-yard scoring throw to Shavarez Smith that put the Jaguars back in front 14-10.
Those were South Alabama’s final points. Trailing 27-14, the Jaguars had a chance to pull closer but could not convert, and Navy’s option attack continued to wear down the defense. The Midshipmen outgained South Alabama 261-108 in the second half. Kendall Houston was stopped on two rushing attempts inside the Navy 5-yard line.
Individual Statistics
Metheny completed 18 of 27 passes for 160 yards. Smith caught five passes for 65 yards and two touchdowns, his first game with multiple touchdowns. South Alabama’s yardage total was its lowest of the season.
Houston led the Jaguars on the ground with 36 yards on 11 carries, and Jay Jones added 31 yards on seven carries. Quarterback Brandon Bridge played after being held out of the previous two games.
Enrique Williams led the South Alabama defense with 12 tackles, his third straight game with double-digit stops.
Jones: “They Were a Better Football Team”
“They were a better football team than us tonight,” South Alabama head coach Joey Jones said. “You feel like you’re playing catch up the entire game once you fall behind.”
“When you play a team like this, you have to score points to beat them and we just didn’t,” Jones said. “When teams beat them, they score 30-something points, you just have to do that. Our defense didn’t play great. We stopped them a couple of times but we gave up a lot of big plays. They are dang good at what they do.”
Injury Update
Wes Saxton was injured when he was tackled on a crossing route and his leg was twisted beneath him. He went to the locker room and returned to the sideline on crutches with a sprained ankle. He is listed as day-to-day.
South Alabama lost two players for the season in its previous game, against Arkansas State. Danny Woodson ruptured his Achilles tendon on a play away from the ball, and Cris Dinham suffered a knee injury that required surgery and will keep him out for the rest of the regular season.
Up Next
South Alabama returns to Sun Belt Conference play on Saturday, Nov. 23, when it hosts Louisiana-Monroe at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile.
