South Alabama scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat New Mexico State 35-28 on Saturday, securing bowl eligibility and positioning the Jaguars for the second bowl appearance in program history.
Xavier Johnson rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, and quarterback Dallas Davis threw a 76-yard, game-tying touchdown pass to senior Josh Magee to start the comeback.
South Alabama piled up 521 yards of total offense, including 282 on the ground and 239 through the air. New Mexico State finished with 463 total yards.
Waiting on a Bowl Destination
With the victory, South Alabama now awaits the announcement of the bowl matchups. As of Sunday, ESPN projected the Jaguars to face Air Force in the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 30, though no pairing had been announced.
The Jaguars reached bowl eligibility after falling short of it last season. In 2013, South Alabama became bowl-eligible but did not receive a bowl invitation.
South Alabama reached this point despite injuries to 10 starters during the season.
Early Back-and-Forth
South Alabama opened the scoring on the second play of its second possession, when Johnson took a handoff 51 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown.
New Mexico State changed quarterbacks in the second quarter, replacing starter Tyler Rogers with Conner Cramer. Cramer ran 50 yards, and on the next play Larry Rose III raced 30 yards for a touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
The Aggies threatened again before halftime when Rose broke a 51-yard run, but Neiko Robinson tripped him up at the South Alabama 7. Two plays later, Robinson forced a fumble at the Jaguars’ 6, and Quinton Dent recovered. The game was tied 7-7 at the break.
Third-Quarter Takeaway
New Mexico State received the second-half kickoff, but Devon Earl intercepted Cramer at the South Alabama 26 and returned it 23 yards to the 49. An Aggies penalty moved the ball to the New Mexico State 34.
The Jaguars leaned on Johnson and Dami Ayoola on the ground, added a completion to Magee and a first-down run by Davis, and scored to take a 14-7 lead.
New Mexico State answered with two touchdowns to tie the game and then take a 21-14 lead early in the fourth quarter.
21 Straight Points to Close
Three offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties were called on the ensuing kickoff. Davis then found Magee for a 76-yard touchdown to tie the game 21-21.
South Alabama’s defense forced a three-and-out, and the Jaguars went back to their running game with Johnson and Ayoola. Facing second-and-18, Davis scrambled out of a collapsing pocket and ran 29 yards for a first down, with Magee throwing a key block on the outside. Head coach Joey Jones and Davis both pointed to that play as a turning point. The drive ended in a touchdown that gave South Alabama a 28-21 lead.
On the next possession, Davis hit Gerald Everett for 24 yards, and Johnson finished the drive by finding a hole up the middle, stumbling after being tripped, regaining his balance and running into the end zone for a 35-21 lead with 2:28 remaining.
New Mexico State scored once more to pull within seven points, but South Alabama’s hands team recovered the onside kick to seal the win.
Statistical Leaders
Davis completed 16 of 28 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions, and he added 82 rushing yards on 11 carries. Ayoola ran for 64 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries.
Magee caught four passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. Everett had six receptions for 69 yards, and Kevin Kutchera caught three passes for 21 yards. Grant Powell, Mseiah Francis and Johnson each had one catch.
Punter Brandon McKee downed three of his four punts inside the 20-yard line.
For New Mexico State, Rose led all rushers with 170 yards and two touchdowns, and Cramer ran for 110 yards and a score. Cramer completed 7 of 15 passes for 95 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Rogers was 4-of-10 for 15 yards with an interception. Jonathan Boone caught two passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
