MOBILE, Ala. — Mason Rudolph threw for 335 yards and three touchdowns as No. 10 Oklahoma State defeated South Alabama 44-7 in the Jaguars’ home opener at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
The Cowboys’ up-tempo, no-huddle offense built a 20-0 halftime lead, and Oklahoma State added three touchdowns in the second half, including an interception return, before South Alabama scored late to avoid the first shutout in school history.
Garvin Injured on Opening Series
Both teams went three-and-out on their first possessions. On the final play of South Alabama’s opening series, starting quarterback Cole Garvin kept the ball and was tackled for a 1-yard loss, spraining his ankle. Dallas Davis played the rest of the game at quarterback.
Oklahoma State took a 3-0 lead on a 31-yard field goal. After another South Alabama three-and-out, the Cowboys needed two plays to score: a 2-yard run and a touchdown pass from Rudolph to James Washington, who caught the ball on a slant and outran the secondary to the end zone.
On the next Oklahoma State possession, Rudolph completed passes of 9, 13 and 14 yards to Tyron Johnson and a 30-yarder to Washington before throwing a 4-yard touchdown pass to Marcell Ateman for a 17-0 lead.
Second-Quarter Chances
South Alabama’s defense generated pressure early in the second quarter with a quarterback hurry and a sack. Oklahoma State was also flagged for a false start and a substitution infraction, and a 42-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right.
The Jaguars followed with their best drive of the half. Davis hit Jamarius Way for 17 yards on second down for South Alabama’s first first down of the game, and the drive included completions of 16 yards to Sam Harris, 12 to Jordan McCray and 14 more to Way. On third-and-5, Davis’ pass to Harris fell incomplete, and Gavin Patterson’s 31-yard field-goal attempt missed wide left.
Oklahoma State took over at its own 20 with 1:17 left in the half and moved to the South Alabama 36 on three straight completions. The Jaguars’ defense forced three consecutive incompletions, but Matt Ammendola made a 53-yard field goal with 11 seconds remaining for a 20-0 halftime lead.
Penalties and Turnovers After Halftime
On the first play of the second half, a 4-yard completion from Davis to Tra Minter was wiped out by two flags: a holding penalty on South Alabama and a targeting call against South Alabama’s Calvin Bundage. After a lengthy review, the targeting call was upheld and Bundage was disqualified.
A few plays later, an Oklahoma State defensive back intercepted a deep pass from Davis after the intended receiver was held and fell, but the holding penalty on the defender negated the play. On the next snap, Xavier Johnson fumbled and Oklahoma State recovered, South Alabama’s first turnover of the season.
Rudolph threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ateman to make it 27-0, finishing a four-play, 43-yard drive that took 58 seconds.
After another South Alabama three-and-out, Oklahoma State drove from its own 37, with Rudolph running the final 10 yards for a touchdown and a 34-0 lead.
The Cowboys’ defense scored next. On second down from the South Alabama 25, a Davis pass was tipped at the line by a defensive lineman and intercepted by Justin Phillips, who returned it for a touchdown and a 41-0 lead.
Backup quarterback Keondre Wudtee replaced Rudolph and led Oklahoma State from the South Alabama 44 to the 18. A bad snap resulted in a 13-yard loss to the 31, and after two incompletions the Cowboys kicked a 48-yard field goal for their final points.
Jaguars Avoid Shutout
South Alabama put together an 11-play, 83-yard drive behind Davis, who completed passes of 14, 10 and 14 yards before finding Messiah Francis for a 17-yard touchdown. The score kept the Jaguars from being shut out for the first time in program history.
Statistics
Rudolph completed 25 of 38 passes for 335 yards and three touchdowns. Washington caught two passes for 98 yards and a touchdown, and Ateman led Oklahoma State with five catches for 51 yards and two touchdowns. Four other Cowboys had at least 40 receiving yards. J.D. King led Oklahoma State’s rushing attack with 64 yards on eight carries, and Justice Hill ran 11 times for 27 yards.
- Dallas Davis: 13-of-23, 126 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 8 carries, 13 yards
- Cole Garvin: 1-of-1, 8 yards
- Jamarius Way: 5 catches, 66 yards
- Xavier Johnson: 5 carries, 36 yards; 96 all-purpose yards
- Tra Minter: 7 carries, 15 yards
- Corliss Waitman: 7 punts, 48.4-yard average, long of 58
- Jeremy Reaves and Bull Barge: 8 tackles each
- Tyree Turner: the game’s only sack
Johnson also had a long kickoff return called back by a holding penalty.
Injury Update
Neiko Robinson is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury. Garvin sustained a sprained ankle, and Nelson Santiago underwent a surgical procedure on an injured ankle but is expected to return within the next couple of weeks.
Up Next: Alabama A&M
South Alabama has an extra day to prepare before hosting Alabama A&M on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN3, with radio coverage on 96.1 FM The Rocket, 99.5 FM The Jag and the iHeartRadio app.
