MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama opens its 2017 football season Saturday at Ole Miss, a year after beginning the 2016 season with a road win over Southeastern Conference opponent Mississippi State in Starkville, Miss., the biggest victory in program history to that point.
Kickoff at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Miss., is set for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2. The game will be televised nationally on ESPNU and carried on local radio and worldwide on the iHeartRadio platform.
Garvin Gets the Start
Cole Garvin will start at quarterback in the opener, having won the job over 2016 starter Dallas Davis, who had offseason shoulder surgery. Garvin has started before: he led the Jaguars to a 42-24 win over No. 19 San Diego State last season when Davis was injured.
Departures and Returners
South Alabama lost a number of key players from last season, including tight end Gerald Everett, a second-round NFL draft pick. Other departures include Josh Magee, Dami Ayoola, Roman Buchanan, Kalen Jackson, Devon Earl, Randy Allen, Quinton Dent and Kevin Kutchera.
Returning players include running back Xavier Johnson, Jeremy Reaves, Jimmie Gipson III, Finesse Middleton, Quinton Lane and Neiko Robinson. Johnson is within reach of several school records, including the program’s career rushing mark.
The Jaguars expect to have only one player unavailable for Saturday’s game, in contrast to last season, when South Alabama lost several starters for the year before the season began.
Depth on the Defensive Line
Injuries along the defensive line in 2016 pushed younger players into extensive action, and South Alabama now has three players deep at each position on the defensive front. It is the deepest defensive line head coach Joey Jones has had at South Alabama.
Ole Miss Under Interim Coach Matt Luke
Ole Miss enters the season under interim head coach Matt Luke following the resignation of Hugh Freeze during the offseason. The Rebels also have two new coordinators and have been the subject of an NCAA investigation.
Ole Miss will be without two of its top tight ends because of injuries, along with a backup defensive end. A starting cornerback and a starting linebacker are serving suspensions.
Looking Back at Starkville
In last year’s opener, South Alabama trailed Mississippi State 17-0 before outscoring the Bulldogs 21-3 in the second half. The comeback included a nine-play, 99-yard drive that brought the Jaguars within one score early in the fourth quarter.
South Alabama competes in the Sun Belt Conference and plays its home games at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile.
