MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football coach Joey Jones said Monday that Saturday’s home game against Texas State will determine whether the Jaguars can reach the first bowl game in program history, and that he expects his injury-depleted team to be close to full strength.
Jones was joined by defensive lineman Jesse Kelley and offensive lineman Joseph Scelfo at the weekly press conference, which also featured the signing of 11-year-old Colby Sawyer to an honorary National Letter of Intent.
Moving On From Arkansas State
South Alabama played last week’s loss at Arkansas State without eight starters. Jones said the team did little review of that game and turned immediately to Texas State.
“Obviously last week was disappointing. We had eight starters out, and we didn’t play as well as we could have without those guys,” Jones said. “It doesn’t happen many times in your coaching career, but that is one of those games you just put away and move on.”
He said five offensive starters and two or three defensive starters missed the game, and that he expects them back this week. Wide receiver Marvin Shinn is out for the season, and running back Jay Jones was lost earlier in the year.
A Bowl on the Line
Both teams are seeking a sixth win and bowl eligibility.
“Here we are in a game that’s going to determine whether or not we can go to a bowl,” Jones said. “We’re in the race right now to get into a bowl game, and exciting to know that we can win this one and get to our first-ever bowl game.”
Jones praised Texas State coach Dennis Franchione and defensive coordinator John Thompson, who has coached at Alabama and Arkansas State. He said the Bobcats’ quarterback, a freshman last season, is throwing more this year.
“It’s two very similar teams, and I think it’s going to be a knock-down, drag-out,” Jones said.
Players Call It a Must-Win
“This is our Super Bowl,” Kelley said. “If we don’t win this game, we’re not going to a bowl game. Win and we’re going to a bowl game – it’s that simple.”
Kelley said he expects the most physical game of the season and asked fans to turn out.
Scelfo noted that Texas State beat South Alabama late in last year’s meeting. “Last year they took it away from us, so this year we want to take it away from them and get into a bowl game,” he said. He said the line must open holes and protect quarterback Brandon Bridge.
Scelfo also pointed to the crowd for the Mississippi State game as an example of the home atmosphere the team hopes for. “When you step out onto the field and there’s a packed crowd like there was against Mississippi State, it’s electric out there,” he said.
Colby Sawyer Joins the Team
Sawyer, a leukemia patient at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital, signed with the Jaguars during the press conference and will watch Saturday’s game from the sideline. He was also given a locker.
“I was a little nervous for the press conference, but I got through it,” Sawyer said. “It feels really good to be a part of the team.”
“They gave me a locker; that’s my favorite thing,” he said.
Game Information
South Alabama and Texas State kick off at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
Update
The Sun Belt Conference has three bowl tie-ins this season, up from two, with the addition of the new Camellia Bowl in Montgomery. Saturday’s game is South Alabama’s final conference game, while Texas State has two league games remaining, against Arkansas State and Georgia State. If the teams finish with the same record, South Alabama would hold the tiebreaker with a win Saturday.
Statistically, South Alabama ranks last in the Sun Belt in third-down conversions (33%), fourth-down conversions (10%) and red zone offense (72%). Its defense ranks second in the conference in scoring defense (23.4 points per game), third in pass defense (201.3 yards per game) and fourth in total defense (377.3 yards per game).
The Jaguars have rushed for more than 150 yards in each of their five wins and more than 200 yards in each of their four Sun Belt wins. South Alabama turned the ball over four times at Arkansas State and has committed 11 turnovers in its four losses, compared with two in its five wins.
The game also carries a piece of fan-created trivia. A lineage compiled by a fan traces a “Sword of Omens” through college football games between schools with feline mascots, beginning with Princeton’s win over Columbia on Nov. 11, 1874. By that count, the title has changed hands 36 times among 17 schools and has belonged to Texas State since the Bobcats beat Houston on Sept. 1, 2012. Texas State has defended it four times, including against South Alabama last season.
