MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama football (3-3, 1-1 Sun Belt) travels to Texas State (4-3, 1-2) on Saturday for a 6 p.m. kickoff in San Marcos, Texas, against a Bobcats team that leads the conference in scoring defense.
The game is Texas State’s homecoming.
Jaguars Coming Off Kent State Win
South Alabama beat Kent State 38-21 in its own homecoming game last Saturday, ending a two-game losing streak. It was the Jaguars’ most comfortable margin of victory in nearly two seasons.
The South Alabama offense gained 481 yards against the Golden Flashes with a balanced attack. The Jaguars ran for a season-high 224 yards and threw for 257 more while holding the ball for nearly 35 minutes.
South Alabama also did not commit a turnover in the game. The win evened the Jaguars’ record at 3-3 at the midpoint of their first season as a full member of the Sun Belt Conference and the Football Bowl Subdivision under head coach Joey Jones.
Scouting the Bobcats
Texas State is in its third season under head coach Dennis Franchione. The Bobcats beat Georgia State 24-17 last week and rank first in the Sun Belt in scoring defense.
Texas State is also among the conference leaders in turnover margin, making ball security a key factor for a South Alabama offense that was turnover-free a week ago.
How to Follow
The game will be carried on radio by WNSP 105.5 FM, with a live stream available at wnsp.com. It will also be shown on ESPN3.
Update: Jones Sees Progress in Practice
Head coach Joey Jones said Wednesday’s practice was among the team’s better sessions of the week, particularly for the defense as it prepared for Texas State’s option-based running game.
“I thought it was really good,” Jones told AL.com. “I thought we’re starting, especially on defense, to pick up our assignments a little better. We need another good day though. But I thought we’re moving towards being pretty good.”
Jones said he challenged the team to keep improving in the second half of the season. “We’re at the midway point of the season and great teams get better as the season ends and finish strong,” he said. “That was my challenge to them.”
The 38-21 win over Kent State was South Alabama’s first victory by more than seven points since a 35-3 win over Mississippi Valley State in 2011.
