South Alabama closes a three-game road trip Saturday at Georgia Southern, returning to Statesboro, Ga., one year after a 52-0 loss there that preceded the end of Joey Jones’ tenure as head coach.
The Jaguars are 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. Georgia Southern is 3-1 and 1-0 in league play. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Central, and the game will be streamed on ESPN3. Georgia Southern opened as a 13-point favorite.
South Alabama is making consecutive trips to Statesboro because of scheduling changes tied to the Sun Belt’s move to two divisions and a conference championship game, which begins this season.
Last Year’s Meeting
Georgia Southern entered the 2017 matchup at 0-9. The Eagles had dismissed second-year coach Tyson Summers after an 0-6 start and named Chad Lunsford interim head coach. Summers had replaced Willie Fritz, who left for Tulane, and went 5-7 in his first season.
Georgia Southern routed South Alabama 52-0, the first time the Jaguars had been held scoreless in program history. Jones announced two days later that he would resign at the end of the season.
South Alabama had won at Troy 19-8 in a nationally televised Wednesday night game earlier that season and beaten defending Sun Belt champion Arkansas State for the first time before the trip to Statesboro.
Jaguars Coming Off Loss at Appalachian State
South Alabama, now coached by first-year head coach Steve Campbell, lost 52-7 at Appalachian State last Saturday in Boone, N.C. The Jaguars tied that game 7-7 in the first quarter before the Mountaineers scored the final 45 points. South Alabama had played Memphis on the road the previous week, also allowing 52 points.
Campbell said after the Appalachian State game that his team was not as far along as he had thought.
The Jaguars remain in the lead of their Sun Belt division race entering the week.
Defensive Numbers
South Alabama ranks 117th nationally in total defense (501.8 yards per game), 120th in rushing defense (234.4 yards per game) and 126th in scoring defense (44 points per game). Opponents are averaging 5 yards per rush against the Jaguars.
Georgia Southern runs a triple-option offense. Campbell, offensive coordinator Kenny Edenfield and defensive coordinator Greg Stewart each have experience with option offenses, and South Alabama used some option looks on offense early this season.
The Jaguars are also on pace to break the program’s single-season interceptions record of 15, set in 2010, and rank second nationally in interceptions behind North Texas.
Injuries
Safety Nigel Lawrence, the team’s leading tackler with 48 stops, was helped off the field at Appalachian State with a knee injury. The extent of the injury has not been announced. Nick Mobley is second on the team with 26 tackles. Linebacker Riley Cole remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Penalties a Concern
South Alabama has been flagged 51 times this season, the second-most in the nation, three more than Kent State. The Jaguars rank last nationally at 130th with 96.8 penalty yards per game.
Georgia Southern has committed just 17 penalties and averages 33.75 penalty yards per game.
Offensive Leaders
South Alabama is averaging 3.4 yards per carry, and its leading rusher has 164 yards through five games, an average of 32.8 per game. Wide receiver Jamarius Way leads the team with 35 catches for 500 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Kawaan Baker has 16 receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns.
For Georgia Southern, quarterback Shai Werts leads the team with 369 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. Wesley Fields has 298 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Werts has completed 14 of 27 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns.
Eagles Edge Arkansas State
Georgia Southern is coming off a win over Arkansas State. The Eagles scored the deciding touchdown on a 47-yard reverse option pitch with 19 seconds left. Georgia Southern attempted only three passes in the game and completed one, a 61-yard touchdown, while rushing for 348 yards.
Series Notes
- Georgia Southern leads the series 4-0.
- South Alabama has allowed an average of 53.5 points in its two games in Statesboro.
- The Jaguars have lost their last four games in the state of Georgia.
- Georgia Southern accounts for four of the top 10 single-game rushing totals allowed in South Alabama history.
- Georgia Southern averages 5.3 yards per carry and has scored touchdowns on 83 percent of its red zone trips.
- Saturday is Georgia Southern’s homecoming. The Eagles are 27-8 in homecoming games in the modern era but have lost their last two.
