South Alabama Seeks Answers on the Road at Louisiana; Battle for the Belt Kickoff Set for 6 p.m. Nov. 14

MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama has a clear diagnosis for its two-game skid. Now it has to prove it can apply the fix.

The Jaguars head to Lafayette this weekend for a 4 p.m. Saturday game at Louisiana after falling 35-20 to Louisiana Tech on Halloween at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The loss dropped South Alabama to 4-4 overall and 2-2 in Sun Belt play. It also ended the Jaguars’ unbeaten home record for the season.

The numbers told coach Major Applewhite most of what he needed to know. South Alabama was flagged 12 times and turned the ball over twice, while Louisiana Tech had four penalties and no turnovers.

“You have 12 penalties, and they have four. You have two turnovers, and they have zero,” Applewhite said. “Those are usually the symptoms of a loss.”

“A family meeting”

The Jaguars have now lost back-to-back games, including a 20-13 defeat at Marshall on Oct. 20. Applewhite said the common thread in both was a lack of consistency across four quarters.

“We’re … going to get inside the house, close the door, shut the blinds, and have a family meeting,” Applewhite said. “Explain ‘this is what we really need to fix, and this is where we need to fix it. This is where we need to get better.’ Going on the road this weekend, taking that complementary football from 45 minutes to an hour and a half.”

There were bright spots against the Bulldogs. South Alabama scored all 20 of its points in the first half and finished with 205 rushing yards, led by PJ Martin’s 82 yards on 12 carries. Anthony Eager caught two first-quarter touchdown passes and totaled 102 receiving yards. But a fumble in the second half set up the score that made it 35-20, and the Jaguars never got back on the board.

Applewhite said players need to grow more comfortable in close games, understanding that a turning point may not arrive right away.

“Sometimes you have to keep hitting the rock well into the third, maybe even the fourth quarter before you get your break,” he said. He added that the response must come from “competitive pride and competitive maturity.”

Orlando: Explosive plays must stop

Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando saw a mixed performance. South Alabama held Louisiana Tech to 315 total yards and forced three straight punts to open the second half, but he said the defense gave the Bulldogs too many opportunities.

“There was some good. It’s just, you know, we’re giving up these explosive plays,” Orlando said. “We just got to continue working on the fundamental part of it and get these plays cleaned up.”

Orlando also discussed the development of younger players, including safety Cayman Upshaw and linebacker Xavious Anderson Jr., and said discipline and execution must keep improving as November football arrives.

The challenge in Lafayette

Louisiana is 5-3 overall and part of a five-team logjam for second place in the Sun Belt West at 2-2 in conference play. South Alabama, Troy, Arkansas State and Southern Miss share that same league record, while Louisiana Tech leads the division at 4-0.

The Ragin’ Cajuns are led by quarterback Lunch Winfield, who completed 22 of 41 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, and also ran for a score in the team’s most recent game against Southern Miss.

“(Winfield is) a big, thick, rocked up kid,” Orlando said. “And when he presses the gas, he can get going. So our challenge is their scheme’s, really, really good. They’ll make you defend almost like a triple option team does.”

Orlando said Winfield also has the arm to hurt a defense deep and the experience that comes from multiple years in the same system. “I think that’s what you see in this league, too,” he said. “If you could retain guys and get them into the system again, they turned out really, really well.”

Saturday’s game at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium will be streamed live.

Battle for the Belt kickoff announced

The Jaguars return home the following week for their annual rivalry game against Troy. The “Battle for the Belt” will kick off at 6 p.m. Central on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Hancock Whitney Stadium, it was announced Monday. That game will also be streamed live.

Troy leads the all-time series 10-4, including a 31-24 overtime victory in Troy last year. South Alabama’s most recent win in the series was a 25-9 decision at Hancock Whitney Stadium in 2024.

The Trojans, also 4-4 and 2-2 in the Sun Belt, host league-leading Louisiana Tech at 3 p.m. this Saturday.

South Alabama’s remaining schedule also includes a trip to Southern Miss and a Black Friday home game against App State. The Jaguars must win two of their final four games to become bowl eligible.