MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama returns to Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday to host Texas State, coming off a comeback win at Georgia Southern in which running back La’Damian Webb set two school single-game records.
The Jaguars (7-2, 4-1 Sun Belt) are 16.5-point favorites against the Bobcats (3-6, 1-4 Sun Belt). Saturday’s game is South Alabama’s first at home since its loss to Troy in the Battle for the Belt.
South Alabama is 3-0 against Texas State in Mobile, with two wins at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and one at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The Jaguars have never won in San Marcos.
Comeback in Statesboro
South Alabama opened its two-game road trip with a 31-3 win at Arkansas State and closed it last week with a 38-31 victory at Georgia Southern, the program’s first win in Statesboro.
The Jaguars fell behind by two touchdowns in the first half of the first quarter. Quarterback Carter Bradley’s first pass was tipped, intercepted and returned for a touchdown less than a minute into the game, and Georgia Southern scored on a run of more than 50 yards on its first offensive possession. The Eagles scored 21 points in the first quarter but only 10 the rest of the way, including seven in the second half.
South Alabama trailed 31-17 midway through the third quarter before Webb scored the Jaguars’ final three touchdowns. He finished with 247 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries, setting school single-game records for rushing yards and attempts and tying the record for rushing touchdowns. Webb was named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.
West Division Race
Troy rallied from a 17-0 halftime deficit to beat Louisiana-Lafayette with a touchdown in the final five seconds last week. The Trojans continue to lead the Sun Belt West over South Alabama by virtue of their head-to-head win.
South Alabama has clinched its first winning season since moving to the FBS. Head coach Kane Wommack has said he wants bowl games to become an annual expectation for the program.
Texas State Under Jake Spavital
Texas State head coach Jake Spavital is in his fourth season and is 12-33 overall and 8-21 in conference play. He is calling the offensive plays for the third season.
The Bobcats beat South Alabama 33-31 in four overtimes last season in San Marcos. Texas State tied the game with a touchdown with 17 seconds left in regulation. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime. In the second, Texas State missed a field goal and forced a fumble. Both teams failed on two-point tries in the third overtime, and in the fourth Texas State converted before a pass by Jake Bentley fell incomplete. Texas State finished 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the Sun Belt last season.
Bobcats Offense
Texas State averages 22.6 points, 330.7 total yards, 242.3 passing yards and 88.3 rushing yards per game, with an average time of possession of 30:37. The Bobcats have converted 52 of 138 third downs (37.7 percent) and 4 of 16 fourth downs, and they have scored on 24 of 27 red zone trips with 16 touchdowns.
Quarterback Layne Hatcher transferred from Arkansas State, where he threw for 7,427 yards and 65 touchdowns in 32 games and 16 starts. He ranks fourth in Arkansas State history in career passing yards, third in passing touchdowns and fourth in completion percentage. This season he has completed 215 of 337 passes (63.8 percent) for 2,181 yards with 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Ashtyn Hawkins leads the receivers with 56 catches for 587 yards and seven touchdowns. Julian Ortega-Jones has 28 catches for 266 yards and a touchdown, and Marcell Barbee has 21 catches for 299 yards and a touchdown. Eighteen players have caught passes.
Running back Lincoln Pare, also an Arkansas State transfer, leads the team with 458 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 120 carries. Calvin Hill has 333 yards and a touchdown on 76 carries in seven games, and Jahmyl Jeter has 108 yards and a touchdown on 35 carries.
Bobcats Defense and Special Teams
Defensive coordinator Zac Spavital, the head coach’s brother, led a defense that ranked among the national top 50 in forcing turnovers in 2020 and in the top 25 in pass defense in 2019. This season Texas State allows 24.9 points, 358.9 total yards, 239.7 passing yards and 119.2 rushing yards per game. Opponents have converted 48 of 132 third downs (36.4 percent) and have scored on 24 of 30 red zone trips, with 18 touchdowns.
London Harris leads the team with 64 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Defensive lineman Levi Bell has 10.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and six quarterback hurries. Outside linebacker Jordan Revels has 55 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, and defensive lineman Nelson Mbanasor has eight tackles for loss, five sacks and two forced fumbles. Kordell Rodgers has four of the team’s 10 interceptions.
Kicker Seth Keller has made 9 of 11 field goals with a long of 41 and all 23 extra points. Mason Shipley made his only attempt, from 54 yards. Punter Seamus O’Kelly averages 41.9 yards per punt with a long of 68.
South Alabama Offense
South Alabama averages 32.3 points, 432.9 total yards, 265.4 passing yards and 167.4 rushing yards per game, with an average time of possession of 32:22. The Jaguars have converted 58 of 131 third downs (44.3 percent) and 6 of 13 fourth downs and have scored 26 touchdowns in the red zone.
Webb has 896 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 163 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Over the last two games he has carried 68 times for 409 yards. Omni Wells has 175 yards on 39 carries, Marco Lee has 157 yards and four touchdowns on 44 carries and Braylon McReynolds has 150 yards on 28 carries. McReynolds is on track to clear concussion protocol before Saturday.
Bradley has completed 188 of 289 passes (65.1 percent) for 2,281 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Jalen Wayne has 46 catches for 670 yards and seven touchdowns, Caullin Lacy has 48 catches for 615 yards and three touchdowns, and Devin Voisin has 38 catches for 467 yards and a touchdown.
Offensive lineman Dontae Lucas is suspended for Saturday’s game after being ejected for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at Georgia Southern. Kent Foster replaced him in that game. South Alabama was penalized 13 times for 118 yards against the Eagles.
South Alabama Defense and Special Teams
South Alabama ranks fifth nationally in rushing defense, sixth in third-down defense, 12th in red zone defense, tied for 18th in scoring defense, tied for 19th in turnover margin and 19th in time of possession. The Jaguars allow 19.1 points, 302.4 total yards, 217.3 passing yards and 85.1 rushing yards per game. Opponents have converted 33 of 119 third downs (27.7 percent) and have scored on 19 of 26 red zone trips, with 12 touchdowns.
James Miller leads the defense with 51 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Trey Kiser has 47 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery. CJ Rias and Jamie Sheriff share the team lead with four sacks each, and Rias leads with eight tackles for loss. Yam Banks is tied for the national lead with five interceptions.
Kicker Diego Guajardo has made all 12 field goal attempts this season and 33 of 34 extra points. Punter Jack Brooks averages 42.1 yards per punt with a long of 58 and 14 downed inside the 20.
