MONROE, La. — Louisiana-Monroe scored the final 17 points of the game to rally past South Alabama 41-31 on Saturday, overturning a seven-point Jaguars lead built early in the second half.
South Alabama fell to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Sun Belt Conference and remains winless in four trips to Monroe. ULM improved to 4-3 and 2-2 in league play and extended its lead in the all-time series to 5-3.
Jaguars quarterback Jake Bentley threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns, and receiver Jalen Tolbert caught 10 passes for 155 yards and two scores, but ULM piled up 554 yards of total offense, the most South Alabama has allowed this season.
Early Exchange of Turnovers
The Warhawks took the opening possession 75 yards in seven plays, moving in chunks with gains of 12, 18, 19 and 20 yards before Andrew Henry scored on a 20-yard touchdown run.
South Alabama’s first drive ended when a completion to Tolbert was knocked loose and recovered by ULM at its own 42. The Jaguars got the ball back in similar fashion: after ULM quarterback Chandler Rogers connected with Will Derrick, Jamal Brooks stripped the ball and Keith Gallmon returned it 26 yards to the South Alabama 38.
The Jaguars tied the game on that possession when Bentley found Jalen Wayne in the back of the end zone on fourth-and-3 from the ULM 10.
Warhawks Lead at Halftime
Bentley was intercepted early in the second quarter, and ULM converted the turnover into a touchdown pass to Jared Sparks for a 14-7 lead. South Alabama answered with a 28-yard field goal after Bentley was sacked for a 3-yard loss on third-and-6 from the ULM 7.
The South Alabama defense kept ULM out of the end zone on the next series, but Calum Sutherland made a 39-yard field goal to give the Warhawks a 17-10 advantage. The teams traded touchdowns before the break, and ULM led 24-17 at halftime.
Jaguars Go Ahead in Third Quarter
South Alabama took the second-half kickoff and drove 85 yards in 10 plays over 4:43, finishing with an 8-yard touchdown catch by Tolbert that tied the game at 24.
ULM then turned the ball over on downs after failing to convert fourth-and-3 at the South Alabama 33. The Jaguars needed only four plays to score again, as Bentley hit Tolbert for a 40-yard touchdown and a 31-24 lead.
The Warhawks responded with 17 consecutive points, the last coming on a 40-yard field goal with 6:21 remaining that made it 41-31. South Alabama’s ensuing drive reached the ULM 21 after Bentley scrambled for 14 yards on third-and-19, but Diego Guajardo’s 39-yard field goal attempt went wide left with 1:22 to play. The Jaguars got the ball back with one minute left but could not score.
Statistical Leaders
ULM passed for 369 yards and rushed for 185. The Warhawks converted 7 of 13 third-down attempts, the highest conversion rate by a South Alabama opponent this season, and won the turnover battle 2-1.
- Rogers completed 25 of 35 passes for 369 yards and four touchdowns.
- Derrick caught five passes for 135 yards, including an 81-yard touchdown.
- Boogie Knight caught six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.
- Henry led the Warhawks with 88 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
South Alabama finished with 409 yards of offense, 320 passing and 89 rushing. The Jaguars converted 6 of 16 third downs and 3 of 4 fourth downs.
- Bentley completed 30 of 41 passes for 320 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
- Tolbert set the school record for career touchdown receptions and posted the seventh 100-yard receiving game of his career, also a school record.
- Terrion Avery caught seven passes for 48 yards and led the team in rushing with 87 yards on 14 carries.
- Wayne caught five passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.
- Bryan Hill ran five times for 10 yards, and Kareem Walker had five carries for 3 yards in his return to action.
Wommack: ‘Not There as a Program Right Now’
First-year head coach Kane Wommack credited ULM offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez for the Warhawks’ production.
“I thought ULM did a nice job of attacking our seams,” Wommack said. “They did a good job attacking some of the zone windows. Their quarterback was very decisive.”
Asked what led to the Jaguars’ struggles, Wommack said, “I thought it was an all-around thing. There wasn’t enough effort or execution.”
“To build consistency in a program is the only way that we are going to be able to get to where we want to go,” Wommack said. “That means consistent effort, consistent execution, consistent adjustment and we are not there as a program right now and we have to be.”
Up Next
South Alabama returns home to host Arkansas State in its homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 30, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
