HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Desmond Trotter threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns, Jalen Tolbert caught six passes for 169 yards and two scores, and South Alabama upset Southern Miss 32-21 on Thursday night in the 2020 season opener for both teams.
South Alabama entered the game as a two-score underdog and carried the nation’s longest road losing streak at 15 games. The Jaguars had also not won a season opener since their 2016 victory over Mississippi State. Both streaks ended in Hattiesburg.
The win came on Sept. 3, the same date on which South Alabama beat Mississippi State in 2016 and, in 2010, announced its home-and-home series with Southern Miss.
Fast Start
South Alabama scored on its third offensive play. Trotter connected with Tolbert along the right sideline, and Tolbert made two defenders miss on the way to a 73-yard touchdown. A bad snap on the extra point led to an incomplete pass, leaving the Jaguars ahead 6-0.
Southern Miss scored 10 unanswered points in the second quarter, the last of them on a field goal in the closing seconds, and South Alabama took a 13-10 lead into halftime.
Shortly before the break, Southern Miss running back Frank Gore Jr. was stopped and then pitched the ball back to quarterback Jack Abraham, who carried it into the end zone. Officials ruled that Gore’s forward progress had been stopped and the play was dead, wiping out the score. This season’s new electronic whistles, which are quieter than traditional whistles, contributed to confusion on the play.
Jaguars Pull Away
South Alabama forced a three-and-out to open the second half and answered with a 10-play, 56-yard scoring drive. On third-and-8, Trotter found Tolbert for a 31-yard touchdown that made it 20-10.
On the play before the touchdown, Trotter was under pressure and attempted to throw as the ball appeared to go backward. Southern Miss recovered, but the call on the field, ruling it an incomplete pass, was upheld.
Early in the fourth quarter, Trotter hit Kawaan Baker on a 52-yard catch-and-run touchdown to put the Jaguars up 29-13. Kicker Diego Guajardo missed wide left on the extra point, his second missed kick of the night.
Southern Miss scored a touchdown with 5:42 remaining and added a two-point conversion to cut the lead to 29-21. Carlos Davis then broke a 40-yard run to set up a South Alabama field goal for the final margin. The Golden Eagles later drove to the South Alabama 1-yard line, but the Jaguar defense kept them out of the end zone.
Statistical Leaders
Trotter completed 16 of 27 passes for 299 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions and added 41 rushing yards on nine carries. Davis led the Jaguars on the ground with 85 yards on 15 carries.
Tolbert, who closed the 2019 season with a strong game against Arkansas State, had six receptions for 169 yards and two touchdowns. Jalen Wayne caught six passes for 101 yards, and Baker had four catches for 82 yards.
Nick Mobley led the defense with 15 tackles. Riley Cole and Keith Gallmon added 12 tackles each.
For Southern Miss, Abraham completed 22 of 32 passes for 314 yards and two touchdowns. Gore led the Golden Eagles with 32 rushing yards on 12 carries, and Tim Jones caught six passes for 139 yards.
By the Numbers
- South Alabama outgained Southern Miss 526 to 409 in total yards.
- The Jaguars passed for 363 yards and rushed for 163; Southern Miss had 314 passing yards and 95 rushing yards.
- South Alabama lost the turnover battle 2-0 and had three special teams miscues.
- The Jaguars were penalized four times for 38 yards.
- South Alabama did not punt, a first in program history.
Up Next
South Alabama hosts Tulane on Saturday, Sept. 12, in the first game at the new Hancock Whitney Stadium on campus. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be televised on ESPN2.
