NEW ORLEANS — South Alabama will play for the first bowl victory in program history Wednesday night when the Jaguars face Western Kentucky in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at 8 p.m. on Dec. 21.
The Jaguars (10-2) reached the postseason for the first time since 2016 and for only the third time in program history. Their two losses this season came by a combined five points, and their 10 wins are the most by South Alabama as an FBS program. No player on the current roster, other than transfers from other schools, has played in a bowl game.
Bowl Preparation
Head coach Kane Wommack, in his second season, said in his pre-game-week news conference that the Jaguars returned to a fall-camp style practice schedule after the regular season, working on fundamental drills that had not been run since August while mixing in preparation for Western Kentucky. The team moved to its normal game-week routine once bowl week arrived.
South Alabama opened as a 7.5-point favorite, and the line has since moved to 4.5 points.
A Familiar Opponent
Western Kentucky and South Alabama were fellow members of the Sun Belt Conference from 1982 until the Hilltoppers departed in 2014, and the schools built a notable rivalry in men’s basketball. They have met once in football, a 31-24 South Alabama win in 2013.
The Hilltoppers enter the bowl at 8-5 representing Conference USA. The NCAA allowed them to schedule a 13th regular-season game because they traveled to Hawaii. Their season included a 33-30 loss at Indiana, a 73-0 win over Florida International, a 31-28 loss to Conference USA champion UTSA and a 32-31 overtime win over Florida Atlantic in the regular-season finale.
Western Kentucky Offense
Western Kentucky ranks second nationally in passing offense at 339.2 yards per game, behind only Washington. The Hilltoppers average 35.8 points (18th nationally) and 483.5 total yards (ninth) per game, along with 144.3 rushing yards (72nd). They have converted 41 percent of their third downs and 41 percent of their fourth downs, and have scored on 44 of 53 red zone trips, 34 of them touchdowns.
Quarterback Austin Reed has completed 353 of 548 passes (64.4 percent) for 4,249 yards, 36 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and has rushed for eight touchdowns. Reed entered the transfer portal but later withdrew his name to remain at Western Kentucky.
Seven Hilltoppers have more than 100 receiving yards, four have more than 500, and seven have caught touchdown passes. Malachi Corley leads with 90 catches for 1,181 yards and nine touchdowns. Daewood Davis has 63 catches for 872 yards and seven touchdowns, Jaylen Hall has 59 catches for 731 yards and five touchdowns, and Michael Mathison has 49 catches for 580 yards and three touchdowns.
Sophomore Kye Robichaux rushed for 496 yards and three touchdowns on 73 carries in eight games before an injury against North Texas; he is listed third on the depth chart. Davion Ervin-Poindexter has 492 yards and three touchdowns on 107 carries.
Western Kentucky Defense and Special Teams
The Hilltoppers allow 23.5 points (44th nationally), 380.8 total yards, 225.2 passing yards and 155.6 rushing yards per game. Opponents have converted 35 percent of third downs and have scored on 36 of 41 red zone trips, 24 of them touchdowns.
Edge rusher JaQues Evans leads the team with 100 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks, along with two fumble recoveries and a blocked kick. Derrick Smith has 90 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception, and Kahlef Hailassie has 65 tackles, eight tackles for loss, three sacks and two interceptions. Kaleb Oliver and Upton Stout share the team lead with three interceptions.
Brayden Narveson made all 59 extra points and 15 of 21 field goals with a long of 51 yards. Cory Munson averages 61.1 yards per punt with 34 touchbacks.
Hilltoppers Hit by Transfers
Most of the Western Kentucky players who have entered the transfer portal are defenders. Evans entered on Dec. 14, edge rusher Dante Walker on Dec. 12 and safety Arthur Brathwaite on Dec. 7. Offensive tackle Luke Slusher and receiver Joshua Simon entered on Dec. 6, and receiver Barry Wagner, safety Talique Allen, quarterback Darius Ocean and offensive tackle Rusty Staats entered on Dec. 5. Narveson, the starting kicker, entered on Dec. 1.
South Alabama has had two players enter the portal: Anterrious Gray, who left the team during the season, and reserve quarterback Eli Gainey.
South Alabama by the Numbers
The Jaguars average 31.9 points, 423.8 total yards, 259.2 passing yards and 164.6 rushing yards per game and rank 18th nationally in time of possession at 32:24. They convert 43 percent of third downs and 65.4 percent of fourth downs, and have scored on 41 of 49 red zone trips, 30 of them touchdowns.
Quarterback Carter Bradley, a Toledo transfer, has completed 240 of 374 passes (64.2 percent) for 2,983 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Desmond Trotter has completed 14 of 18 passes for 127 yards in four games.
Three receivers have more than 50 catches and 700 yards. Jalen Wayne has 56 catches for 793 yards and nine touchdowns, Caullin Lacy has 58 catches for 759 yards and six touchdowns, and Devin Voisin has 53 catches for 718 yards and four touchdowns. Braylon McReynolds is next with 17 catches for 188 yards and a touchdown.
La’Damian Webb rushed for 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns on 197 carries, becoming the second 1,000-yard rusher in South Alabama history, despite missing one game with an injury. He scored the final three touchdowns in the Jaguars’ comeback win at Georgia Southern after battling the flu that week. McReynolds, a true freshman, has 311 yards on 55 carries and filled in during the final two regular-season games while Webb dealt with a foot injury. Marco Lee has 247 yards and four touchdowns, and Omni Wells has 234 yards.
The team has adopted “RTDB” — short for “Run The Damn Ball” — as a mantra after Director of Football Athletic Performance Matt Shadeed taped the letters to his shirt during a practice. Coaches have since worn shirts bearing the slogan.
Jaguar Defense and Special Teams
South Alabama allows 19.4 points (tied for 14th nationally), 302.6 total yards (11th) and 87.6 rushing yards (fourth) per game, along with 215 passing yards. Opponents have converted 29.9 percent of third downs and have scored on 28 of 35 red zone trips, 17 of them touchdowns. The Jaguars held Georgia Southern, which ranks fourth nationally in passing, nearly 50 yards below its season average in a win in Statesboro.
Jaden Voisin leads the team with 76 tackles, six tackles for loss, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Trey Kiser has 71 tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble, and he and CJ Rias share the team lead with 10 tackles for loss. Jamie Sheriff leads with six sacks. Yam Banks leads the team with five interceptions, 10 pass breakups and five quarterback hurries.
The secondary has absorbed several injuries. Keith Gallmon Jr. was lost in preseason camp, Marvin Martin was injured in practice during the season, and Quentin Wilfawn was lost to a shoulder injury.
The Jaguars have fumbled 10 times and lost four. Bradley threw half of his 10 interceptions in the final four games, three of them in the last two while playing through an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.
Punter Jack Brooks averages 42.8 yards on 53 punts, with 16 downed inside the 20 and three touchbacks. Kicker Diego Guajardo made 17 of 18 field goals with a long of 49 yards and 44 of 45 extra points.
