South Alabama Closes Out 2019 Season, Ladd-Peebles Stadium Era, With 34-30 Win Over Arkansas State
Jalen Tolbert, Desmond Trotter, and Tra Minter were the three big names in South Alabama’s 34-30 upset of Arkansas State. The much-needed win broke a nine-game losing streak by the Jags.
It also closed out the era of South Alabama Football at Ladd-Peebles Stadium with a win.
Tolbert set a school record with 4 touchdown receptions including the game-winning score with 1:18 left in the game. Tra Minter also made history as he became the first Jaguar to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season.
Arkansas State opened the scoring when Layne Hatcher connected with Brandon Bowling to go up 7-0. The Jags answered with two touchdown passes by Desmond Trotter to Jalen Tolbert of 21 and 29 yards, both in the first quarter, to take a 14-7 lead.
Neither team could score for the remainder of the first half, but the Jags had appeared to have had Tolbert’s 3rd touchdown in the second quarter. However it was all for nothing as the Jags were flagged for an illegal player downfield, then was assessed a penalty for Tolbert flipping the ball at an Arkansas State defender. Then South Alabama head coach Steve Campbell was also hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct flag for arguing with the officials. In all, the Jags were hit with 35 yards of penalties.
Arkansas State opened the second half scoring with a 23 yard field goal with 10:50 left in the third quarter, cutting the Jaguar lead to 14-10.
Minter added a touchdown with 6:03 left in the third quarter, however Diego Guarjardo’s PAT was blocked leaving the Jags with a 20-10 lead.
The nations leading receiver in yards, Omar Bayless, cut the Jags lead to 20-17 on a 10-yard touchdown reception.
Trotter and Tolbert hooked up again on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 31-yard touchdown to put the Jags up 27-17. Hatcher’s 1-yard touchdown run put the Red Wolves within 3 points again with 12:29 left in the game.
As the Jaguars offense sputtered, Arkansas State was able to add field goals of 40 and 20 yards to take a 30-27 lead with 3:51 left in the game.
USA needed big conversions on their go-ahead drive and Tra Minter took the team on his back. Facing a 4th & 8, Trotter threw to Minter in the flat and he worked his magic to pick up 11 yards and to keep drive alive. A few plays later, Minter came up big again when Trotter threw it to him again which he turned into a 17 yard gain an a play that was ruled a run.
Trotter then found Tolbert for the final touchdown and the lead.
The Red Wolves had one more opportunity but a strip sack gave the Jags the ball with a little over a minute left in the game.
Facing 4th & 1 and Arkansas State out of time outs, Campbell had a choice: he could kick the field goal to go up by 7 points, or he could ice the game with a 1st down. Once again they called Minter’s number, and once more he came through gaining just enough to move the chains and allowing the clock to run out.
The Jags rolled up 495 yards of total offense, 216 of them on the ground and 279 through the air. They gained 26 first downs, went 5 of 16 on 3rd downs and converted all four 4th down attempts.
Arkansas State gained 437 yards of offense, 342 through the air and 95 on the ground. The Red Wolves gained 21 first downs, went 8 of 18 on 3rd down, and 0 of 2 on 4th down.
Minter rushed for 106 yards on 21 carries with a touchdown. Trotter added 58 yards on 14 carries.
Trotter was 20-of-31 passing for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Tolbert led the way with 5 catches for 144 yards and 4 touchdowns. Kawaan Baker caught 5 passes for 62 yards.
Jamal Jones led the Red Wolves rushing with 61 yards on 16 carries.
Hatcher was 23-of-38 passing with 342 yards and two touchdowns. Kirk Merritt led the Red Wolves with 9 catches for 121 yards. Bayless gained 98 yards on four catches with a touchdown.
“I’m very proud of the way our guys played tonight,” coach Campbell said after the game. “I think we played complimentary football tonight; all three phases played about as well as we’ve played all year.”
“It means a lot, because you want to get the win for the players,” Campbell said. “You want them to know what you’re telling them is right and that they believe that. We tell them to keep chopping wood and sooner or later it’s going to turn.”
The Jags finish the season with a 2-10 record overall and a 1-7 record in Sun Belt Conference play, the worst record since the Jags FBS transitional season in 2012. The coaching staff will turn their full attention to recruiting with the early signing period beginning on December 18.
With the win, Campbell’s record is now 5-19 in two full seasons.
