Jaguars Fall To UCLA 32-31 On Walk-Off Field Goal
South Alabama (2-1) botches a trick field goal play that led to UCLA (3-0) kicking a walk-off 24 yard field goal as time expired to fall 32-31 in Pasadena.
With about three minutes left in the game, the Jags faced 4th & 2 at the Bruins 22 yard line. USA sent the field goal unit onto the field with 3rd string quarterback Tanner McGee as the holder. They then shifted into an offensive formation with McGee at quarterback, unfortunately he couldn’t find anyone open before he was sacked for an 11 yard loss.
UCLA took over at the 33 yard line and proceeded to drive down the field bleeding the Jags of their final two time outs. With the ball sitting at the Jags 6 yard line with two seconds left, Nicholas Barr-Mira put the ball through the uprights as time expired for the win.
Quarterback Carter Bradley got off to a shaky start after throwing an interception on his second pass attempt of the game. The pass was returned 10 yards to the Jags 21 yard line. The defense would not yield and the Bruins had to settle for a 28 yard field goal to go up 3-0 at the 12:18 mark of the first quarter.
The Jags offense responded with a 10 play, 75 yard drive to take the lead. La’Damian Webb’s 47 yard run on 3rd & 8 set up Marco Lee for a 1 yard touchdown run to go up 7-3.
The Bruins and Jaguars traded field goals from 49 and 38 yards respectively on the next two possessions for a 10-6 advantage for South Alabama.
UCLA moved the ball down the field and appeared to score on a pass to Zach Carbonnet, but after review he was marked down at the one foot line. The Jags defense took advantage. The handoff from Dorian Thompson-Robinson wasn’t clean, CJ Rias was able to knock the ball loose and Zeke Chapman covered it up in the end zone to thwart the Bruins.
The offense took full advantage too. A false start at the 4 didn’t matter to Webb either, he took it in from 9 yards out to put the Jags up 17-6 at the 5:54 mark of the 2nd quarter.
It didn’t take long for UCLA to answer either, just six plays. A pass completion for 34 yards followed by a 25 yard run by Keegan Jones put them at the Jags 9 yard line. Then two plays later Thompson-Robinson found Jake Bobo for a 9 yard touchdown pass making it 17-13 at halftime.
UCLA made adjustments and came out strong in the second half.
The Bruins quickly marched down the field aided by a roughing the passer call on Jamie Sheriff. Thompson-Robinson capped it off with an 11 yard touchdown pass to Kam Brown to retake the lead 17-20 at the 13:22 mark of the 3rd quarter.
La’Damian Webb suffered his first fumble of the season when he was stretching for extra yards. While the replay looked like the Jags may keep possession, the officials saw it differently. They upheld the fumble but saw that the defender was on his knee when he recovered the ball which negated the touchdown return.
UCLA converted the turnover into a 28 yard field goal. The Jags had them stopped near mid field however Ricky Fletcher was flagged for defensive holding on a 3rd & 8 incomplete pass to give the Bruins new life.
Again South Alabama responded.
Marco Lee got his second touchdown of the game on a 1 yard run. But it was Caullin Lacy who set it up with a 37 yard reception to put USA in the red zone. The score gave USA a 24-23 lead at the 1:37 mark of the 3rd quarter.
UCLA’s ensuing possession started at their own 30. A fumble that a few players tried to scoop-and-score kept advancing the ball until Ed Smith finally covered it at the Bruins 6 yard line.
Caullin Lacy stretched out and had a fantastic aerobatic 4-yard touchdown catch to put the Jags up 31-23 at the :57 mark of the 3rd quarter.
The Bruins gashed the Jags as the defense struggled to pressure or contain Thompson-Robinson or stop the run. Thompson-Robinson set up a 4th & 4 at the Jags 8 yard line with a 5 yard run. Chip Kelly opted to go for it and it paid off with Thompson-Robinson connecting with Logan Loya for a touchdown. A failed 2-point conversion left the Lags in the lead 31-29 with 12:25 left in the game.
After a punt by both teams, the Jags had an opportunity to milk time off the clock.
A methodical 11 play drive stalled at the UCLA 22. Facing 4th and 2, coach Wommack sent on the field goal unit. However, instead of Jack Brooks as the holder, they sent in Tanner McGee. After lining up in field goal formation, they shifted into a normal offensive formation. It did not catch the Bruins off guard, McGee was pressured and sacked for an 11 yard loss as tried to move and find someone open to throw to.
UCLA took over possession with 2:52 left in the game with the Jags defense missing some key players.
Again the Jags just couldn’t muster any pass rush on Thompson-Robinson as they positioned themselves for the game winning field goal as time expired.
“We made some plays in big moments, but we were also an inconsistent football team today,” head coach Kane Wommack said after the game. When you go into big stadiums and have opportunities, you have to take care of the ball offensively and not shoot yourself in the foot from an execution standpoint… We have to step up on third downs. You have a fourth down in the red zone, you have to get off the field, [if you do] it changes the outcome of the game.”
“They adjusted well to it,” Wommack said about the failed fake field goal late in the game. “We thought we had them right there with the fake field goal. Would have been nice to get that one and iced the game. But we didn’t put ourselves in position in the plays prior to that moment to pull away…”
Wommack wasn’t wrong, they had a tight end in favorable coverage against a linebacker and coming open free on the left side. However the rush on McGee got to him before the tight end could get the separation he needed to throw it.
When asked about execution and responding when they needed to, he said “I thought so…our guys competed the entire game. It was just the execution. Physically we did some things on some plays, ran the football, it was just a couple of plays.”
“I told the guys they were going to have an opportunity to respond to this game and that is what we have to do against Louisiana Tech at home,” coach Wommack said.
Stats
South Alabama
The Jags had 399 yards of total offense, 237 passing and 162 rushing.
USA had 22 first downs while running 70 offensive plays. They held the time of possession advantage 32:57 to 27:03.
The Jags converted 9-of-14 3rd down attempts but was 0-for-1 on 4th down attempts. They scored on all 5 trips into the red zone, only one of them was a field goal.
La’Damian Webb finally got his 100 yard rushing game. He carried the ball 16 times for 124 yards and a touchdown. Terrion Avery added 29 yards on five carries. Marco Lee had two touchdowns on 4 carries for 6 yards.
Carter Bradley was 26-of-36 for 237 yards, a touchdown and an interception.
Jalen Wayne finished with 7 catches for 76 yards. Devin Voisin caught seven passes for 64 yards. Webb caught all six of his targets for 42 yards. Lacy also caught all four of his targets for 49 yards and the only receiving touchdown.
Jalen Jordan led the defense with 7 stops, five solo. James Miller recorded the only tackle for loss in the game.
UCLA
The Bruins put up 407 total yards of offense, 263 through the air and 144 on the ground.
They had 23 first down while running 67 offensive plays.
The Jags defense held the Bruins to 7-of-13 on 3rd down attempts and allowed them to convert their only 4th down attempt in the game. They scored six of their 7 trips into the red zone, but only three of them were touchdowns.
Zach Charbonnet was held to 78 rushing yards on 13 carries. Keegan Jones added 65 yards on 14 carries. Thompson-Robinson had 27 yards on 7 carries.
Thompson-Robinson went 20-of-30 for 263 yards and three touchdowns.
Jake Bobo caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Charbonnet caught three passes for 51 yards. Logan Loya and Kam Brown both caught touchdown passes.
Darius Muassau led all defenders with 10 tackles, five solo. Carl Jones Jr had the only sack in the game for either team and the only tackle for loss for the Bruins. JonJon Vaughns had a pass breakup and the only interception of the game.
Who’s Up Next
The Jags return back home for their final non-conference game of the season against Louisiana Tech.
South Alabama has a week of events scheduled culminating with Jo Bonner’s inauguration as University President on Friday ahead of the Jags game against Bulldogs.
Kickoff is scheduled for 6pm on Saturday, September 24 at Hancock-Whitney Stadium. The game will be streamed online on ESPN+ and radio coverage on the Jaguar Radio Network including iHeartMedia app, and 99.5 fm in Mobile.