South Alabama Cruises to 38-21 Win Over Texas State
South Alabama (8-2, 5-1 SBC) defeated Texas State (3-7, 1-5 SBC) 38-21 despite a less than stellar second half.
The Jags jumped out to the lead early in the game with a 41 yard touchdown catch and run by Devin Voisin on the Jags 4th play from scrimmage and only 1:43 into the game. They added to their lead on their second possession with a 35-yard Diego Guajardo field goal at the 5:57 mark of the first quarter.
South Alabama added to their lead about midway through the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown pass by Carter Bradley to DJ Thomas-Jones. They had an opportunity to add a field goal as time expired in the first half but Diego Guajardo’s 37 yard kick curled just left of the upright.
Texas State finally got on the scoreboard in the third quarter on a pass by Layne Hatcher to Rontavius Groves for four yards.
South Alabama answered the score two possessions later when Bradley connected with Caullin Lacy for a 41-yard touchdown, the same play that Voisin scored the first points of the game.
The Bobcats scored again early in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard run by Josh Berry to cut the Jags lead to 24-14 with 13:49 left in the game.
The Jags answered right back on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bradley to Voisin again. It was initially called incomplete out of bounds, but upon review it was overturned to put the Jags up 31-14 with 10:26 left.
Texas State kept fighting and put it in the end zone again, aided by some penalties on the Jags. Layne Hatcher spread the field and kept the ball running up the middle for a 3-yard touchdown run with 3:54 left.
The jags offense was forced to punt on the ensuing possession. Jack Brooks angled his punt perfectly to go out of bounds at the Bobcats 4-yard line.
Hatcher’s first pass of the drive was tipped and intercepted by Ke’Shun Brown who returned it 15 yards for a touchdown to seal the game for the Jags 38-21.
Stats
The Jags had the advantage in the stats as well as the scoreboard.
Jags gained 380 total yards, 274 passing and 106 rushing. The Bobcats gained just 230 total yards, 143 passing and 87 rushing.
South Alabama was 5-of-17 on 3rd down, but were a perfect 6-for-6 when going for it on 4th down. Texas State was 3-of-15 on 3rd down and was 2-of-3 on 4th down conversions.
Texas State committed 5 penalties for 45 yards, the Jags committed 11 for 121, most of them in the second half.
Carter Bradley finished the game 20-of-34 for 274 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Devin Voisin led the Jags receivers with 6 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Lacy caught 3 for 58 yards and a touchdown. DJ Thomas-Jones also caught 3 for 22 yards and a touchdown.
Marco Lee led the Jags running backs with 57 yards on 14 carries. La’Damian Webb had 45 yards on 16 carries before having to leave the game.
Layne Hatcher was 24-of-42 for 143 yards with a touchdown through the air and one on the ground with an interception.
Lincoln Pare led the Bobcats with six catches for 30 yards. Rontavious Groves added 3 catches for 28 yards and a touchdown.
Josh Berry ran for 87 yards on 15 carries with a touchdown. Pare ran for 18 yards on 5 carries.
Next
South Alabama will travel to Hattiesburg to face Southern Miss on Saturday, November 19 for a 2:30pm kick.