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South Alabama and Eastern Michigan Release Statements After Post-Game Fight
You may have seen the videos posted on Social Media of the post-game incident at the 68 Ventures Bowl. A player from Eastern Michigan ran over and hit a South Alabama player from behind while the team had gathered in front of the Jaguar Marching Band for the Alma Mater.
Both South Alabama and Eastern Michigan have released the following statements.
“We strongly condemn the actions of some of the student-athletes on the EMU football team in the ugly incident that took place following last night’s 68 Ventures Bowl. We are deeply upset and embarrassed by what happened. Their conduct does not reflect the great pride and high standards we place on the game and our program, and the expectations for good sportsmanship and exemplary conduct of student-athletes on and off the field. What happened was completely unacceptable. We apologize to the Eastern Michigan University community and to the South Alabama team and their fans. I have been in contact with South Alabama Director of Athletics Joel Erdmann to express our sincere apologies and Coach Creighton has done the same with Coach Kane Wommack. We are committed to sharing information and video to fully understand all that occurred. As Coach Creighton stated in the postgame press conference, there is absolutely no place for this kind of incident in the Eastern Michigan University football program. University President James Smith and I have been in contact with Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher and we are committed to working jointly to investigate the incident in accordance with institutional and Conference policies. We are continuing to review the situation and the conduct of the student-athletes involved and will take appropriate action as more information is gathered.
– Scott Wetherbee | Vice President/Director of Athletics”
“I would like to extend my most sincere appreciation and gratitude to Jerry Silverstein and the City of Mobile for inviting us to participate in the 2023 68 Ventures Bowl. Our student-athletes and coaches enjoyed a first-class experience, and we are proud of them for winning the first bowl championship in school history in front of our loyal fans and community. It is an achievement that will not soon be forgotten.
While ware are disappointed in the incident that occurred following our team’s victory, we are grateful to the leadership at Eastern Michigan University for taking ownership of the incident and reaching out to our leadership here at South Alabama to apologize and ensure us they will fully investigate the matter. We do not believe this incident is in any way reflective of the values of Eastern Michigan University or its football program.
We hope this situation will not take away from the fact that the Jaguars are 68 Ventures Bowl Champions.
-Joel Erdmann, Director of Athletics
We would have rather had a normal post-game celebration but thankfully Eastern Michigan has pledged to take ownership of the incident. The Eastern Michigan fans that we interacted with prior to the game were all very nice and had enjoyed their time in Mobile. We do not hold the actions of a few players as representative of them or their community. But we urge them to also hold their University and student-athletes accountable as representatives of their community just as we would our University if the roles were reversed.
Thankfully Coach Wommack and his staff take great pride in representing Mobile and the South Alabama community.
South Alabama Earns First-Ever Bowl Victory; Dominates Eastern Michigan 59-10 To Win 68 Ventures Bowl
South Alabama entered the 68 Ventures Bowl with a chip on their shoulder and only one goal in mind: Win.
And win they did.
The game was never in doubt as they dominated Eastern Michigan in every phase of the game, but most importantly on the scoreboard by a score of 59-10. This set a new program record for the most points scored in an FBS game for the Jags.
With the win the Jags earn their first win in a bowl game and are now 1-3 all time in bowls. They also finish with a winning record (7-6) in consecutive seasons for the first time as a member of FBS.
The Jags entered the game without their top receiver, Caullin Lacy, without their top running back La’Damian Webb, and their starting quarterback Carter Bradley. Bradley attempted to recover from a nagging knee injury to be ready for the game, but he was unable to go in the end.
Unexpectedly they were without Dontae Lucas, who was injured in pregame warmups. But they also did not have James Miller due to an injury in one of the final practices.
Without Bradley, head coach Kane Wommack and offensive coordinator Major Applewhite went with a rotation between the official starter senior Desmond Trotter and freshman Gio Lopez. But it was Lopez who earned the Bowl MVP as he threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns while adding 88 yards rushing and a touchdown.
“It was fun just rotating, seeing Dez ball out,” Lopez said after the game. “I was feeding off his energy. So that was fun. It meant a lot to be out there with everybody. … It was awesome.”
“It means a lot, man,” Trotter said. “And to be able to do it with the guys I came in with, it makes it even more special. And just doing it here at the University of South Alabama, in our city, and our stadium, it means a lot to the city and to the team. I’m just glad we were able to come out with the win.”
“A lot of work goes into a moment like this,” coach Wommack said. “It goes way beyond just our players this season. There were young men who came here over a decade ago to build something special. They ran on hills on what is now Hancock Whitney Stadium. They came here with nothing, knowing that they were going to build a foundation for us to walk upon. At some point, you have a group of young men who take ownership and actualize those dreams, and that’s what exactly these guys up here with me and those guys celebrating in the locker room have done. … We’ve had a great past, great moments in our present and certainly our best days are ahead of us and that’s really exciting. This is a great moment to build upon and that’s exactly what we’re doing. We’re continuing to lay the foundation of a great program that years from now will come back and remember those moments. Because they’re truly special, and we’re excited to be here.”
Jamaal Pritchett, who was selected the offensive MVP, caught eight passes for 127 yards and a pair of touchdowns. DJ Thomas-Jones also caught a pair of touchdowns among his three catches for 23 yards in the game.
Defensive end Jamie Sheriff was named the defensive MVP in his final game as a Jaguar. He earned it with four tackles, two TFLs, and two quarterback hurries. He was an even bigger force in the game than the stat sheet indicates.
“To come from where we came from, a losing program, to where we are now is truly incredible,” Sheriff said. “It’s something that me and (Trotter), we’ve worked hard for. We’ve been for a long time and we want to set the standard for the future. We want to have a legacy behind it and start a new tradition here.”
South Alabama scored in each of their first three possessions. The first possession ended with a 46-yard field goal by Diego Guajardo. But the next two possessions ended in the end zone. Trotter connected with Jeremiah Webb for 49 yards to set up a 3-yard touchdown pass to DJ Thomas Jones. The following possession was capped off when Lopez connected with Pritchett for a 4-yard touchdown pass to put the Jags up 17-0.
After Eastern Michigan had gone three-and-out on each of their first two possessions, their defense set them up for their first score of the game. Linebacker Joe Sparacio stepped back and timed a perfect jump to intercept a pass by Trotter to give the Eagles the ball in Jaguar territory. Though they were unable to move the ball, Kenyon Bowyer split the uprights from 49 yards out to make it a 17-3 game at the 14:50 mark of the second quarter.
USA answered with three more scores before halftime.
Kentrel Bullock scampered in from 17 yards out for the first one. Marquise Robinson’s interception set up Lopez to connect with Thomas-Jones for a 20-yard touchdown pass. Then an interception by Jalen Jordan set up Lopez to connect with Pritchett for a 41-yard touchdown pass. It was ruled down at the 1 yard line before being overturned and ruled a touchdown upon review to go up 38-3 late in the second quarter.
The Jaguar defense forced the Eagles to punt but the Jags were unable to sustain their drive. The EMU returner muffed the punt which the Jags jumped on at the 11 yard line with :06 left until halftime. However Diego Guajardo pushed the 29 yard field goal attempt wide left to end the half.
The Jags first possession of the second half was capped off by Trotter running in a touchdown from three yards out for a 45-3 advantage. Lopez added a 27-yard touchdown run at the 7:50 mark of the third quarter to put the Jags up 52-3.
Freshman PJ Martin finished off the Jaguar scoring with a 6-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter for a 59-3 lead.
With almost all of the Jaguar defensive starters out of the game, the Eagles were able to pad their offensive stats and score a touchdown with only :58 left in the game. Cam’Ron McCoy, a freshman, ran it in from 10 yards out for the final score of 59-10.
Team Statistics
| Stat | South Alabama | Eastern Michigan |
| Total Offensive Yards | 627 | 150 |
| Passing Yards | 307 | 73 |
| Rushing Yards | 320 | 77 |
| 3rd Down Conversions | 4-of-9 | 6-of-17 |
| 4th Down Conversions | 0-of-1 | 0-of-3 |
South Alabama
Lopez finished 14-of-19 for 192 yards and three touchdowns. Trotter was 9-of-17 for 115 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
Lopez also finished as the Jags leading rusher with 88 yards on 7 carries with a touchdown. Braylon McReynolds had 71 yards on 13 carries. Kentrel Bullock finished with 68 yards on 6 carries with a touchdown. Freshman PJ Martin had 3 carries for 47 yards and a touchdown. Trotter has 27 yards on 5 carries with a touchdown. Tanner McGee had two carries for 21 yards as well.
Jamaal Pritchett picked up where Lacy left off. He had 127 yards on 8 catches with two touchdowns. Javon Ivory had 51 yards on 4 catches. Jeremiah Webb has 49 yards on just one catch. McReynolds had 40 yards on three catches.
Jaden Voisin led the Jag defense with 5 total stops, 2 solo. Sheriff, Dallas Gamble, Wesley Miller, and Blayne Myrick each had four stops.
Sheriff led the way with 2 TFLs. Myrick, Yam Banks, Quentin Wilfawn, Khalil Jacobs, Marquise Robinson, and Christopher Wallace Jr each had a TFL in the game.
Robinson and Jalen Jordan had interceptions in the game. Robinson had 3 pass break ups.
Eastern Michigan
Ike Udengwu started the game and did not complete any of his three passing attempts before being pulled from the game. Cam’Ron McCoy went 12-of27 for 73 yards and two interceptions.
McCoy was also the leading rusher for the Eastern Michigan with 73 yards on 13 attempts with the only touchdown for the Eagles. Dontae McMillan had 8 yards on 5 carries. Jaylon Jackson added 2 yards on 11 carries. Udengwu has -2 yards and Max Reese had -4 yards.
Terry Lockett finished with 29 yards on two catches. Joseph Walker had 3 catches for 22 yards. Jaylon Jackson had 13 yards on 2 catches.
Final Thoughts
Despite losing their three top offensive players from the regular season in Webb, Lacy and Bradley, the Jaguars showed that their success wasn’t just because of the play of their two best offensive players.
Trotter stepped in as the starter for the bowl game and showed poise and maturity. He could have left over the last couple of seasons but decided to stay.
Gio Lopez showed what the Jags have to look forward to at the quarterback position. He will enter spring practice as QB1 by default with the departure of Bradley, Trotter, and Tanner McGee.
Braylon McReynolds returned from his broken collarbone and started the final regular season game and the bowl game in place of La’Damian Webb. Webb rushed for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons for the Jags. McReynolds showed he has what it takes to be starting running back.
Pritchett stepped into the WR1 role after Lacy hit the transfer portal. He showed that he is capable of similar performances.
The Jaguar defense came to play. The defensive line and linebackers set up camp in the Eastern Michigan backfield. Quentin Wilfawn, Jamie Sheriff, and Khalil Jacobs were all over the quarterback and really any player holding the ball it the backfield.
South Alabama will have to reload in their defensive front with the graduation of several Jaguar players. But their early signing class on the defensive line and linebacker consist of a talented group of players whose names you will hear soon and often.
Preview 68 Ventures Bowl: Eastern Michigan vs South Alabama
Kickoff: Saturday, December 23, 6:00pm
Venue: Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL
TV/Streaming: ESPN
Radio: 96.1 fm The Rocket, Sports Talk 99.5 fm, iHeartRadio App
Thunderjags on X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAThunderjags
#5 Jersey: Khalil Jacobs
The 2023 postseason is here and it’s full of firsts for South Alabama.
USA is playing in a bowl game in back-to-back seasons for the first time. They’re playing for their first bowl win, and their first back-to-back winning seasons. They are playing in the hometown bowl game, the 68 Ventures Bowl, for the first time. But they are also facing Eastern Michigan for the first time in program history.
That’s a lot firsts.
The 68 Ventures Bowl went out on a limb and chose the Jags to play at home. They are banking on JagNation to show up for a bowl game when their college football watching is limited. While Saturday, December 23rd has a few games scheduled throughout the day, the 68 Ventures Bowl and the Las Vegas Bowl (Northwestern vs Utah on ABC) are the only two games scheduled during the evening time slot.
It’s very important for South Alabama fans to buy tickets and show up to show their support for both the program and for the bowl game itself. If you cannot go, it’s just as important to tune in to watch the game and to post on social media about the game throughout it.
In the previous three bowl games the Jags have been invited to the Jags just haven’t broken through and got their first win. Yet.
A win will be a huge accomplishment for the program. It’ll get the monkey off their back for bowl losses. But it will secure their first winning season in consecutive seasons.
Now for the final “first” in this game, let’s take a look at Eastern Michigan. (Or skip down to the TL;DR section)
Eastern Michigan (6-6, 4-4 MAC)
The Eagles earned bowl eligibility in their season finale with a 24-11 win at Buffalo. It was their only road win for the season. They were 5-1 at home and 1-5 on the road.
The Eagles are +3 on turnover differential this season. They’ve given the ball away 15 times (10 INTs, 5 fumbles lost) while the defense has taken the ball away 18 times (11 fumble recoveries, 7 INTs).
Offense
| Stat | Average per Game |
| Points | 20.33 |
| Rushing Yards | 115.0 |
| Passing Yards | 158.58 |
| Total Offense | 273.6 |
| Time of Possession | 29:02 |
| Penalty Yards | 60.83 |
| Stat | Cumulative for Season |
| 3rd Downs | 57-of-163 (34.97%) |
| 4th Downs | 10-of-16 (62.5%) |
| Red Zone Scoring Attempts | 32-of-37 (86.5%) |
| Red Zone Touchdowns | 22-of-37 (59.5%) |
| Penalties – Yards | 76-730 |
| Fumbles – Lost | 12-5 |
| Passing Attempts-Completions-TD-Interceptions | 328-185-10-10 (56.4% completion rate) |
Austin Smith was the leading passer for the Eagles going 171-of-298 for 1,775 yards, nine touchdowns, and seven interceptions. However Smith entered the transfer portal.
Junior Ike Udengwu III is 13-of-28 (46.63%) for 100 yards with two interceptions and no touchdowns. Freshman Cam’Ron McCoy only attempted one pass this year.
Tanner Knue leads the team with 479 yards on 50 catches with three touchdowns. JB Mitchell III has 398 yards on 35 catches with a touchdown. Hamze El-Zayat has 370 yards on 25 catches with two touchdowns. Jaylon Jackson has 221 yards on 22 catches with two touchdowns.
Samson Evans leads the Eagles running back corps with 635 yards on 142 carries with 12 touchdowns. Jaylon Jackson has 574 yards on 125 carries with two touchdowns. Austin Smith had 134 yards on 101 carries with two touchdowns.
Defense
| Stat | Average Allowed per Game |
| Points | 24.0 |
| Rushing Yards | 177.8 |
| Passing Yards | 205.17 |
| Total Offense | 382.9 |
| Time of Possession | 30:55 |
| Penalty Yards | 57.0 |
| Stat | Cumulative for Season |
| 3rd Downs Allowed | 64-of-163 (39.26%) |
| 4th Downs Allowed | 12-of-33 (36.36%) |
| Red Zone Scoring Defense | 40-of-52 (76.9%) |
| Red Zone Touchdowns | 27-of-52 (51.9%) |
| Penalties-Yards | 77-684 |
| Fumbles-Recovered | 19-11 |
| Passing Attempts-Completions-TD-Interceptions | 351-205-13-7 (58.4% completion rate) |
Linebacker Chase Kline leads the defense with 143 total stops, 48 solo, with 5 TFLs, 2 sacks, and 10 quarterback hurries. Fellow linebacker Joe Sparacio has 131 total stops, 57 solo, with 6.5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and 5 quarterback hurries. Then third on the tackles list is defensive back Quentavius Scandrett with 56 total tackles, 30 solo, and two interceptions.
Mikah Coleman leads the team with 4.5 sacks but entered his name into the transfer portal in the offseason. Peyton Price is second on the team with 4 sacks and Justin Jefferson is third with 3.5 sacks.
Three players lead the team with 6.5 TFLs each, Mikah Coleman, Justin Jefferson, and Joe Sparacio.
Special Teams
Mitchell Tomasek averages 45.31 yards per punt with 24 downed inside the 20, 17 fair catches, 17 punts of 50+ yards with a long of 72 yards.
Jesus Gomez was 11-of-15 on the season with a long of 55 yards. Kenyon Bowyer attempted one kick and was successful in converting it from 25 yards.
South Alabama (6-6, 4-4 SBC)
The 2023 may not have played out the way they were hoping after a 10-3 record last season. But they’ve had several bright spots during the season. They went to Oklahoma State and completely whipped the Cowboys in their home stadium in Stillwater 33-7. They scored 55 points in back-to-back conference games against Louisiana-Monroe and Southern Miss. When they needed to win two of their final three games to get bowl eligible, they stepped up. They shut out Marshall 28-0 to get their sixth win with a game to go in the season.
The story of the 2023 season was inconsistency. Games came in batches of two. Whenever they won two games, they lost two games. Plus the whole season was book-ended with a season-opening loss at Tulane and a season-ending loss at Texas State.
Let’s delve into the Jaguars stats for the season.
The Jags are even in turnover differential this season. They have given the ball away 19 times on the season (10 INTs, 9 fumbles lost) while the defense has taken the ball away from their opponents 19 times as well (11 INTs, 8 fumble recoveries).
Offense
| Stat | Average per Game |
| Points | 30.92 |
| Rushing Yards | 160.0 |
| Passing Yards | 264.92 |
| Total Offense | 424.9 |
| Time of Possession | 30:30 |
| Penalty Yards | 57.25 |
| Stat | Cumulative for Season |
| 3rd Downs | 71-of-165 (43.03%) |
| 4th Downs | 17-of-26 (65.38%) |
| Red Zone Scoring Attempts | 39-of-43 (90.69%) |
| Red Zone Touchdowns | 33-of-43 (76.74%) |
| Penalties – Yards | 80-687 |
| Fumbles – Lost | 18-9 |
| Passing Attempts-Completions- TD-Interceptions | 392-268-24-10 (68.36% Completion Rate) |
Carter Bradley started 11 games this season and threw for 221-of-326 (67.79%) for 2,660 yards, 19 touchdowns with 7 interceptions. Bradley has 83.16% of the passing attempt, 83.67% of the passing yards, and 79.16% of the touchdowns thrown on the season.
True freshman Gio Lopez appeared in four games, with on start against Try when Bradley was out with a knee injury. He went 27-of-42 (64.29%) for 283 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
Trotter went 20-of-24 (83.33%) for 236 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. Trotter was 18-of-21 for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the season finale against Texas State when Bradley had to leave after aggravating his knee.
Caullin Lacy by and far led the Jaguar receiving corps with 91 catches for 1,316 yards and seven touchdowns. However, Lacy opted for the transfer portal after the season.
Jamaal Pritchett is the top returning receiver with 49 catches for 756 yards and six touchdowns. DJ Thomas-Jones has 24 catches for 212 yards and three touchdowns. Javon Ivory has 16 catches for 183 yards with a touchdown.
La’Damian Webb also by and far led the Jags rushing attack with 1,007 yards on 186 carries with 16 touchdowns. He missed the season finale against Texas State with turf toe. Webb will also miss the 68 Ventures Bowl as he continues to heal the turf toe and prepare to enter the NFL draft.
Kentrel Bullock is the leading returning rusher with 380 yards on 77 carries with three touchdowns. He also missed the season finale with an injury. Marco Lee has 220 yards on 53 carries and two touchdowns. Braylon McReynolds, who left the season opener with a broken collarbone, has 161 yards on 33 carries and will be the starter for the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Defense
| Stat | Average Allowed per Game |
| Points | 21.92 |
| Rushing Yards | 116.8 |
| Passing Yards | 209.67 |
| Total Offense | 326.4 |
| Time of Possession | 29:29 |
| Penalty Yards | 46.17 |
| Stat | Cumulative for Season |
| 3rd Downs Allowed | 54-of-160 (33.75%) |
| 4th Downs Allowed | 8-of-18 (44.44%) |
| Red Zone Scoring Defense | 23-of-30 (76.66%) |
| Red Zone Touchdowns | 14-of-30 (46.66%) |
| Penalties-Yards | 69-554 |
| Fumbles-Recovered | 14-8 |
| Passing Attempts-Completions-TD-Interceptions | 323-195-19-11 (60.37% completion rate) |
Quentin Wilfawn leads the team with 81 total stops, 46 solo, with a team-leading 6.5 sacks and a team leading 15 tackles for loss with six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a pass breakup. Trey Kiser is next in line with 68 total stops, 29 solo, with 9.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. James Miller has 67 total stops, 26 solo, and four TFLs.
Jaden Voisin has 66 total stops, 29 solo, two TFLs, and a team-leading four interceptions. Marquise Robinson adds two interceptions while Yam Banks, Khalil Jacobs, Jalen Jordan, Maurice Strong Jr, and Wesley Miller each have one interception each.
Special Teams
Jack Martin averaged 40.05 yards per punt with 21 fair catches, 12 down inside the 20, four punts of 50+ yards with a long of 54 yards.
Diego Guajardo was 13-of-18 on the season with a long of 51 yards. He was perfect inside 40 yards. He was 5-of-7 from 4-49 yards and was 1-of-4 from 50+ yards.
Injuries/Transfer Portal
The new landscape of college football with the transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness has affected both teams coming into the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Eastern Michigan was hit pretty hard.
The Eagles have seen their starting quarterback, Austin Smith, enter the transfer portal. But he wasn’t the only one. Tight ends Andreas Paaske (4 catches, 39 yards) committed to the University of Arkansas, and CJ Horton. Offensive lineman Zach Conti committed to Southern Miss. Most recently wide receiver Javon Swinton entered the portal on Monday, December 18.
Defensive end Micah Coleman (38 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 6.5 TFLs, and 8 quarterback hurries) committed to Cincinnati while defensive tackle Alex Merritt (27 tackles, 4.5 TFLs) entered his name into the portal but does not currently show up in the portal.
Starting running back Samson Evans may not play due to injury. He has reportedly made the trip with the team, but he is not a guaranteed play as of the time of this writing. Evans ran for 127 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo to help the Eagle get bowl-eligible.
South Alabama wasn’t immune either.
Caullin Lacy, the Jags First Team All-Sun Belt Conference selection, 5th nationally wide receiver nationally, and the Jags leading receiver, entered his name into the portal and has committed to Louisville.
Defensive lineman Nathan Rawlins-Kibonge decided to enter the portal in order to play somewhere closer to home. Linebacker Gavin Forsha, a transfer from Kansas State, initially entered his name into the portal but has reportedly decided to withdraw it shortly afterwards.
Offensive lineman Dontae Lucas has reportedly decided to enter the portal after playing in the bowl game. Lucas transferred from Florida State in 2022 and started 11 of 13 games at left guard. He has started 11 of 12 games this season after moving to right guard.
La’Damian Webb will not play in the game either. He missed the regular season finale against Texas State due to turf toe. He continues to treat his injury and will focus on getting ready for the NFL draft since his collegiate eligibility has been exhausted.
Carter Bradley has been going through some drills to get ready for the game. However his knee injury needs rest so Desmond Trotter and Gio Lopez have been getting lots of practice reps in case Bradley is unable to play. Bradley had to miss the Troy game after being knocked out near the end of the Louisiana-Lafayette game. He also exited the Texas State game early with the same injury with Trotter nearly leading a comeback that fell just short.
Keys to the Game
Who Steps Up
With two key pieces to the Jaguar offense this season missing from the lineup, who will be the next man up to fill their production?
Caullin Lacy had a consistent presence all season long. He had explosive plays down field, but he also served as a key possession receiver when the Jags needed to move the chains. Jamaal Pritchett came on as the season unfolded. He was able to occasionally flash his speed down the stretch, especially when team began to focus their attention on Lacy. This leads the way for freshman Anthony Eager and redshirt-junior Jeremiah Webb to step in.
Eager is listed as the starter in place of Lacy on the depth chart released earlier this week. Eager does not have any stats for this season. Behind him they have listed Jeremiah Webb, he has one catch for 3 yards recorded this season.
In place of La’Damian Webb, Braylon McReynolds is listed as the starter. He started in the Texas State game when Webb missed due to the same injury that’s keeping him out of this game. McReynolds hasn’t missed a step since coming back from his broken collarbone suffered in season opener. Kentrel Bullock is also making his return to the lineup after missing a couple of games due to injury himself. They make a good one-two punch in the backfield.
Capitalizing on Opportunities
Eastern Michigan’s offense takes a methodical approach. They don’t necessarily make a lot of big plays, but they will eat clock, shorten the game, and will keep moving the ball down the field. When the Jags possess the ball, they really need to take advantage and put points on the board. Because if the Eagles can play their style of game, the Jags opportunities will be limited.
However EMU has their own question marks leading into the game with injuries and the transfer portal. The Jaguar defense will need to be ready for anything. With a few weeks to scheme for a bowl game and their question marks, they may dial up some offensive changes and trick plays to catch the Jags on their heels.
Playing Fundamentally Sound
What you’ll often see in bowl games is some lapses in fundamentals. It can be attributed to a couple of things. The long layoff between games and, especially now with the transfer portal and opt-outs, limited depth.
Losing players to the portal or even to opt-outs for some (thankfully not something USA has experienced) can limit depth at positions that may already be razor thin after a long, grueling regular season schedule and the injuries suffered therein.
Coaches can be apprehensive to let their team get too physical during bowl practice due to the fear of losing key player leading up to the game.
These and other factors converge and can lead to a lack of fundamentals in a bowl game. Poor tackling, issues with ball security, and others have already shown themselves again this bowl season. The team with the strongest fundamentals in the game will definitely have an easier path to victory.
Prediction
South Alabama is a 16.5 point favorite according to handicapper websites. It’s the second-largest spread this bowl season (Oregon is a 17.5 favorite over Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl).
Comparing the stats between the two teams, it seems logical that the Jags are a big favorite. If you add in the transfer portal and injuries, it further bolsters the spread.
EMU have lost their starting quarterback, best pass rusher, and their best interior offensive and defensive linemen to the portal. Additionally their top running back may miss the game with an injury.
Without Webb, the Jags will be starting Braylon McReynolds and running back. Kentrel Bullock is back healthy and will rotate in for playing time as well. Even without Webb, the Jags should be able to move the ball well on the ground against the Eagles rushing defense.
If Bradley is unable to play, either Trotter or Lopez will get the start or could also come in and play if Bradley is unable to finish the game. Lopez could play without burning his redshirt even though he’s already appeared in three games this season thanks to a rules change over the last couple of years.
Even if Bradley is healthy and ready to go, head coach Kane Wommack said that they plan on using multiple quarterbacks in the game. I would expect to see all three in the game at some point.
I feel that the Jags get the win at home, even if they are designated the away team.
Do they cover the spread? I think the Jags are more talented and are more hungry for the win. As long as they don’t get in their own heads, I think they win and cover the spread.
TL;DR (“Too long; didn’t read” for those wondering)
I think we’ve over analyzed this game by this point if you’ve read this entire article.
South Alabama is the better team in this match-up. They would have been the better team in the regular season and, even after the transfer portal subtractions, the Jags remain the better team. If the South Alabama plays up to their capabilities, they will get their first bowl win. Even if they don’t play up to their capability, they should win.
In my Lee Corso moment, I turn and grab Southpaw’s headgear and put it on. I say “South Alabama big in this one. Go Jags. South in your Mouth!” as the credits roll and the camera goes into the next scheduled program.
Go Jags!