by Jeff Clark, Staff Writer

DENTON (GG) — It seems like a lifetime ago when South Alabama opened the season with a resounding win over Morgan State, setting the expectations high for the Jags’ 2025 season. Then came an oh-so close loss to a really good Tulane team, a hard-fought loss on the Plains to the SEC’s Auburn, and a messy loss at home to Coastal Carolina.

On Saturday, September 26, they added another notch in the loss column as the Jaguars fell 36-22 to North Texas, once again showing glimmers of what can be, at least defensively.

“They fought hard and we had opportunities, but you just cannot fall asleep and get stagnant like that on offense when the defense is playing their butts off against a good offense,” said South Alabama Head Coach Major Applewhite. ” We didn’t do anything in the first half; we got a couple of scores in the second half. It started to get interesting, and our defense got confidence. Then we had some penalties that killed us on the drive, and that last drive there on defense, the water just kind of broke through the dam.”

Things started with a bang for the Jaguars as they got on the scoreboard first, as quarterback Bishop Davenport punched it in on their first drive, giving the Jags a 7-0 lead. It was the first time USA scored on an opening drive since the week two matchup with Tulane. North Texas answered back and tied the score 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

It would be midway through the third quarter before the Jaguars found the endzone when Columbia native and Ole Miss transfer Kentrell Bullock ounched it in from the one-yard line to bring the score closer at 21-14. But North Texas immediately answered back, leading 28-14 at the end of the third quarter.

Bullock found the endzone again early in the fourth quarter, closing the score at 28-22 after a two-point conversion. But North Texas would end the game with yet another touchdown and a two-point conversion for the final 36-22 score.

NOTES:

  • North Texas won the total yardage batter 429-396 despite the Jags outrushing the Mean Green by a count of 204-195.
  • The Jaguars were plagued by untimely penalties all game long, committing eight for eight yards compared to just five for 41 yards for North Texas.
  • Tackling was a struggle for South Alabama in defeat. The Jags brought down the Mean Green 64 times compared to 76 total tackles for North Texas. UNT was also able to generate seven tackles for loss compared to just three for South.
    • Rod Gibbs scored his first-career touchdown in the third quarter on a one-yard pass from Davenport. It was the fourth overall reception of Gibbs’ career.
    • Hughes’ fumble recovery was the first of his career. It was also the first defensive takeaway for the Jaguars since week two against Tulane.
    • Wallace set a new career high with 13 total tackles
    • Micah Woods recorded his first-career reception in a South Alabama uniform in the fourth quarter to convert a key third downSouth Alabama’s opening touchdown drive was its first time finding the end zone on the first drive of the game since week two against Tulane.

South Alabama will now turn its focus to the annual Battle for the Belt when it visits Troy on Saturday, Oct. 4. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

(Front Photo by Aimee Cronan/The Gazebo Gazette via Associated Press.  Inside Photo by South Alabama Athletics)