by Jeff Clark, Staff Writer

ATLANTA (GG) — A win is a win. And for the South Alabama (USA) Jaguars, it’s been a minute since there has been another “W” in the column. In fact, before the Jags (2-6) went 38-31 over Georgia State on Thursday, Oct. 24, in Atlanta, the team had not won since an opening-week victory over Morgan State. But Jaguars Coach Major Applewhite is hopeful the win can be an agent of change for his team.

“Huge,” Applewhite said of the victory. “It’s not one of these program-type wins, but it’s huge for the players and just their state of mind. I’ve been part of some teams where you take some haymakers. You lose by 28, 35, or 42. We have not lost those kinds of ball games. We’ve fought, we’ve played physical, we’ve played hard. We haven’t always played well, but it just felt great for the guys. They needed this. We all needed this. We knew there would be a momentum swing in the second half. We didn’t know it would get that close, but it was good to see them fight through and start to develop some competitive toughness.”

The Jaguars jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter after holding Georgia State to three-and-out on the opening drive. The Jags scored on a 10-play, 53-yard scoring drive to take a 7-0 lead on an 18-yard touchdown pass from first-year Bishop Davenport to Brendan Jenkins. The Jags scored twice again in the first quarter, first on a 74-yard pass from Davenport to Jeremy Scott, and then on a four-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, with Mississippi native Kentrel Bullock capping the drive with a six-yard rushing touchdown. The Jags led 21-14 at the end of the first.

The Jags had a 14-play, 82-yard touchdown drive, capped by a Davenport rushing touchdown on a three-yard run to go up 21-14 at the half. But the Panthers came back with 17 unanswered points before the Jags were able to tie the game 31-31 on a 23-yard field goal by Davis Little. After forcing a turnover late in the fourth, Bullock was able to punch it into the endzone on a short run to give the Jags the 38-31 win.

Davenport finished the night with a career high 280 yards passing and went 16-22. He also had two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. Bullock once again led the Jags in rushing with 113 yards and two touchdowns.

After a 38-31 win, the 2-6 (1-3 SBC) South Alabama Jaguars hope to be on a winning streak as they welcome the Ragin’ Cajuns to Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff. The matchup will serve as the Jaguars’ homecoming game.

The game is a “must-win” for both teams, who have identical records. If the Jags hope to make the playoffs, they will have to win out the season. The Jags last beat Louisiana in 2024.

“(Louisiana) does a great job schematically, but they play hard,” Jaguars Head Coach Major Applewhite said. “They play with confidence, and they play with speed. I don’t care what their record says; they play with confidence. They also play with experience.”

Louisiana is coming off a 35-23 loss to Troy. Although the Ragin’ Cajuns posted another disappointing loss, quarterback Lunch Winfield threw for 187 yards and a touchdown and had a team-high 139 rushing yards. 

South Alabama junior linebacker Tirrell Johnson was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week after his strong outing against Georgia State. Johnson forced a fumble that set up senior running back Kentrel Bullock’s go-ahead touchdown run, then sealed the win with an interception on Georgia State’s next drive. Johnson also posted a career-high 10 tackles, joining two teammates with double-digit stops in the victory.

“It was a great win and great for our guys, but we have to get back to work,” Applewhite said. “We are playing against a great Losuiaina team. I have a lot of respect for Coach (Michael) Desormeaux and his coaches. I have a lot of respect for their program, and we have to get ready to go play a really good Lafayette team. We have to go each day as its own. We have to keep the momentum going by doing the same thing over and over again. Yes, there’s momentum, and there are more smiles. But the work has to be done.”

(Photos by Hunter Dawkins/The Gazebo Gazette via Associated Press)