NEW ORLEANS – Road games against a pair of Southeastern Conference opponents as well as the defending Sun Belt Conference champion highlight the University of South Alabama's 2016 football schedule, which was released on Thursday.

The Jaguars will face six schools that participated in a postseason bowl a year ago, including four that would go on to win those contests, and five opponents who finished with a winning record last fall.

The Jags will begin the campaign with a trip to Mississippi State — the final match-up in a three-game series between the two schools — on Sept. 3, and also face Louisiana State Nov. 19 in their last non-conference contest of the season.  It will mark the fifth straight year that USA will face an SEC school, and the second in the last three seasons that the Jaguars will play two opponents from the league.

"Our players are always excited about playing SEC schools and to play in those venues," Jaguar head coach Joey Jones said.  "Last year I think we had the toughest schedule in the Sun Belt Conference and this year I would rate it up there in the top two or three, playing two SEC teams and San Diego State.  But it makes us better, we are excited about the opportunity."

Following the game against the Bulldogs, the Jags will return home for a Sept. 10 meeting with Georgia Southern to open Sun Belt play — it's the second time in three years that USA will begin conference action against the Eagles at Ladd-Peebles Stadium — with a trip to Louisiana-Lafayette slated for Sept. 17.  GS went 9-4 a year ago, with a 6-2 mark in the SBC, after winning the GoDaddy Bowl.

"It [the first three weeks of the schedule] will definitely make our summer be more on point because when you're playing Mississippi State, then turn around and face Georgia Southern and Louisiana-Lafayette you better be ready early in the season," observed Jones.  "I think it's going to ramp up how our kids work the whole summer.  It's much different — it seems that in years past a lot of our tougher conference games were at the end of the season — but it will be good for our players because they will understand they better be ready early to have some success against those guys."

The opening month of the campaign will conclude with a Sept. 24 match-up at home against Nicholls State, and the following week San Diego State is set to visit Mobile for the second half of a home-and-home agreement between the two schools.  Last year USA was the only program to defeat the Aztecs — who would go on to an 11-3 finish, which included an 8-0 record in the Mountain West Conference and a victory over Cincinnati in the Hawai'i Bowl — in San Diego.

After a week off, the Jaguars will begin a stretch for four SBC games in four weeks when they travel to take on defending league champion Arkansas State on Oct. 15, returning home five days later to play host to Troy on Thursday, Oct. 20, in a contest that will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.  USA faces Georgia State at home on Oct. 29 with a road game at Louisiana-Monroe Nov. 5.

To close out the year, the Jags will visit Idaho on Nov. 26 in their final regular-season game away from home, finishing in Mobile Dec. 3 against New Mexico State.  LSU and the Aggies will be the only two first-time opponents for the Jaguars in the fall.

"I used to think it [consecutive road games] was a big deal, but our kids have really adapted well to that; a couple of years ago we went to Idaho and Appalachian State back-to-back and played real well," Jones stated.  "There are no excuses about travelling or playing home or away, you have to line up and play football.  To be a great team you have to be able to handle those situations."

Season tickets for the 2016 campaign are on sale now and can be purchased online at jaguarathleticfund.com/footballtix.  Customers may also call (251) 461-1USA to order by phone.  Sideline season tickets can be purchased for $110 while end-zone seating is $60 for the six-game home schedule. 

All away game ticket information will be released closer to the start of the season.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

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