MOBILE, Ala. – When the University of South Alabama football team plays host to Arkansas State on Tuesday, it will offer the Jaguars a pair of rare opportunities.

First, while the Jags have made their fair share of appearances on national television the last few years, this will mark the first time they are playing the only game of the day.  Second — and likely more important to USA head coach Joey Jones — the schedule has offered the program the chance to take a small break in the middle of a grueling schedule.

"We kind of need a break right now. We went through five weeks of the season and four-and-a-half weeks in the preseason — that's nine-and-a-half weeks straight of football so we have a couple of days break here," he stated.  "It's good for our players to get a break, and it's good for the coaches to have somewhat of a break.  We've been watching film and working hard for Arkansas State, but you're not in that hurry-up mode where you have to get ready in a day-and-a-half to get practice ready for Tuesday.  You have a couple of more days to get ready, and it's a good breath of fresh air for us."

On Tuesday, the Jaguars (3-2, 1-0 Sun Belt Conference) and Red Wolves (2-3, 1-0 SBC) will kick off at 7 p.m. at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, with the game broadcast across the country on ESPN2; it will also be accessible worldwide for free via the iHeartRadio app.

Tickets — which remain available at a cost of $25 for sideline seats and $20 in the end zone — can be purchased on-line at tickets.southalabama.edu, by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872) or by visiting the Mitchell Center Box Office in person between 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Friday.

The Ladd-Peebles Stadium parking lot will open at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, while shuttles will begin running at 3 p.m. from the Shoppes at Bel Air located behind J.C. Penney; the cost for a round-trip ticket is $2.50, with service provided until 90 minutes after the conclusion of the contest.  The "Jag Prowl" — the team's arrival at the stadium — will pass through the tailgating area outside the South end zone starting at 4:45 p.m., with gates opening 15 minutes later.  All Jaguar fans are allowed to bring reasonably sized chair backs into the venue.

USA has partnered with iHeartRadio and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce for #tuesdaytailgate as well, with a "Taste of the Jags" — featuring free food samples and beverages from 20 local restaurants/vendors — being held in the East parking lot of the stadium from 5-6:45 p.m.  Red Bow Records recording artist Craig Campbell will perform live starting at 5:30 p.m. as part of those activities.

And, the Jaguars have partnered with the Penelope House and Verizon Wireless, with 2,000 South Alabama students receiving free purple T-shirts in recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

USA enters play having allowed its lowest point and yard totals of the season — 18 and 265, respectively — in a 24-18 victory at Troy Saturday in the "Battle For The Belt."  Kalen Jackson, who now has 22 total stops this fall, was named the Sun Belt Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week after recording six solo tackles — including two behind the line — and intercepting a pair of passes against the Trojans, while Blake Dees shared game-high honors with nine tackles to lead the Jags; the latter now has 40 stops for the year, second on the squad.

Jeremy Reaves paces the Jaguars with 41 total tackles and five for loss, while Roman Buchanan has supplied 34 and two interceptions after picking off a pass to end Troy's opening possession.  Devon Earl and DeMarion Harper have been credited with 27 and 24 stops, respectively, with the latter matching Reeves with five tackles for loss.

The Jags have surrendered 35.8 points and 405.2 yards per game this season, but are allowing 22.7 and 293, respectively, in the team's three victories.

The USA offense is averaging just under 375 yards per contest while posting 22.6 points per outing through five games, with 237 of those coming via the pass.  Cody Clements, who threw for two scores at Troy — the third time in as many wins the senior has accomplished the feat — has completed 80-of-154 attempts for 1,131 yards, with Gerald Everett and Josh Magee serving as his top targets.  The former leads the squad with 25 catches, 350 receiving yards and five scores, while the latter is averaging better than 25 yards per reception having caught 13 balls for 326 yards and two touchdowns.

The Jaguar ground game is led by Xavier Johnson, who has rushed for 411 yards and four touchdowns while averaging nearly 6.5 yards per carry.  Tyreis Thomas has supplied 226 yards, including a career-best 69 last time out, and Terrance Timmons has 98.

The Red Wolves will bring a balanced attack to Mobile, averaging 193 yards per game rushing and 202 passing while scoring 30.4 points per outing.  Michael Gordon has gained 455 yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground, including posting 221 yards and three scores in a 49-35 win over Idaho last weekend that garnered the senior SBC Offensive Student-Athlete-of-the-Week honors.  Warren Wand and Johnston White have added 210 and 204 yards, respectively, with both averaging better than five yards per carry.

J.D. McKissic is the team's leading receiver with 27 catches for 284 yards, while Tres Houston has chipped in with three touchdown receptions.  James Tabary is 65-of-102 passing for 788 yards after starting ASU's last three contests in place of senior Fredi Knighten; in the Red Wolves' first two games of 2015, Knighten threw for 183 yards and ran for another 50 before suffering an injury in a 27-20 loss in Jonesboro to 24th-ranked Missouri.

ASU is surrendering 390.6 yards and 32.2 points per game, including allowing more than 220 yards through the air.  Khari Lane paces the unit with 32 stops, while Rocky Hayes has three interceptions and three other passes broken up to go along with 21 tackles.  Ja'Von Rolland-Jones has been credited with 5½ stops behind the line of scrimmage — a total that features three sacks — as well, with Chris Stone adding 2½ tackles for loss and 16 total stops while recording nine quarterback hurries.

"They are very talented. They have solid, really good players at every position," explained Jones.  "They've been doing well for the last few years, and been in the conference championship race pretty much every year.  They have done a good job recruiting. They are well-coached, do a great job offensively and defensively they are very sound, so it's going to be a challenge for us."

The Red Wolves have won the previous three meetings between the two schools, including a 45-10 decision in Jonesboro last November.  In the only match-up in Mobile, ASU scored a touchdown with six-and-a-half minutes remaining in the contest to pull out at 17-16 victory.

Jones hopes the extra time for preparation plus a nationally-televised game leads a third opportunity — one in which the Jaguars can pick up their-first ever win in USA's series with Arkansas State.

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).

—USA—