Game StatsPostgame QuotesPhoto GallerySTATESBORO, Ga – Matt Breida and Kevin Ellison ran for two scores each, combining for 265 yards on the ground, to lead Georgia Southern to a 55-17 Sun Belt Conference football victory Saturday over the University of South Alabama at Allen E. Paulson Stadium.
Breida — who had 187 yards rushing agains the Jaguars a year ago in the first meeting between the two schools — posted that same total on 21 carries while Ellison supplied 78 while rushing nine times. L.A .Ramsby chipped in with 85 yards as well, helping the Eagles (8-3, 6-1 Sun Belt) outgain the Jaguars 489-74 in rushing yards and 542-136 overall.
The Jags fell for the second time in as many weeks on the road, and are now 5-6 overall and 3-4 in the SBC heading into the regular season finale against Appalachian State on Saturday, with kickoff at Ladd-Peebles Satdium slated for 6:30 p.m. (CST). Prior to the contest the Jaguar senior class will be recognized.
Antwione Williams paced the GS defense with seven total tackles, which included 1½ sacks, and he also broke up a pass. Logan Hunt and Jay Ellison chipped in with four stops apiece to help the Eagles limit USA to a season-low 62 yards passing as well as in total offense.
"They are better than us," said Jaguar head coach Joey Jones afterward. "If you look at the game, they have bigger and faster guys on offense and defense. They're kind of tops in the league right now athletically, and they just kind of exposed us. They've done that to everybody; they almost beat Georgia last week. They are a good football team, my hat's off to them."
With the game tied 7-7 GS was again marching midway through the second quarter, but on fourth-and-inches from the USA-34 Akeem Lewis stripped the ball from Ramsby with Devon Earl picking it up and running it back 62 yards for a score and a 14-7 Jag advantage with eight-and-a-half minutes left before the break. But a 56-yard Ellison run down the right sideline set up Breida's one-yard touchdown run that would tie the game once again two minutes later.
The Eagles would score again after forcing a three-and-out, taking a 21-14 lead — their first of the day — with a minute-and-a-half to go in the opening half, with Ellison finding Ryan Longoria for 17 yards and Wesley Fields gaining 18 on a run up the middle before the GS quarterback hit Derek Keaton on a 23-yard scoring pass. On the Jags' ensuing possession Darrius White intercepted a tipped pass on third down, returning it 24 yards to the USA-8, to set up a three-yard Ellison touchdown run 38 seconds later as the Eagles would take a 28-14 advantage at the half.
After the Jags held the ball for 10 minutes in the opening period, GS controlled possession for nearly 11 minutes in the second quarter, and with a 208-7 edge in total offense over the second 15 minutes outgained USA 270-100 prior to the intermission.
The USA defense forced a three-and-out on the opening possession of the second half, and after Ronnie Reed blocked the Eagle punt Aleem Sunanon kicked a 24-yard field goal to draw within 11 points at 28-17, but Breida took the first handoff on the Eagles' ensuing drive 75 yards up the middle for a score to extend GS's advantage. Younghoe Koo added a 21-yard field goal with four-and-a-half minutes to go in the quarter while Ramsby scored on a 46-yard run on the final play of the period as the Eagles led 45-17 entering the last 15 minutes.
In the final period Koo connected on a 38-yard field goal while Vegas Harley scored from four yards out following a 72-yard Keaton punt return for the final margin of victory.
"It was kind of difficult, but we just had some mis-fits here and there," said USA linebacker Kalen Jackson. "We can't afford to give those up on this type of team with the offense they run. If you mis-fit one time, they are going to take it the distance. We just made too many mistakes — too many mental errors."
For the second straight week, the Jaguars received the opening kickoff and took a 7-0 lead on a Tyreis Thomas touchdown run. USA moved 75 yards in 11 plays, with Cody Clements completing third-down passes to Danny Woodson II for eight yards, Kevin Kutchera for 13 and Gerald Everett for 35, with the last of those moving the ball to the GS-5 . Two snaps later Thomas crossed the goal line from two yards out four minutes and two seconds into the contest. The Eagles evened the score with less than five minutes remaining in the opening period, driving 56 yards — with 40 of those coming on a Breida run — in six plays before Ellison scored on third-and-goal from the USA-1.
Thomas rushed for 37 yards on eight attempts to pace the Jaguars, with Xavier Johnson posting 29 and Dami Ayoola 19 as well. Clements was 5-of-12 passing for 64 yards before departing in the middle of USA's first drive of the second half due to injury, with Josh Magee catching three balls.
"We knew they were a good football team and they were going to keep fighting, even though we got the early score and it was supposed to be some type of momentum," Thomas observed. "Unfortunately we just kind of fell off."
Kalen Jackson, Roman Buchanan and DeMarion Harper each recorded seven stops to share game-high honors. Demarius Rancifer, Bull Barge and Jeremy Reaves were credited with six apiece, while Blake Dees and Lewis posted five tackles as well for the Jaguars.
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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