MOBILE, Ala. – Homecoming is a time for celebration on campuses across the country throughout the fall, with many schools looking to pick up a victory in front of former players and alumni who don't get a chance to visit often.  Thus far the University of South Alabama football team has done just that, winning each of its first six such contests since the program's inception in 2009.

Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time this season, extending that streak to seven takes on added importance as the Jaguars look to both even their season record as well as continue their quest to make USA's second straight bowl appearance.  This fall, the Jags (3-4, 1-2 Sun Belt Conference) will play host to Idaho (3-5, 2-3 SBC) on Homecoming weekend, with kickoff Saturday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium scheduled for 2 p.m. in a match-up that can be seen nationally on ESPN3 and accessed for free worldwide via the iHeartRadio app.

In winning each of its first six Homecoming games, USA has scored 30-plus points on every occasion while posting an average margin of victory of two touchdowns.

But the Jaguars will be taking on a Vandal squad that has averaged 34 points in its three road contests in conference action, and has won two of its last three outings.

"Idaho has a good football team, they are scoring a lot of points and have one of the best quarterbacks in the league," observed Jag head coach Joey Jones.  "They have proven they can score some points, we're going to have to stop them on defense."

The two quarterbacks are among the leaders in the Sun Belt in passing, with the Vandals' Matt Linehan (164-of-260, 1,911 yds, 10 TDs) second and Cody Clements (113-of-213, 1,593 yds, 10 TDs) second and third, respectively, in yards per game, and both squads have a rusher among the top 10 in the league: Elijhaa Penny (168-814, 5 TDs) of Idaho stands fourth with 101.8 yards per outing while the Jaguars' Xavier Johnson (75-503, 4 TDs) ranks 10th with 71.9 per game.  Tyreis Thomas, coming off a career-high 84 yards last time out for the Jags in the game at Texas State, has added 335 yards on the ground this fall.

USA's Gerald Everett (28-405, 6 TDs) and Josh Magee (16-421, 3 TDs) stand sixth and eighth, respectively, in the conference in receiving yards per contest, while the Vandals' Callen Hightower (29-305, 1 TD) is seventh in catches per game.  Dezmon Epps (61-757, 2 TDs) of Idaho leads the SBC in both receptions and receiving yards per game, but has not played the last two weeks after being suspended indefinitely.

The Jags are averaging just under 380 yards and better than 23 points per game this season, while the Vandals have averages of 420 and 28.4 in those categories, respectively.

"They play from the Petrino tree, Paul is the brother of Bobby who has run the offense at Arkansas and Louisville," Jones explained.  "We played Western Kentucky a couple of years ago, it is the exact same, so we have faced it and understand it a little bit.  It's very complex, they do a great job with everything.  They run a lot of offense, they do a lot of different things, probably more than any team we have faced.

"But this is a game where we have to come through and play well.  I don't think we have really hit on all cylinders on offense yet — we've had some good things happen, good plays in spurts, but we haven't played a complete game."

Defensively the two squads are giving up nearly as many points per outing — the Jaguars are allowing 37.7 on average, Idaho 39.9 — but USA is surrendering nearly 100 fewer yards per contest, with opponents gaining 399.3 yards against the Jags compared to 497.2 versus the Vandals .

Blake Dees paces USA with 63 total stops, tying for third in the Sun Belt in tackles per game, with Jeremy Reaves (39-15—54 TTS, 5 TFL) also among the top 10 in the conference.  Both Roman Buchanan and Kalen Jackson stand in the top 10 with a pair of interceptions, and they also rank third and fourth on the squad with 46 and 38 tackles per outing; the latter is averaging 1.67 stops behind the line in league games, which is second in the conference.  DeMarion Harper paces the Jaguars up front with seven tackles for loss, including two sacks, among his 31 total stops.

Chris Edwards has eight stops behind the line for the Vandals, which ranks among the top 10 in the Sun Belt, and has been credited with 48 tackles on the year, second only to Broc Westlake's 51 total.  Kaden Elliss and Marc Millan have each been credited with 46 stops, and though the latter has intercepted two passes and forced a pair of fumbles, he was suspended by the conference office on Tuesday for multiple unsportsmanlike acts in Idaho's last game, a 55-48 overtime loss at New Mexico State, and will not play this week.

Each team's special teams unit has been highlighted by the kicking game.  Idaho's Austin Rehkow has connected on 17-of-20 field goals, leading the league with 2.12 per contest while also ranking third with 9.1 points per game.  Aleem Sunanon is tied for second in the SBC in field goals per outing having converted 10-of-13 attempts, and with 6.6 points per contest he also stands among the top 10 in scoring.

Tickets for USA's Homecoming contest are available and can be purchased three different ways: 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 cost for the game on Saturday is $10 for sideline tickets and $5 for those in either end zone.

As a part of military appreciation activities, all active or retired military with proper I.D. will receive two free tickets, which can be picked up at the Mitchell Center Box Office during regular business hours throughout the course of the week or at the stadium ticket windows on Saturday.

The stadium parking lot is set to open at 8 a.m. on game day, while tickets can be purchased on site beginning at 11 a.m.  Gates will be opened at noon — fans are allowed to bring reasonably sized chair backs in with them, but not umbrellas due to stadium policy — 15 minutes after the team arrives at the stadium and participates in the "Jag Prowl," which will go through the tailgating area outside the South end zone.

A shuttle providing round-trip service from the Shoppes at Bel Air located behind J.C. Penney will begin running at 10 a.m. and continue until 90 minutes after the game ends; the cost is $2.50 per person to ride, although children five and under can use the service for free.

USA won last year's meeting with the Vandals — the first between the two teams — 34-10 in Moscow, limiting Idaho to just 30 yards rushing on 33 attempts.  In addition to recording seven sacks from seven individuals in that contest, the Jaguars got a 59-yard interception return for a touchdown from Montell Garner to lead by double figures the final three quarters.

With another defeat of Idaho, the Jags would even their conference record while extending their Homecoming win streak while giving former students and student-athletes another reason to celebrate the weekend festivities.

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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