MOBILE, Ala. – For the third time in as many weeks, the University of South Alabama football team will be facing a first-time opponent that presents new looks on both sides of the ball when the Jaguars visit San Diego State.

"Defensively, they are really good.  They have a bunch of seniors on that side, a lot of guys coming back who are really talented," said USA head coach Joey Jones.  "They run a defense with a bunch of guys standing on the line of scrimmage and when the ball is snapped here they come; they are not traditional in what they do.

"I know they are an 'I' team like we were three or four years ago, running power, counters, isos and play action — a real traditional offense," he continued.  "Donnell Pumphrey is extremely good, he's a smaller guy but he is really fast.  And they are big up front.  If we don't play gaps responsibly against these guys, Pumphrey is going to make us pay."

The Jags and Aztecs will kick off at 7 p.m. (CDT) at Qualcomm Stadium, home of the National Football League's San Diego Chargers, with the match-up broadcast on the Mountain West Network and available for free worldwide via the iHeartRadio app.  It will be USA's first visit to the Golden State since earning a 24-21 victory at UC Davis on Oct. 23, 2010.

Both teams enter the contest coming off road losses to schools from "Power Five" conferences; the Jaguars fell at Nebraska, 48-9, while California defeated SDSU, 35-7.  Each is 1-1 coming into play.

The Aztec defense is allowing only 19 points and less than 340 yards per contest through the first two weeks of the season, including just over 120 per outing on the ground.  While Jake Fely paces the unit with 20 total stops, fellow linebacker Calvin Munson has arguably been the most disruptive force for SDSU.  In addition to recording 17 tackles — a figure that includes 4½ behind the line, with three of those sacks — he has returned two interceptions for touchdowns and has recovered a fumble as well.  Damontae Kazee has picked off three passes to go along with a pair of tackles for loss.

Pumphrey leads the team with 147 yards rushing, with 85 of those coming on 21 carries against the Golden Bears, and Chase Price has chipped in with 101 yards on 19 attempts while averaging 5.3 yards per rush.  Maxwell Smith, a transfer from Kentucky, has completed 19-of-40 passes for 236 yards in his first two contests at SDSU, including capping the Aztecs' opening drive last weekend with a 29-yard touchdown throw for an early 7-0 advantage.  Mikah Holder's five catches lead the team, while Eric Judge and Pumphrey have recorded four receptions each with Judge posting a team-best 82 yards.

Josh Magee finished with six catches for 147 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, at Nebraska, with Gerald Everett, Kevin Kutchera and Marvin Shinn each hauling in three passes as well for the Jags.  Everett — who is tied for the team lead with Magee — has seven receptions for 114 yards on the season, and D.J. Vinson has collected five catches.  After completing 23-of-40 attempts for 271 yards against the Huskers, Cody Clements is connecting on 56.9 percent of his passes through two games.

"I thought for the most part the offensive line protected the quarterback — and they have some first-round draft picks on that defensive front," Jones observed.  "Cody threw the ball well and stood in there and didn't panic, and Josh obviously had a great game at receiver."

Xavier Johnson tops the Jaguars with 149 rushing yards thus far this fall, and he added three catches for 22 yards last time out.  Tyreis Thomas and Terrence Timmons have combined to supply 112 yards, with each adding a pair of receptions.

Roman Buchanan and Blake Dees are tied for the team lead with 20 stops apiece through two outings after the former led USA for the first time in two-plus seasons with a career-best 11 tackles at NU.  Jeremy Reaves has collected 15 tackles with a pair behind the line, with Kalen Jackson adding 14 tackles, Devon Earl 13 and Demarius Rancifer 12.  The unit has four takeaways after E.J. May's first interception of the season led to the Jags' touchdown in the final period.

While the Jaguars are up against an opponent that presents challenges both offensively and defensively, Jones hopes that the lessons learned from last week's trip to Lincoln help prepare the team to be up to the task at hand not only at San Diego State but beyond.

"When you play a team like Nebraska, they expose your weaknesses because a lot of times they have better cats than your cats, they are bigger and faster," he commented.  "We have to see our weaknesses — we knew we had some, some that were obvious — to make them strengths by the time [Sun Belt] conference play gets here."

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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