MOBILE, Ala. – Homecoming is a time for celebration on campuses across the country throughout the fall, and the University of South Alabama football team is looking to join in on the fun despite entering the weekend in search of its first Sun Belt Conference win.

The Jaguars may be coming into their meeting Saturday with Georgia State with an 0-4 mark in the league, but at 3-4 overall one of the team's goals is still within reach — a return to a postseason bowl game.

"In the locker room, we don't talk about the past.  We just look forward to the future and know we have to win these five remaining games if we want to get to where we want to get," said redshirt freshman defensive lineman Tyree Turner.  "We just have to have the right attitude and energy.  We can't have any negative energy, because that affects everything from practice to the game.  As long as we are upbeat and have one heartbeat, we should be fine.  We just have to take it one game at a time."

"We're all still believing and going with our plan of action," added senior running back Dami Ayoola.  "We're all motivated to get our first conference win.  It starts with everyone in our building.  It's a really urgent time around here right now knowing we have to get a win right now.  This week is huge for us."

The Jags and Panthers (2-5, 1-2 Sun Belt) will kick off at 4 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday in a game that can be seen and heard nationally on ESPN3 and via the iHeartRadio app, respectively.  The match-up will also be available locally on the radio on WRKH 96.1 FM and 99.5 The Jag.

The Jaguar offense — which is averaging 251.6 passing yards, 357.9 total yards and 23.4 points per contest entering play — is coming off a performance that included 145 yards on the ground against Troy in the "Battle For The Belt" last Thursday.  Xavier Johnson had two rushing touchdowns for the second time this year, collecting 58 yards on just six carries, before departing due to injury at the end of the first quarter; he leads the team with 258 yards and five scores on 68 attempts this fall.  Tyreis Thomas and Ayoola contributed 41 and 34 yards, respectively, as the former now has 214 this year and the latter 149.

Dallas Davis has connected on 110-of-190 pass attempts this fall for 1,471 yards after throwing for 195 against the Trojans.  That included finding Gerald Everett for a 19-yard score in the final minutes before halftime, the senior tight end's team-leading fourth touchdown reception of the season.  He also paces the squad with 34 catches for 567 yards, with Josh Magee adding 25 receptions for 286 yards and Kevin Kutchera supplying 419 yards on 21 catches.  Last time out, Tyrone Williams led USA with four catches, increasing his total this fall to 18.

"Offensively I think we have to get more consistent, right now we are a little spurty on offense — at times we look great and at times we don't," explained South head coach Joey Jones.  "I think that comes down to blocking up front, when you block up front it makes things a lot easier to run the football and throw it.  We have to get better in the trenches."

Although the Jaguars gave up 595 yards to the Trojans, they still rank among the top five in the Sun Belt in passing (first, 178.9 yards per game), total (fifth, 394.7 ypg) and scoring (fifth, 25.9 ppg) defense.  Roman Buchanan's 51 stops top the unit while fellow senior Randy Allen continues to lead the league in both tackles for loss and sacks having recorded 12½ and seven, respectively.  Jeremy Reaves is among the leaders in the SBC in passes defensed with two interceptions and five others broken up, and he has also been credited with 4½ stops behind the line of scrimmage among his 45 total on the year.  Devon Earl has 37 total tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries after returning one 28 yards on Troy's second play from scrimmage last time out as well, but the unit will be without the services of Kalen Jackson — who has been credited with 48 tackles including eight for loss and a pair of forced fumbles — due to injury.

"I think defensively we had gotten better every week until last week, I didn't think last week was our best game execution-wise," Jones said.  "We missed a lot of tackles and had some mental mistakes that we weren't making and had fixed; the two previous games I thought we played really good defensive football, but that night — giving up almost 600 yards — there were some breakdowns."

The Panther defense is coming off a performance in a 31-6 win over Tennessee-Martin in which it scored on consecutive plays midway through the third quarter, didn't allow a touchdown for the first time in program history and gave up a school record-low point total.  After surrendering 455 and 531 yards in losses to Ball State and Air Force, respectively, to open the campaign, GSU has given up 400 or fewer yards in four of the last five contests.

Alonzo McGee leads the Panthers with 61 tackles, while Bobby Baker has recorded 45 and broken up three passes.  Bryan Williams has supplied 41 tackles, with Michael Shaw adding 40 — including 4½ behind the line — and Mackendy Cheridor pacing the squad with six tackles for loss and 2½ sacks while posting a total of 29 stops.  With Jerome Smith, who leads the team with three interceptions, sidelined due to injury, B.J. Clay picked off a pair of passes in the UTM victory, returning one 38 yards for a score.

"The first thing when you look at them is that defensively they are really, really good," observed Jones.  "I'm watching film and thinking they do a great job scheme-wise, their coordinator does a really good job.  They run to the ball very well, they have more cover guys in the secondary than they have had in the past.  They are very good defensively, that's the first thing that stands out."

GSU also faces an uncertain situation at quarterback.  Connor Manning has completed 123-of-221 passes for 1,441 yards and eight touchdowns on the year, but while he was forced to sit out last weekend's contest Aaron Winchester threw for 119 yards and a score while running for a game-high 75 yards on 16 carries in his place.  Leading rusher Kyler Neal (47-200, 2 TDs) also missed the game, with Darius Stubbs supplying 69 yards on 12 attempts in relief.

Robert Davis has 39 receptions for 559 yards and three scores, not only leading the team in each category but ranking second in the SBC behind Everett in yards per outing and third in catches per contest.  Todd Boyd has caught 24 balls for 264 yards and Glenn Smith has posted 21 receptions for 276 yards as well, with both reaching the end zone once, to help the Panthers average nearly 230 yards per game passing.

"They do throw it downfield a little bit more than Troy, but they are going to throw the football," Jones explained.  "Their quarterback does a good job and they have really good receivers out there catching it.  Robert Davis has had a great year, I think he is one of the best in the league.  They have some weapons outside for sure."

Tickets for the Jaguars' annual Homecoming contest can be purchased prior to the weekend by either going online to www.usajaguars.com or by calling the USA Athletic Ticket Office at (251) 461-1USA (1872), and they will be available at windows by Gates 1W and 3E at Ladd-Peebles Stadium beginning at 1 p.m. on the day of the contest.  The cost for tickets is $25 for those on either sideline and $20 to sit in each end zone.

The stadium parking lot will be available for tailgating at 8 a.m. Saturday, with gates opening to the public at 2 p.m.  "FanFest" in Jag City — offering pregame festivities including a live band, plus food from Raising Cane's and Sonny's BBQ — starts in the East parking lot at 1 p.m. and South's arrival on site, the "Jag Prowl," is set to begin in the Southeast corner of the Ladd-Peebles lot at 1:30 p.m.

Shuttles will be running from the Shoppes at Bel Air located behind J.C. Penney from noon until 90 minutes after the conclusion of play, with round-trip tickets available for just $2.50; children five and under can use the service for free.

The Jaguars have yet to drop a Homecoming game in the program's first seven seasons of competition, with USA averaging nearly 42 points per contest while never failing to score at least 30.  That includes a 30-27 defeat of the Panthers two years ago.

South Alabama football will look to continue that streak on Saturday against Georgia State, and in doing so end another in Sun Belt Conference action to get even closer to achieving its ultimate goal.

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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