NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama's 2021 football schedule, released by the Sun Belt Conference office on Monday, includes visits from both of the league's division champions last fall.

The full slate features three match-ups at Hancock Whitney Stadium with teams that participated in a postseason bowl a year ago, a rivalry game at home to begin the season as well as a trip to a Southeastern Conference opponent.

"This 2021 schedule presents an exciting opportunity for our players and coaches to begin their focus on preseason preparation," said first-year South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack.  "As the Sun Belt continues to establish itself as a competitive league on the national stage our schedule poses a great challenge to compete against the best in our conference. We also look forward to the versatility of our non-conference schedule as we play four opponents from separate leagues."

The season is set to begin on Saturday, Sept. 4 when Southern Miss — Wommack's alma mater — comes to Mobile to complete a home-and-home series; the Jaguars defeated the Golden Eagles, 32-21, in Hattiesburg, in their debut last fall.  South will then visit Bowling Green on Sept. 11 before returning home to play host to Alcorn State in its last contest prior to the start of league play.

Four of the Jags' five Sun Belt games in October will be against fellow West Division schools, beginning when Louisiana visits Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 2.  The Ragin' Cajuns were 10-1 and 15th in the final Associated Press poll last year after winning the division and the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.  USA will travel to Texas State Oct. 9, then come back to Mobile to take on Georgia Southern on Thursday, Oct. 14.  The month concludes with a trip to ULM on Oct. 23 and a home game against Arkansas State Oct. 30.

"After playing three non-conference opponents, we will quickly enter into West Division play," Wommack said.  "We must be prepared to evaluate and adjust our scheme and personnel on the front end of our season accordingly."

The final month of the regular season opens with a Nov. 6 game at Troy in the annual "Battle For The Belt, while on Nov. 13 the Jaguars are set to visit Appalachian State, which finished 9-3 last fall following a victory in the Myrtle Beach Bowl.  The last road contest of the regular season features a trip to take on Tennessee — South's first game against an SEC opponent since beginning the 2017 campaign at Ole Miss — on Nov. 20, with the Jags playing host to Coastal Carolina Nov. 27.  The Chanticleers went 11-1 and were ranked 12th in the final AP poll after claiming the Sun Belt East Division title and a berth in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl.

"The importance of navigating our team through this season will be critical considering our schedule down the home stretch," said Wommack.  "With a number of strong opponents on the road toward the end of the year, we must build an endurance within our program so we can finish well."

The league's East and West Division champions will meet on Saturday, Dec. 4, in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game, with the contest set to take place on the campus of one of the participants.

All kickoff times and television information will be announced in the future.  Season tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased by visiting usajaguars.com/tickets.

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).

Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics.  Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give

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