Game #1
 
South Alabama (0-0, 0-0 SBC) at No. 24 Tulane (0-0, 0-0 AAC)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 2
Kickoff: 7 p.m. CT
Location: New Orleans, La. (Yulman Stadium)
Watch: ESPNU
Listen: Jags Radio Network - WRKH (96.1 FM)
Social: @SouthAlabamaFB
 
NOTES & QUOTES

• Saturday's game between the Jaguars and Green Wave marks the beginning of the 15th season of South Alabama Football. After the program's initial campaign in 2009, South Alabama has an all-time record of 76-86. After winning 10 games in 2022, the 2023 Jaguars will look to create back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since the first-three seasons of the program's existence from 2009-2011 (7-0, 10-0, 6-4).

• South Alabama returns 19 of 22 starters from last season's team that won 10 games and made the program's third-ever bowl game appearance. Offensively, the Jaguars lost wide receiver Jalen Wayne and offensive lineman James Jackson while the defense sent cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. to the National Football League by way of the San Francisco 49ers.

• South returns 78 percent of its offensive production from last season. The Jags retained their top two receivers in Devin Voisin and Caullin Lacy with 871 and 816 yards, respectively, and their top two rushers in La'Damian Webb and Braylon McReynolds with 1,063 and 326 yards.

• South Alabama finished 17th in the country last season in red zone defense. The Jags allowed their opponents to score on only 32 of 42 trips to the red zone.

 "I'm very excited to go into this matchup overall. This is going to be a great game. A great opportunity. And as you build a program you need moments like this to challenge yourself and your team to kind of see where we are on week one."

-Head Coach Kane Wommack on facing Tulane to open the season
 
"I see him being more conscious of the football, and more conscious in general. That's one thing we talked about during the offseason. It didn't happen often, but when there were these mistakes, where did they happen? Were we seeing too much, were we thinking about the exception rather than the rule? Just staying within the framework of the manual. I've seen him take strides there."
 
-Offensive Coordinator Major Applewhite on quarterback Carter Bradley's improvement
 
"It was a really physical fall camp. The amount of depth that we've been able to have on both sides of the ball has allowed us to go longer and harder. It's been a lot more physical than any other year that we've had. That's been encouraging."
 
-Defensive Coordinator Corey Batoon on the defense's performance in fall camp
 
ABOUT TULANE
 
The Green Wave enter Saturday's season opener as the No. 24 team in the country after defeating USC, 46-45, in last year's Cotton Bowl. Willie Fritz enters his eighth season as Tulane's head coach, sporting a 43-45 record at the school. Quarterback Michael Pratt returns to captain the Green Wave after throwing for 3,009 yards and 27 touchdowns a season ago.
 
SERIES HISTORY
 
South Alabama and Tulane have met twice on the gridiron with the teams splitting those two meetings. The Jaguars claimed victory in the original meetings between the two schools with a 41-39 win in New Orleans in 2013. Tulane won the most recent contest in 2020 by invading Mobile for a 27-24 victory.
 
LAST TIME OUT
 
Western Kentucky's Austin Reed threw for a R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl record 497 yards to lead the Hilltoppers to a 44-23 victory over South Alabama at Caesars Superdome.
 
Carter Bradley added another single-season mark to his resume establishing a new single-season mark for total yards of offense (3,393), while also setting a new record for career touchdown passes (28). Place kicker Diego Guajardo also set the single-season scoring record as he ends the fall with 100 total points, while running back La'Damian Webb became the program's all-time single-season rushing leader tallying 1,063 yards this season.
 
Devin Voisin hauled in a career-best 11 receptions for 132 yards receiving. D. Voisin, Webb and D.J Thomas-Jones each had a touchdown reception, marking the eighth game this season in which Bradley has thrown for three or more touchdowns in a game.
 
Bradley also set a single-game record for completions as he was 36-for-53 for 360 yards, surpassing Jake Bentley's previous mark of 30 set during the 2021 season.
 
FOLLOW THE JAGS

For complete coverage of South Alabama football, follow the Jags on social media @SouthAlabamaFB (Twitter), /SouthAlabamaFB (Facebook), @SouthAlabamaFB (Instagram) or visit the official home of South Alabama athletics at usajaguars.com.