MOBILE, Ala. – South Alabama set a school record for rushing yards against a Division I opponent with 355 on the way to defeating ULM, 46-17, to cap off homecoming week Saturday night at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Kentrel Bullock had a career night with 141 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while
Fluff Bothwell matched that touchdown total and added 119 yards of his own.
Braylon McReynolds pitched in 73 yards of his own while scoring the first rushing touchdown of his career, and
Gio Lopez rounded out the rushing attack with 25 yards and a score. USA's previous rushing record against a Division I opponent came against Louisiana in 2019 when the Jags rushed for 351 yards.
The win improved the Jaguars to a .500 record on the year at 4-4, including a 3-1 mark in Sun Belt Conference play. South also took an advantage in the series with ULM, improving to 6-5 all-time against the Warhawks. South's third-consecutive victory over ULM dropped the Warhawks to 5-2 for the season.
"Really proud of the way our guys played against a very good opponent," said head coach
Major Applewhite. "Coach Vincent has done a great job with their program. How they play the game offensively and defensively makes it hard to prepare against them, but I'm so proud of how our guys played tonight. I'm proud of our defensive unit. Coach Windham has done such an outstanding job at helping our guys grow. Offensively, it was good to see us get back on track. To see us run the football for over 300 yards and have a couple of kids get over 100 yards was great. I was also really proud of the statement we made in the third quarter, when there was a 19-play drive with zero points that allowed the offense to take over and go 93 yards to score. That was a great turn of events that showed our majority late in the ball game."
While the Jags sported a flashy rushing attack in their dominant second-half performance, South Alabama's defense also played a near-perfect second half as the Jags held the Warhawks scoreless over the final-30 minutes of the game. On ULM's first offensive play of the second half, defensive lineman
Wy'Kevious Thomas tipped a pass which safety
Wesley Miller picked off for his second interception in as many games. That takeaway would result in a Bullock touchdown, and the Jags never looked back. Then, with ULM threatening to score late in the fourth quarter, true freshman safety
Ty Goodwill stepped in front of a pass in the end zone for his first-career interception to preserve the shutout.
After a touchdown drive to open the game, South's offense stalled out for the remainder of the half, but key plays on defense and special teams kept it a one-possession game to keep the Jags in striking distance. South's defense forced ULM into a fourth-and-long deep in its own territory, and the Warhawks snapped the ball over the punter's head to give USA two points on a safety. Then, South Alabama was able to add on a field goal with
Laith Marjan hit from 48 yards away on the next possession. The key plays bought the Jags time until the offense came alive in the second half.
Linebackers
Dalton Hughes and Mlayne Myrick led South Alabama with seven tackles apiece. Hughes tallied his second sack in as many weeks, and Myrick recorded the first sack of his collegiate career. Maurice Strong added six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss while
Jaden Voisin,
Jordan Scruggs and
Aakil Washington pitched in five tackles apiece.
South Alabama will now prepare for its third-straight home contest when Georgia Southern visits Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2. The Jaguars and Eagles will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be nationally televised on ESPNU.
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