Texas State collapses in fourth quarter, falls to South Alabama

Texas State couldn’t close Saturday’s game out. 

Despite holding a 14-point lead twice against South Alabama. Despite taking a 31-23 advantage into the fourth quarter. 

But just when Texas State looked poised to win its Sun Belt opener and take its first winning conference record under head coach Everett Withers, the Jaguars outscored the Bobcats, 18-0, in the fourth quarter.

Texas State (1-2, 0-1 Sun Belt) fell to South Alabama (1-2, 1-0), 41-31, inside Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. 

Both teams traded field goals after special teams blunders in the first quarter. Texas State seized momentum after sophomore quarterback Willie Jones III sprinted 50-yards for a touchdown. The Bobcats pushed their lead to 17-3 when Jones connected with freshman wide receiver Javen Banks on a 42-yard strike. 

South Alabama scored its first touchdown on a 2-yard rush from junior running back Tra Minter to bring itself within 17-10.

Texas State took a 24-10 advantage on a 1-yard run on sweep by Banks. 

But the Jaguars answered with a 63-yard bomb from senior quarterback Evan Orth to senior wide receiver Jamarius Way to get the Jaguars to Bobcat 5-yard line. Minter scored on the following play. Texas State, however, blocked the extra point to keep the score at 24-16. 

The Bobcats halted a promising Jaguar drive in the third quarter when junior safety JaShon Waddy forced a fumble and senior safety AJ Krawczyk recovered the ball. 

Texas State took advantage of the turnover when junior wide receiver Hutch White hauled in a 25-yard touchdown from Jones to stretch the Texas State lead out to 31-16. 

But momentum swung into South Alabama’s favor when Texas State freshman quarterback Tyler Vitt threw an interception that Jaguar junior defensive back Jalen Thompson returned for a touchdown to cut the Bobcat advantage down to 31-23. 

South Alabama converted a 47-yard field goal by senior Gavin Patterson to get within 31-26. 

The Jaguars took the their first lead of the night and of the season when Orth hit junior wide receiver Jordan McCray on a 23-yard touchdown pass. A 2-point conversion gave South Alabama a 34-31 lead. 

The Jaguars sealed the game when Jones was picked off by Thompson. South Alabama pushed its lead out to 41-31 in the waning second of the game after Way scored on an 18-yard touchdown grab. 

Texas State now heads into Saturday’s I-35 Showdown against UTSA in the Alamodome looking to rebound from a night where it couldn’t close out.