Texas State looks to end losing streak, takes on South Alabama

Everything is on the line Saturday as Texas State makes the trip to South Alabama  with bowl eligibility hanging in the balance.

The Bobcats, who sit at 3-6 overall, must win their final three games in order to reach the six-win threshold to qualify for their first bowl game in program history.

Despite boasting a top tier defense similar to Texas State, it’s been the South Alabama offense that has been pushing the Jaguars to seven wins and a shot at the Sun Belt West title.

“They are an explosive offense,” head coach Jake Spavital said. “Their receivers are really explosive and their running backs are big and stocky. They are stocked across the board.”

The Jaguars rushing attack is led by senior La’Damian Wayne who leads the team with 893 yards and 13 touchdowns on 163 carries.

In last week’s game against Georgia Southern, Wayne finished the game with 35 carries for 247 yards and four touchdowns, all season highs, in South Alabama’s 38-31 win.

Leading the passing attack for South Alabama is Carter Bradley, a transfer from Toledo, who has thrown for 2,274 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Receivers Jalen Wayne leads the Jaguars in receiving yards and touchdowns with 46 catches for 672 yards and seven touchdowns, while Caullin Lacy leads the team in receptions with 48 catches for 612 yards and three touchdowns.

One of the keys to the Jaguars success on offense is the ability to run the ball while also keeping defenses on their toes with their play action pass attack with Bradley at quarterback.

“He does a lot of great things,” Spavital said. “He takes care of the football and he is a competitor. He knows what he is doing with that system …they don’t ask him to do much as a pass pro because they are such a run RPO (Run, Pass Option) team. When they do take their shots, it’s going to be Gap Protection because their quarterback is going to have a pretty good time when everyone is trying to stop the run and they set up the pass play.”

With the success of the South Alabama offense playing at the top of their game, it will be a matchup of strength versus strength facing the Bobcat defense.

“With them, it’s going to be a great challenge for our defense,” Spavital said. “They are playing at an extremely-high level while taking care of the football. They are probably one of the better offenses we are going to face this season.”

Despite their short history, the South Alabama-Texas State series has been defined by their exciting games and the dominance of the home team.

Since playing in 2013 when Texas State moved to the Sun Belt Conference, six of the seven games between the schools have been decided by 10 points or less with the lone exception being in 2015 when the Bobcats knocked off South Alabama 36-18.

Entering Saturday’s matchup, neither South Alabama or Texas State has beaten the other on the road with the home team currently undefeated in all home contests.

This played into last year’s matchup when the Bobcats stunned the Jaguars in a thrilling four-overtime game, winning 33-31.

Kickoff is at 4 p.m. on Saturday inside Whitney Hancock Stadium in Mobile, Ala.