Texas State defeated South Alabama 45-38 in the regular season finale

Texas State denied South Alabama a chance at the Sun Belt Conference title with a 45-38 win at Hancock Whitney Stadium on Friday.

The Bobcats outscored the Jaguars 24-10 in the final two periods and capitalized on three second-half turnovers for the comeback win. South Alabama (6-6, 4-3 Sun Belt) is now eliminated from the possibility of a West Division championship and awaits bowl assignments on Dec. 8.

After South Alabama led 35-31 early in the final quarter, Texas State used a 12-play, 90-yard drive to take a 38-35 lead with 11:39 to play. Jordan McCloud hit Joey Hobart from 17 yards for the score after the Bobcats ran the ball on eight straight plays.

South Alabama then drove to the Texas State 40, but the Bobcats’ Mannie Nunnery intercepted a short pass from Gio Lopez and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown and a 45-35 lead with 7:27 to play. Lopez limped after the play and was replaced by Bishop Davenport on the following series.

Laith Marjan’s 21-yard field goal with 1:32 left brought South Alabama within seven points. However, the Jaguars failed an onside kick attempt and Texas State ran out of time to claim the win.

South Alabama led 28-21 after a first half that featured numerous big plays from both teams. The Bobcats scored rushing touchdowns of 8 yards from McCloud, 11 yards from Brad Jackson and 33 yards from Ismail Mahdi to take a 21-14 lead with 8:59 left in the second, but missed another scoring opportunity when Devin Voisin from the The Jaguars made a diving interception in the end zone early in the second quarter.

South Alabama scored a touchdown on Fluff Bothwell’s 51-yard touchdown run and Blayne Myrick’s 33-yard interception return, then tied the game on Lopez’s 17-yard touchdown pass to Jamaal Pritchett with 3:59 left Half time over. After an 18-yard punt gave the Jaguars the ball at the Texas State 25, Lopez ran for an 8-yard touchdown to give South Alabama a 28-21 lead with 2:06 left in the second.

The Jaguars defense made another big stop just before halftime after Texas State advanced into the USA red zone. Myrick and fellow linebacker Darius McKenzie stopped Bobcats receiver Chris Dawn two yards short of the first down on third-and-7, and Texas State – which had used all three of its timeouts on South Alabama’s previous possession – couldn’t make another play -get off or stop the clock (because it was in fourth place) before time runs out.

Texas State tied the game at 28-28 with a 12-play scoring drive midway through the third quarter, with Lincoln Pare diving into the end zone from a yard out. After South Alabama fumbled on its 29th yard, the Bobcats took a 31-28 lead on Mason Shipley’s 32-yard field goal with 2:34 left in the third.

South Alabama got back on top with a quick scoring drive and just three plays. Bothwell rallied for a 29-yard touchdown run – his second of the game – to make the score 35-31 after three quarters before the Bobcats owned the fourth quarter.

South Alabama now awaits a bowl game berth, which will be announced on December 8th.