Saturday, December 14, 2024
South Alabama Jaguars (6-6) vs Western Michigan Broncos (6-6)
Salute to Veterans Bowl
9 p.m. | ESPN
Cramton Bowl Montgomery, Alabama
THE SERIES
This will be the first ever meeting between Western Michigan and South Alabama.
South Alabama Jaguars Notes
ALL-CONFERENCE
South Alabama had eleven players receive All-Sun Belt Conference honors this season. WR Jamaal Pritchett and S Jaden Voisin earned first team honors while DL Wy’Kevious Thomas, LB Blayne Myrick and K Laith Marjan were selected to the second team. RB Fluff Bothwell and OL Jordan Davis were recognized on the third team, and QB Gio Lopez, TE DJ Thomas-Jones, OL Reed Buys and DL Maurice Strong were given honorable mention status.
FIRST YEAR SUCCESS
Major Applewhite is the first head coach in program history to lead the Jags to a bowl game in his first season as head coach. Applewhite is now 3-for-3 in leading teams to bowl eligibility in his three seasons as a head coach.
MATCHED UP WITH THE MAC
The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl will mark the third time South Alabama has faced an opponent from the MidAmerican Conference in a bowl game. The Jags played Bowling Green in the 2014 Camellia Bowl and Eastern Michigan in the 2023 68 Ventures Bowl.
BOWL HISTORY
– Saturday will represent South Alabama’s fifth bowl game appearance in school history – The Jaguars own a 1-3 record in bowl games all time – The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl is the third-straight bowl game the Jaguars have competed in in as many seasons
JAGS AGAINST THE MAC
– South Alabama has played nine games against five MAC schools with a 5-4 overall record in those games – The Jaguars’ most-recent victory against a MAC school came in the 2023 68 Ventures Bowl when South secured its first-ever bowl championship with a 59-10 beatdown over Eastern Michigan – South holds a 2-1 advantage over MAC schools from the state of Michigan
ONE FROM THE RECORD
– South Alabama wide receiver caught his ninth touchdown of the 2024 season in the second quarter of the Jaguars’ game against Texas State – Pritchett’s nine touchdown receptions tie him for the most in a single season in program history with Jalen Wayne who caught nine in 2022 – Pritchett will need one touchdown reception against Western Michigan in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl to own the record outright – His 17 career touchdown receptions are the second-most in program history behind Jalen Tolbert who had 22 – Pritchett also got up to 91 receptions for the season against Texas State, tying him with Caullin Lacy for most in a single season in school history
DUAL THREAT
– South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez is getting it done through the air and on the ground this season – Lopez has thrown for 2,557 yards this season, which is currently the fifth-most passing yards by a South Alabama quarterback in a single season – Lopez’s 18 passing touchdowns are currently the third-most by a quarterback in a single season in school history – Lopez has also rushed for 465 yards during the 2024 season, which is the second-most by a quarterback in a season in Jaguar Football history – Lopez’s seven rushing touchdowns are tied for the 10th most by a Jaguar in a single season
THROUGH THE UPRIGHTS
– South Alabama kicker Laith Marjan entered the 2024 season having never attempted a collegiate field goal – During the regular season, Marjan went 16-of-17 on field goal attempts, giving him a field goal percentage of .941 on the year which is fifth-best in the country – Marjan was recognized as a Lou Groza Award semifinalist for his stellar play this season
SEEING DOUBLE
– South Alabama will play the 2024 season with two sets of twins on its roster – Safety Jaden Voisin and wide receiver Devin Voisin are both entering their senior years. The brothers hail from Crestview, Fla. – Tight end Trent Thomas and defensive lineman Tyler Thomas will both be redshirt freshman in 2024. The brothers are native to Mobile, and Tyler transferred home after spending his true freshman season at UAB.
Western Michigan Broncos Notes
THIS WEEK
Western Michigan is in Montgomery, Ala., to take on South Alabama in the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl on Saturday at the Crampton Bowl on ESPN. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m., following The Heisman Trophy presentation on ESPN.
ABOUT THE IS4S SALUTE TO VETERANS BOWL
The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl, formerly known as the Camellia Bowl, is in its 11th year and has traditionally pitted the MAC against the Sunbelt. When those two conferences have been matched up, the conferences have split down the middle, with each winning four games. Last year’s game saw Northern Illinois defeat Arkansas State, 21-19 IS4S, the title sponsor, is an employee-owned and controlled small business that provides a wide range of engineering and management solutions to the United States Armed Forces and other government and commercial agencies.
STUDS UP FRONT
After WMU starting center Jacob Gideon and Addison West were voted First Team All-MAC, they continued to rake in the honors. Gideon was named a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, awarded to the nation’s top center. He is the first center in WMU history to be a finalist for the award and just the second in the history of the Mid-American Conference. Both have been named Hero Sports Group of 5 First Team All-Americans. West has started every single game since the 2022 season and has helped the Broncos produce a 1,000-yard rusher in each of the last two seasons. While this year, WMU’s three-pronged rushing attack of Jaden Nixon, Jalen Buckley and Zahir Abdus-Salaam have combined for 2,098 yards. West has also been rated the top guard in all of college football by Pro Football Focus and was named a First Team All-American by the organization. Gideon has been the top-rated center by PFF in each of the last three seasons. He has started 46 of the last 46 games since 2021, including 33 at center.
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
Western Michigan’s three-man rushing attack of Jaden Nixon, Jalen Buckley and Zahir Abdus-Salaam have combined for 2,098 yards rushing on the season and 23 rushing touchdowns. Of the 134 FBS teams, WMU is just one of 21 that have its top three rushers combine for over 2,000 yards. Combined, they have averaged 5.89 yards per carry and each have had a season-long run of at least 60 yards, with Nixon topping the trio at 92. One of the three have gone for 100+ yards in each of WMU’s six wins. Nixon and Abdus-Salaam both went over the century mark in the win over Bethune-Cookman, while Buckley and Abdus-Salaam did it in the win over Eastern Michigan. The Broncos have averaged 260.3 yards rushing in their six wins.
BOWLING BRONCOS
Western Michigan is in search of the program’s third bowl win. WMU’s two wins came at the 2015 Bahamas Bowl over Middle Tennessee State and at the 2021 Quick Lane Bowl against Nevada. DaShon Bussell, Anthony Sambucci, Damari Roberson, Zahir Abdus-Salaam, Mareyohn Hrabowski, Boone Bonnema, Aaron Wofford, Peyton Doorhy, Jack Sherwin, John Hofer, Tyson Lee, Calvin Muraski, Adam Vandervest, Addison West, Jacob Gideon, Malique Dieudonne and Kadinn Morris were all on the 2021 team and have the opportunity to become the only players in program history to win two bowl games.
