5 things Mississippi State fans should know about South Alabama
Davis Wade Stadium will be fired up this weekend when Mississippi State hosts the Jaguars from the University of South Alabama.
The Bulldogs were picked to finished last in the West and are coming off two of the best seasons in program history, while the Jaguars look to improve on their season finale, a heartbreaking loss to Appalachian State that kept them from bowl eligibility.
The Jags and the Bulldogs have been preparing for this game all summer, so here are five things State fans ought to know about the South Alabama program and team.
1. Young program
The University of South Alabama Board of Trustees approved the addition of the team in late 2007 and the team played its first Division I season in 2012, going 2-11 while competing in the Sun Belt Conference. Since then, the team has yet to finish with a winning record, though they have been close, going 6-6 in 2013, 6-7 in 2014 and 5-7 last season.
2. Upset awareness
The Jaguars spent the offseason preparing for a game that could represent a massive accomplishment while many teams, including Mississippi State, prepared for a team they’ll be expected to beat. “I think (playing an opponent of this level) raises the level (of preparation) in the offseason and gets guys more focused,” Jones said, according to the team’s official website. “We’re excited about the possibilities this Saturday.”
3. Devon Earl
The senior safety from Hoover, Ala. racked up 57 tackles and returned 2 fumbles for touchdowns in 2015. Earl and the Jaguars are prepared to see more than one quarterback throwing to a talented receiving corps led by Fred Ross. However, in the first game of the year, expectations vary, according to Earl. “You don’t really know what you’re going to get coming into the first game of the season, but you’ve got to come out ready,” Earl said at a press conference.
4. History
This Saturday will be the third meeting between the squads and the second played at Davis Wade Stadium in the last six years. In 2012, the Bulldogs entered the contest No. 23 in the nation and, by all accounts, failed to meet expectations against the brand new program. “It was everything we didn’t want to do in a game like this,” Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen said in a press conference after the game. Two years later in 2014, the Bulldogs did exactly what they wanted, winning 35-3 en route to a 10-2 regular season.
5. Joey Jones
South Alabama coach Joey Jones has been at the helm of the program since its inception, and Jones is no stranger to the SEC. Jones played wide receiver under Bear Bryant at Alabama, where he earned All-SEC honors and was named to the team’s All-Decade Team for the 1980s. The consistent presence of Jones could help improve program stability and camaraderie, especially in this offseason. “I could talk about how I think we are better on defense and how I think we are better on offense running the ball, but the most significant thing is that we’ve come together, and that’s been great,” Jones said.