South Alabama, meanwhile, is playing in back-to-back bowl for the first time. The Jaguars went 10-2 in 2022 and went to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. They finished the 2023 regular season at 6-6 (4-4 Sun Belt).
The 2023 68 Ventures Bowl will be played on South Alabama’s home field in . . .
This is the first meeting between Eastern Michigan and South Alabama.
SOUTH ALABAMA JAGUARS (6-6, 4-4 SUN BELT)
-- USA started and ended the season with a loss. In between, the Jaguars neither won nor lost more than two in a row.
-- South Alabama is coming off a 52-44 shootout loss to Texas State Nov. 25.
The Bobcats scored 24 straight first quarter points before USA got untracked. Texas State led 31-17 at intermission and the teams traded touchdowns throughout the second half.
-- Desmond Trotter and Carter Bradley combined to complete 36 of 45 passes, good for 399 yards and six TDs with one interception.
-- Trotter turned in an all-time performance for the Jags against Texas State when called upon to enter the game for an injured Carter Bradley. Trotter threw four touchdowns for the night, which tied a single-game record at South Alabama
-- Five players caught at least four passes. Caullin Lacy led the way with 11 catches for 94 yards and a score. Senior tight end DJ Thomas-Jones registered nine catches totaling 56 yards with three touchdowns.
-- Braylon McReynolds registered 4.2 ypc while carrying 19 times for 79 yards.
-- The Jaguars fumbled five times but lost only one and matched that with a recovery of TSU's only fumble.
-- Diego Guarjardo made one of two field goals, with the successful boot covering 51 yards.
-- Texas State ran for 111 yards and passed for 368 against South Alabama.
– South Alabama sported 10 of its players on the All-Sun Belt teams released at the end of the regular season
Wide receiver Caullin Lacy and safety Jaden Voisin were the two Jaguars to represent South on the league’s first team. Linebacker Quentin Wilfawn was the lone Jaguar to be selected to the second team. The third team featured running back La’Damian Webb, defensive lineman Wy’Kevious Thomas and safety Yam Banks Rounding out South’s all-conference representation was quarterback Carter Bradley, wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett, offensive lineman Reggie Smith and linebacker Trey Kiser with honorable mention status.
EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES (6-6, 4-4 MAC)
-- The Eagles needed to win their final two games to reach bowl eligibility and did that victories over Akron (30-27 2OT) and Buffalo 24-11.
-- EMU did all its scoring against Buffalo in the first half. UB's defense stiffened after intermission, but the Bulls managed just 11 points over the final two quarters.
-- Eastern Michigan helped its own cause by forcing three turnovers and committing just one.
-- QB Austin Smith completed 19 of 27 pass attempts, good for 141 yards and a TD.
-- JB Mitchell III led receivers with seven catches for 75 yards.
-- Most of EMU's offense came on the ground, the the Eagles running 46 times for a total of 226 yards (4.9 ypc) and two scores.
-- Chase Kline (143) and Joe Sparacio (131) have collected 274 tackles in 12 games, which is 28.6 percent of the
team’s total.
-- Six Eagles earned All-MAC accolades, led by punter Mitchell Tomasek, who earned first-team honors. . Four players earned second-team honors, including BrianDooley (OL), TannerKnue (WR), Joe Sparacio (LB), and Jaylon Jackson (KOR), while Chase Kline (LB) was selected to the third team.
-- EMU has recovered 11 fumbles, which ranks tied for first in the MAC and sixth nationally. Eastern has seen nine
different players record at least one fumble, which ranks tied for the most in the MAC.
-- The Eastern defense has allowed 382.8 yards per game, which ranks 69th in the FBS and ninth in the MAC. Despite the yardage, opponents have not been able to turn those yards into points as the Eagles rank 47th nationally in points allowed (24.1) and 21st in red zone defense (76.9 percent), values that rank the team fifth and second, respectively, in the MAC.
-- The Eagles’ offense is averaging 272.2 yards of total offense per game. One of seven teams nationally -- and one of three in the MAC -- that is averaging under 300 yards per contest, Eastern is one of two teams in the group with five or more wins, joining Iowa (10), and Navy (5). Additionally, of those teams, EMU is the only team that has not recorded 400+ yards of total offense in a single game this season.
-- With 50 receptions and 479 yards in 2023, Tanner Knue has brought his career totals to 154 grabs and 1,866 yards.
-- EMU ranks 34th nationally and ninth in the MAC for passing yards allowed as the Eagles are limiting teams to 205.2 yards per game through the air.