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Eastern Michigan blown out by South Alabama in bowl game

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Eastern Michigan blown out by South Alabama in bowl game


Mobile, Ala. – Freshman Gio Lopez threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, and South Alabama trounced Eastern Michigan 59-10 in the 68 Ventures Bowl on Saturday night.

Playing on their home field at Hancock Whitney Stadium, the Jaguars (7-6) scored on their first three possessions, led 38-3 at halftime and outgained Eastern Michigan (6-7) 627 yards to 150. It was the first bowl victory for South Alabama, which joined the FBS in 2012 and had lost three previous bowl games.

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Lopez split time with Desmond Trotter, who started in place of the injured Carter Bailey. Lopez completed 14 of 19 passes for 192 yards and touchdowns of 5 and 42 yards to Jamaal Pritchett and 20 yards to DJ Thomas-Jones, and ran for a 27-yard score. He led the team with 88 yards rushing.

Trotter threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Thomas-Jones and ran for a 3-yard TD. Pritchett caught eight passes for 127 yards.

South Alabama had the highest scoring total in program history against an FBS opponent. The Jaguars scored 55 points against both Louisiana-Monroe and Southern Miss this season.

South Alabama’s defense held Eastern Michigan to 6-for-20 on third and fourth down, and did not allow the Eagles to surpass 100 total yards until the final six minutes. EMU was also playing without its starting quarterback after Austin Smith entered the transfer portal.

Ike Udengwu started at quarterback for the Eagles, but freshman Cam’Ron McCoy ended up playing most of the game. McCoy completed 12 of 27 passes for 73 yards with two interceptions and rushed for 73 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left.

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South Alabama was the visiting team despite playing on its home field. The Jaguars wore white jerseys and used the visitors’ sideline and locker room. Their fans sat on the visiting side.

Being the home team was no help for the green-clad Eagles, who suffered their second blowout loss in Mobile in three years. Eastern Michigan lost 56-20 to Liberty in the same bowl game two years ago, when it was sponsored by LendingTree.

The Jaguars finished with a winning record for the second straight season, a first for the school in its FBS era.

The Eagles were non-competitive and finished with a losing record for the first time since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, when they went 2-4.



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Alabama

South Alabama adds Samford wide receiver transfer Brendan Jenkins for 2025

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South Alabama adds Samford wide receiver transfer Brendan Jenkins for 2025


South Alabama on Wednesday picked up its first transfer portal commitment of the current cycle, from former Samford wide receiver Brendan Jenkins.

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Jenkins caught 89 passes for 888 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulldogs, and was Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2023. A native of Hochston, Ga., he has two seasons of eligibility remaining.

South Alabama has a major need at receiver, with four seniors among its top five pass-catchers in 2024. First-team All-Sun Belt selection Jamaal Pritchett has used up his eligibility, as have Salute to Veterans Bowl Most Valuable Player Jeremiah Webb, tight end DJ Thomas-Jones and No. 4 receiver Shamar Sandgren (though it’s now possible Sandgren could return next season after a recent NCAA ruling involving former junior-college transfers).

Devin Voisin, who caught 34 passes this past season, is expected to return for a seventh year at South Alabama in 2025 after receiving a medical redshirt following an early-season knee injury in 2023. Also eligible to return are Anthony Eager (10 catches, 2 TDs as a redshirt freshman in 2024), program veteran Keyshawn Woodyard and a host of less-experienced receivers including Micah Woods, Noah Toster, Jeremy Scott and Jerrian Graham.

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South Alabama is expected to add a number of other portal transfers before spring semester classes begin on Jan. 13. The transfer portal closes for new entries on Dec. 28, though a player already in the portal by then may commit to or sign with his new school at any time.



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2024 Alabama High School Back and Lineman of the Year Finalists

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2024 Alabama High School Back and Lineman of the Year Finalists


Winners, Super All-State and Mr. Football to be revealed Jan. 28 at a luncheon banquet at the Montgomery Renaissance.

Class 7A

Back of the year
Anquon Fegans, Thompson
Trent Seaborn, Thompson
Daylyn Upshaw, Central-Phenix City

Lineman of the year
Malik Autry, Opelika
Zion Grady, Enterprise
Jared Smith, Thompson

Class 6A

Back of the year
Corey Barber, Spain Park
KJ Lacey, Saraland
Na’eem Offord, Parker

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Lineman of the year
Keenan Britt, Oxford
Jourdin Crawford, Parker
Anthony Jones, St. Paul’s

Class 5A

Back of the year
Conner Nelson, Leeds
Cam Phinizee, Russellville
Jotavion Pierce, Catholic-Montgomery

Lineman of the year
Jabarrius Garrar, Vigor
Kentonio Kelly Jr., Vigor
Ellis McGaskin, Williamson

Class 4A

Back of the year
EJ Crowell, Jackson
Landon Duckworth, Jackson
Gunner Rivers, St. Michael

Lineman of the year
Tristan Brown, Cherokee Co.
Tae Diamond, Cherokee Co.
AJ Rice, Madison Academy

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Class 3A

Back of the year
Caden Chandler, Mars Hill Bible
Kadyn Mitchell, Houston Academy
Rollie Pinto, Piedmont

Lineman of the year
Myles Johnson, T.R. Miller
Billy Neill, Bayside Academy
Tucker Wilks, Fyffe

Class 2A

Back of the year
Chris Clemons, Winston Co.
Luke Gilbert, Pisgah
Preston Lancaster, Tuscaloosa Aca.

Lineman of the year
JJ Faulk, Highland Home
Clete O’Bryant, Coosa Christian
Grayson Gulde, Vincent

Class 1A

Back of the year
Alvin Henderson, Elba
Ziquayvion Jackson, McKenzie
Jaquez Wilkes, Wadley

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Lineman of the year
Fred Curry, Georgiana
Hayes Farrell, Donoho
Tim Parnell, Leroy

AISA

Back of the year
Julian Curry, Wilcox Academy
Gerrell Perry, Banks Academy
Luke Tarver, Chambers Academy

Lineman of the year
Jackson Boykin, South Choctaw Academy
Ashton Yelder, Lowndes Academy
Asher Young, Fort Dale Academy

The Alabama Sports Writers Association is a professional organization for sports writers and editors throughout the state, or any person involved in disseminating sports information or publicity in Alabama including but not limited to sports information personnel, publicists of professional organizations or facilities, or publicists of non-profit organizations sponsoring or governing sporting events. The ASWA is a non-profit organization.

The ASWA prep committee’s primary responsibilities include conducting regular top-10 rankings of a variety of high school sports, and select all-state teams in those sports as well. The committee will determine the winner of a variety of annual awards including the annual Mr. Football winner, and the Jimmy Smothers Courage Award. For more information, check out: ASWA

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See Also 2024 Alabama High School All-State Football Selections



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3 former Alabama high school stars return to NFL rosters

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3 former Alabama high school stars return to NFL rosters


Three Alabama high school alumni will wake up on Christmas morning on NFL rosters after starting Christmas eve out of the league.

On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills signed linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville High School) to their active roster, the Atlanta Falcons signed linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High School, Alabama) to their practice squad and the Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy High School) to their practice squad.

Each of the players rejoined a team they had played for this season.

An eight-year veteran with 105 NFL regular-season games and 58 starts in his career, Morrow played in 11 games for Buffalo before the Bills released him on Dec. 7.

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A seven-year veteran with 87 NFL regular-season games and 68 starts in his career, Evans played in two games for Atlanta before being waived on Saturday. This is the third time the Falcons have signed Evans for their practice squad this season. He joined the team on Oct. 1, was released on Oct. 12, re-signed on Oct. 21 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 1.

A three-year veteran with 19 NFL regular-season games in his career, Farrell played in seven games for Miami before being waived on Saturday. Farrell joined the Dolphins’ practice squad on Sept. 26 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 11.

FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.





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