Mobile, AL (Sports Network) - The South Alabama Jaguars picked up their first- ever Sun Belt Conference win by outlasting Florida Atlantic to pick up a 37-34 victory in a double-overtime thriller at Ladd Peebles Stadium.
After South Alabama (2-5, 1-2 Sun Belt) blocked Mitch Anderson's attempt, Michel Chapuseaux connected on a 35-yard field goal to end the Jaguars' four game losing streak. Ross Metheny completed 13-of-27 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown under center while Gabe Loper reeled in four catches for 91 yards and a score. Demetre Baker tallied 73 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries as USA downed an FBS opponent for the first time this season.
Graham Wilbert paced FAU (1-6, 0-4) with 303 yards and two touchdowns on 27- of-41 passing. Jonathan Wallace added 101 yards and a score on 21 carries. William Dukes made five receptions for a game-high 119 yards and a touchdown while Daniel McKinney made a team-best six grabs for 57 yards. Brent Harstad made 15 total tackles and forced a fumble as the Owls lost their sixth in a row.
FAU took a 7-0 lead just over five minutes after kickoff when Wallace punched it in from a yard out to punctuate an eight-play, 64-yard drive.
USA struck back with an 11-play, 75-yard drive which was finished off by a four-yard touchdown run by Baker. FAU responded with another scoring drive as Martese Jackson rushed 14 yards for a score.
The Jaguars evened the score in the second quarter as Metheny rushed five yards for touchdown with 12:18 left in the first half.
The Owls took a 17-14 lead into the break as Anderson made a 23-yard field goal as the second quarter's time expired.
FAU extended its advantage just over two minutes into the second half as Wilbert completed a 50-yard strike to Dukes for a score. FAU drove 55 yards on 12 plays to put Chapuseaux in position for a 32-yard field goal, which made it a one possession game.
Wilbert struck again in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter as he found Nexon Dorvilus for a six-yard touchdown pass.
South Alabama refused to surrender and responded with a 13-play, 80-yard drive which ended with a one-yard touchdown run by Demetre Baker. The Jaguars tied it up, 31-31, with just over a minute remaining as Metheny found Loper for a 16- yard touchdown pass.
In overtime, Chapuseaux made a 37-yard field goal in the first overtime. Anderson forced a second overtime period with a 37-yard kick of his own.
Despite the loss, the Owls gained 461 yards of total offense and limited USA to 359 yards.
Game Notes
