DALLAS (FWAA) The South Alabama Jaguars amassed 526 total yards and had two receivers top 100 yards in a 32-21 win at Southern Miss to snap a 15-game road losing streak and open the season with a win for the first time since 2016. The Thursday night victory earned the Jaguars the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 5, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
All participating Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected. This is the 19th season for the FWAA to award a National Team of the Week.
This is the first time South Alabama has been selected for this honor and it gives the Sun Belt Conference a team of the week honoree for a second consecutive year on the season's opening weekend. Georgia State upset Tennessee in Knoxville to open the 2019 season.
South Alabama outgained the Golden Eagles 188-30 in the opening quarter, taking a 13-0 lead while also limiting USM to minus-10 yards rushing. Jalen Tolbert caught the first of his two touchdowns from 31 yards out to open the scoring and finished with 169 yards. Jalen Wayne had a career-high 101 yards receiving to establish a school record, as two receivers topped 100-plus receiving yards in the same game for the first time.
Desmond Trotter threw for 299 yards for South Alabama with the two scores to Tolbert, who became the first player in school history to post back-to-back games with multiple touchdowns catches he had four in 2019's finale against Arkansas State. Carlos Davis rushed for 85 on 15 carries. Four of USA's six scoring drives covered at least 75 yards.
South Alabama opens its new Hancock Whitney Stadium on Saturday when it hosts Tulane. It is the start of a five-game homestand that, as of Tuesday, will be the nation's longest stretch of consecutive home games.
The other Reveal Suits National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Sept. 5 are:
BYU (1-0): The Cougars crushed Navy 55-3, taking its largest win over an FBS foe since a 52-0 win over Wyoming in 2009 and handing the Midshipmen their worst home loss since 2001. BYU scored touchdowns on its first two drives for the first time in 20 games, led 31-0 at halftime, and outgained Navy, 580-149.
UAB (1-0): The Blazers set a Conference USA record with their 19th consecutive home win at Legion Field, a 45-35 win over Central Arkansas. The streak broke a tie with former C-USA member Houston (18 from 2007-10) and remains the nation's fourth-longest active home win streak. UAB had 226 yards on the ground and 233 in the air and career leading rusher Spencer Brown had his 14th career 100-yard game with 127 yards and a touchdown.
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Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.