South Alabama Jaguars vs. Western Michigan Broncos Pick & Prediction DECEMBER 14th 2024

Preview and Prediction

The IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama will see a first-time match-up between South Alabama and Western Michigan on Saturday night.

However, there is a sense of familiarity between the leaders of both teams. Both were part of Nick Saban's first staff at Alabama in 2007. Major Applewhite, the Jaguars' first-year head coach, served as Alabama's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Lance Taylor, the Broncos' second-year head coach, was an offensive graduate assistant for Saban.

This will be South Alabama's fifth bowl appearance since the program's inception in 2009, and their third consecutive bowl game.

"This is a testament to the growth and direction of our program," said Applewhite.

For Western Michigan, this will be their first bowl game since 2021 and only the 12th in the program's 119-year history. A win in this game would mark their third bowl victory.

"We want to leave a legacy for our seniors," said Taylor, who has 26 seniors on his team.

Both teams finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, meeting the minimum requirement for bowl eligibility. South Alabama ended with a 5-3 record in the Sun Belt, while Western Michigan finished 5-3 in the Mid-American Conference.

In their non-conference schedules, both teams faced tough opponents on the road. South Alabama lost to then No. 14 LSU 42-10, while Western Michigan suffered back-to-back losses against Wisconsin and Ohio State.

After winning their first four MAC games, Western Michigan experienced a three-game losing streak before securing their bowl eligibility with a win over Eastern Michigan in their regular-season finale.

"Progress is not always linear. You're going to have ups and downs," said Taylor. "We didn't fracture when we lost three games in a row, we came together and bonded together to find a way to get bowl eligible."

The Salute to Veterans Bowl is the first FBS bowl of the season and will take place just 14 days after Western Michigan's last game and 15 days after South Alabama's last game.

"It's more or less a bye week," Applewhite stated.

He also mentioned that there are both positives and negatives to playing in mid-December and having a shorter break between the end of the regular season and bowl games.

"You lose opportunities to bring recruits in," Applewhite explained. "Also, you lose the accumulation of practice that you get by playing in a later bowl game."

Western Michigan's offense led the MAC in scoring, averaging 29.4 points per game. Running back Jaden Nixon, a first-team all-MAC selection, had 12 touchdowns and averaged 6.6 yards per rush. The Broncos also had two first-team linemen in Addison West and Jacob Gideon.

South Alabama's offense ranked second in the Sun Belt and 20th in the country in scoring, averaging 34.8 points per game. Sun Belt first-team receiver Jamaal Pritchett led the conference in catches (91), receiving yards (1,126), and touchdown receptions (9).

PREDICTION

South Alabama Jaguars

Western Michigan Broncos

South Alabama Jaguars vs. Western Michigan Broncos Recap DEC 14TH 2024

Bishop Davenport accounted for 356 total yards and three touchdowns on Saturday night as South Alabama knocked off Western Michigan 30-23 in the Salute to Veterans Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.

Davenport completed 15 of 24 passes for 271 yards, a pair of scores and an interception. He added 85 yards and a touchdown on 11 rushes, leading the Jaguars (7-6) to 537 total yards and 25 first downs.

Davenport's main target was redshirt senior receiver Jeremiah Webb, who caught six passes for 182 yards and two scores, all in the first half. Kentrel Bullock added 130 yards on 17 carries, including a 22-yard TD run with 2:42 left in the game that made it 30-20.

The Broncos (6-7) made it a one-possession game when Luka Zurak nailed a 48-yard field goal with 1:11 remaining. But South Alabama sealed the outcome when Bullock ripped off 8 and 5-yard runs for a first down, allowing the Jaguars to run out the clock.

Hayden Wolff hit on 17 of 27 passes for 196 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Western Michigan. Wolff found Anthony Sambucci for a 7-yard score at the 6:17 mark of the fourth quarter to get the Broncos within 23-20.

South Alabama entered the game as a 6.5-point favorite, but it was Western Michigan that got off to a fast start. The Broncos ripped off a 71-yard touchdown drive when they first got the ball, scoring via a 1-yard TD run from Jalen Buckley at the 10:31 mark of the first quarter.

Zurak upped the lead to 10-0 just 10 seconds into the second quarter on a 37-yard field goal, but the Jaguars answered on their next drive with Hamilton DiBoyan's 24-yarder. South Alabama tied the game at 10 with 10:29 left in the first half on Davenport's 52-yard scoring strike to Webb.

South Alabama took the lead for good with 4:50 remaining in the half when Davenport and Webb hooked up for a 45-yard touchdown, capping an 80-yard drive. Western Michigan cut its deficit to 16-13 by the half on Zurak's 29-yard field goal, which came five plays after an interception.

Davenport made it 23-13 with 4:18 left in the third quarter with a 50-yard scoring jaunt.