The South Alabama Jaguars and Ohio Bobcats will meet on September 7, 2024, in what is shaping up to be a critical game for both teams early in the season. Both teams are coming off opening-week losses and are eager to get their first win on the board. South Alabama, after a 52-38 loss to North Texas, needs to tighten up defensively. The Jaguars’ quarterback, Gio Lopez, had an impressive outing, throwing for 432 yards and four touchdowns, but their defense allowed 446 passing yards and 28 first downs, proving to be a significant liability.

Ohio, under head coach Tim Albin, also needs to address some defensive concerns after a 38-22 loss to Syracuse. Despite the loss, the Bobcats showed resilience on the ground with Anthony Tyus III rushing for 203 yards and two touchdowns. The offense, led by quarterback Parker Navarro, who threw for 181 yards and one interception, will need to be more efficient, especially on third downs, where they struggled with a 2-of-11 conversion rate. The game will likely be decided by which team can shore up its defensive weaknesses. South Alabama will aim to exploit Ohio’s secondary, which allowed 354 passing yards to Syracuse. Meanwhile, Ohio’s focus will be on controlling the clock with their rushing attack and limiting turnovers. The key to victory for both teams lies in their ability to improve on both sides of the ball and capitalize on their opponent’s defensive flaws.