MOBILE, AL (WNSP) — South Alabama is approved to go bowling.
On Sunday, Jaguar athletic director Joel Erdmann announced that the NCAA issued the football program a waiver allowing them to be bowl-eligible. The NCAA rules say that a program is bowl eligible if a team wins six games, and only one of those can come against an FCS school.
According to the press release, “The NCAA’s ruling declares that… the Jaguars will be designated as a deserving team per the application of postseason eligibility legislation, but that South cannot be selected until all other eligible teams are placed for bowl participation. Should less than 80 schools be eligible to participate in a postseason bowl, USA will be placed in a game before any teams with 5-7 records are selected.”
The Jaguars demolished Presbyterian 31-7 on Saturday–its second FCS win of the season, after beating Nicholls State in overtime Sept. 24. They are 5-5 with games against Idaho and New Mexico State remaining.
The Blue Hose head coach Harold Nichols stepped down the next day.
South only played Presbyterian after LSU canceled its game with the Jags in order to reschedule its conference game against Florida. The Gators were set to play the Tigers, but Hurricane Matthew hit land the day before.
The two teams essentially swapped opponents.
South Alabama travels to Moscow, Idaho, on Saturday to play the Vandals. The game starts at 2:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN3.