South Alabama and Western Kentucky will play one another in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl. The Jaguars have qualified for their first bowl game since 2016 and are favored by 4.5 points. Western Kentucky though, now has the #9 ranked offense in the NCAA FBS. See the rankings here. Quarterback Austin Reed is everything to Western Kentucky’s offense. He did a 180 degree about face this week as he declared for the transfer portal and then decided to return. The Jaguars have a solid defense and have a pretty good offense, ranked #40th in the FBS. Will the Jaguar defense hound the potent Hilltopper offense?
La’Damian Webb is one to watch in the New Orleans Bowl
The Jaguars offense foundation is on the legs of junior college transfer La’Damian Webb. He posted a 1,000 yard season and scored 13 touchdowns. He was Mr. Football at Beauregard High School in 2016 and signed to play football at Mississippi State according to an article in AL.com. He went to junior college and Florida State and then the transfer portal, finally landing in South Alabama. He has overcome injuries during his time and has come on even stronger, read the rest of the article here. Then on the receiving end they have what I like to call “the 700 club,” three receivers that have over 700 yards receiving on the season. Jalen Wayne, Callin Lacy and Devin Voisin will pose a difficult matchup for the Hilltopper defense. They are led by quarterback Carter Bradley who has a 64 percent completion rating to go along with a healthy 25/10 touchdown to interception ratio. Devin Voisin plays on the team with his brother Jaden Voisin who is a team leader on defense with 76 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
Austin Reed will be a factor in the New Orleans Bowl
The Hilltoppers aren’t far behind on offense and defense. The defense ranks second in scoring offense and defense and #3 in total defense. Austin Reed is enjoying an “MVP-like” season at quarterback and like Webb has bounced around college football. Read my article here about his great game against FAU. He played at FCS West Florida and led them to a National Championship before transferring to WKU. Then, last week, 247sports writer Andrew Ivins wrote in an article here that he was leaving Western Kentucky to enter the transfer portal. Reed then did an about face a week later, deciding to stay at Western Kentucky.
His roommate, Malachi Corley is also staying at Western Kentucky. He originally came to Western Kentucky as a two-star cornerback recruit but made the switch to offense and “the rest is history.” Both Corley and Reed room together and the fans are ecstatic that the two are both returning next season to school. As per an article in the WKU Herald, a local realtor, HankHomesBG and Reed are teaming up for an NIL deal and that played a part into Reed staying.
New Orleans Bowl will be fun
This will be a fun game and as per the first few games of bowl season, it will be competitive. The Hilltopper offense will meet their match in the South Alabama defense. As per an article in AL.com by beat writer Creg Stephenson, South Alabama played an identical offense in their game against Georgia Southern this season. Georgia Southern is coached by the younger brother of WKU coach Tyson Helton, Clay. They run an “Air-Raid style” offense that will be spreading the opposing defense to their limits. The Hilltoppers offense is at the “boss level” of their execution but South Alabama won’t come into the game completely off-guard. The game will end under the total of 55.5.