Coastal Carolina football went on the road Saturday night and knocked off the South Alabama Jaguars 38-20, opening Sun Belt play with a statement win.
For the Chanticleers, this was a victory built on balance- an efficient offense paired with an opportunistic defense.
According to ESPN’s broadcast, the first quarter was all defense, with both teams trading punts and neither side finding the scoreboard. South Alabama finally struck first in the second quarter after a long run to set up a touchdown.
However, the Chanticleers answered when quarterback Tad Hudson dropped a dime to wide receiver Malick Meiga in the end zone to tie it 7-7. The Jaguars responded just before halftime with a short rushing score, taking a 14-7 lead into the break.
Everything changed after halftime.
Hudson caught fire in the third quarter, first connecting with wide receiver Robby Washington on a wheel-route touchdown, later scrambling into the end zone himself to put Coastal ahead 21-14. He finished 13-of-25 for 112 yards with two passing touchdowns and a rushing score.
Coastal leaned on its ground game throughout the night, piling up 182 rushing yards, while the defense delivered three takeaways to keep South Alabama from finding rhythm.
A Jaguar field goal trimmed the lead, but Coastal carried a 21-17 advantage into the fourth.
That’s when the Chanticleers slammed the door.
Running back Ja’Vin Simpkins broke free for a long touchdown run, and kicker Kian Afrookhteh drilled a 44-yard field goal to stretch the lead.
The defense sealed the night when Linebacker Tray Brown scooped up a fumble and returned it for a touchdown, silencing the Jaguars’ crowd as Coastal closed out a 38-20 victory.
After committing eight turnovers across their last two games, Coastal didn’t give the ball away once.
Last week, Head Coach Tim Beck stated, “When you don’t turn the ball over, you win football games. “That brand of clean, disciplined football was on full display tonight, making this the most efficient game the Chanticleers have played so far.
The win puts Coastal Carolina at 1-0 in Sun Belt Conference play, setting the tone for the weeks ahead.
