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Wk 3 · 2026

Ohio Bobcats at South Alabama Jaguars — Sat, Sep 19

Sat, Sep 19 · Hancock Whitney Stadium, Mobile, AL · ESPN+ FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
MAC · 4-2
36
at
7:00pET
USA -7 · total 49.5 DraftKings opened -4.5 · 2.5 toward USA
Ratings differential USA by 3.9
Sun Belt · 4-2
41

What is at stake

A non-conference game. It moves both overall records but neither conference race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Ohio: -7.4#98
Efficiency margin
South Alabama: -5.9#90
Ohio: 26.5
Offense (pts/100)
South Alabama: 32.2
Ohio: 24.9
Defense (pts/100)
South Alabama: 29.1
Ohio: 63.8
Pace (plays/g)
South Alabama: 71.2
Ohio: 5.57
Yards / play
South Alabama: 6.15
Ohio: 5.57
Yards / play allowed
South Alabama: 7.27
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

Ohio: 27.5
Points / game
South Alabama: 38.8
Ohio: 24.7
Points allowed
South Alabama: 34.5
Ohio: 355
Yards / game
South Alabama: 438
Ohio: 349
Yards allowed
South Alabama: 429
Ohio: 208
Pass yds allowed
South Alabama: 265
Ohio: 141
Rush yds allowed
South Alabama: 164
Ohio: 1.33
Turnovers / game
South Alabama: 0.50
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

Ohio form

W 31-14vs CMUW 13-10at KENTW 35-7vs STOL 36-41at USAW 29-27vs JXST
2026 season

South Alabama form

W 56-49at ARSTW 52-35vs ULML 21-45at UKW 41-36vs OHIOL 24-28at TULN
2026 season

Ohio this season

Straight up4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Against the spread3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Over / under3-3 · 50% (6 games)

South Alabama this season

Straight up4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Against the spread4-2 · 67% (6 games)
Over / under5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 0

These teams share no opponents on the 2026 schedule.
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, the series is level at 1–1 · South Alabama won the last one
2 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 1.0 points toward Ohio
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-09-19Ohio 36 — 41 South Alabamaat USASouth Alabama
20242024-09-07South Alabama 20 — 27 Ohioat OHIOOhio

Ohio leaders 2026 regular season

PassingMatt Vezza QB #940/58, 439 YDS, 4 TD, 3 INT
Nick Poulos QB #816/36, 180 YDS, 1 TD
RushingVictor Rosa RB #456 CAR, 219 YDS, 4 TD
Duncan Brune RB #645 CAR, 184 YDS
Matt Vezza QB #936 CAR, 182 YDS, 3 TD
ReceivingRiley Neer WR #1523 REC, 338 YDS, 4 TD
Dom Dorwart WR #311 REC, 160 YDS, 2 TD
Preston Bowman WR #27 REC, 63 YDS
Riley Palmeter TE #855 REC, 61 YDS
Defense
TacklesMichael Molnar LB #2544
Jack Fries LB #2736
JT Haskins S #328
SacksIke Ackerman DE #143.5
Michael Molnar LB #251
Nathan Hale DT #571
InterceptionsMichael Molnar LB #251
Kendall Bannister CB #201

South Alabama leaders 2026 regular season

PassingJared Hollins QB #756/92, 855 YDS, 7 TD, 2 INT
Bishop Davenport QB #440/59, 450 YDS, 3 TD
RushingKeenan Phillips RB #380 CAR, 444 YDS, 5 TD
PJ Martin RB #092 CAR, 423 YDS, 6 TD
Trae'von Dunbar RB #2145 CAR, 248 YDS, 4 TD
ReceivingBrendan Jenkins WR #1221 REC, 355 YDS, 3 TD
Anthony Eager WR #111 REC, 305 YDS, 4 TD
Jeremiah Jones-Thomas WR #222 REC, 261 YDS, 1 TD
Micah Woods WR #68 REC, 127 YDS
Defense
TacklesCole Blaylock S #1442
Jordan Williams LB #4833
Dallas Young S #831
SacksStephen Johnson DL #561.5
Damyrion Darby CB #241.5
Masey Lewis DL #181
InterceptionsDamyrion Darby CB #243
D.J. Moore S #11
Jaylen Moson CB #121
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.