Late TD, FG in OT lifts Georgia Southern past South Alabama

MOBILE, Ala. -- Tyler Bass kicked a 37-yard field goal in the second overtime after the Georgia Southern forced a turnover and the Eagles rallied to defeat South Alabama 20-17 on Thursday night.

Bass, who kicked a 46-yard field goal to put Georgia Southern up 10-7 at halftime, missed a 32-yarder on the first possession of overtime. However, Ty Phillips blocked a 45-yard attempt by South Alabama's Frankie Onate to force a second overtime.

On the Jaguars' first play, Ricky Wade Jr., strip-sacked Cephus Johnson, and Raymond Johnson III recovered. The Eagles gained six yards on three running plays before Bass' winner.

The Eagles forced overtime by going 65 yards on eight running plays, chewing up 4-minutes, 4-seconds before scoring on Wesley Kennedy III's 1-yard option pitch with 20 seconds to play.

Georgia Southern (2-3, 1-1 Sun Belt Conference) ran 83 plays and had 388 yards, 310 on the ground, keeping the ball for 40 1/2 minutes. Quarterback Shai Werts was just 9 of 17 for 78 yards but had 102 yards on 20 rushes.

South Alabama (1-5, 0-2) ran just 39 plays for 247 yards and held the ball for 19:22. Johnson was 8 of 15 for 194 yards and two TDs. He had a 75-yard touchdown pass to Kawaan Baker in the first half, and the Jags had just 17 yards of offense other than that. He hit Jalen Tolbert for a 60-yard score in the third quarter and Baker for 43 yards in the fourth to set up Onate's 45-yard field goal for a 17-10 lead. Take away the three big pass plays and South Alabama, which is 0-6 against the Eagles, had 69 yards on offense.