Bowl projections: South Alabama is a unanimous pick, but nobody agrees on the destination

Diehard sees South Alabama opening bowl season in Montgomery — the first bowl game on the calendar, just 2.5 hours from Mobile.

Diehard Sports Network, in its first bowl projection of the season, predicts the Jaguars will play Miami (Ohio) in the Salute to Veterans Bowl on Dec. 15 in Montgomery — 2.5 hours from Mobile. All eight national projectors have the Jaguars in a bowl, but nobody else agrees on which one. Eight projectors, seven different bowls. South Alabama is the only Alabama school with a unanimous bowl projection, and it produced the widest spread of destinations of any team in the Diehard coverage area.

Where the bowl projections have South Alabama

Projector | Bowl | Date | TV | Matchup

Brett McMurphy (On3) | Frisco Classic | Dec. 15 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. South Florida

Brad Crawford (CBS Sports) | Myrtle Beach | Dec. 21 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. Liberty

Bryan Fischer (SI.com) | New Orleans | Dec. 23 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. Jacksonville State

Steven Lassan (Athlon Sports) | Frisco Bowl | Dec. 23 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. Delaware

Kyle Bonagura (ESPN) | Puerto Rico | Dec. 22 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. UMass

Mark Schlabach (ESPN) | Myrtle Beach | Dec. 21 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. Liberty

Pete Fiutak (CFN) | New Mexico | Dec. 24 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. New Mexico

Tim Stephens (Diehard) | Salute to Veterans | Dec. 15 | ESPN | South Alabama vs. Miami (Ohio)

Diehard is the only projector with the Salute to Veterans Bowl. The game is played in Montgomery — 2.5 hours from Mobile, close enough for Jaguar fans to make the drive. The tie-in draws from the CUSA/MAC and American/Sun Belt, and the Dec. 15 date makes it the earliest bowl on the calendar.

CBS Sports' Brad Crawford and ESPN's Mark Schlabach both land on the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Liberty. SI.com's Bryan Fischer projects a New Orleans Bowl matchup with fellow Alabama school Jacksonville State. The rest scatter across four other destinations.

Where they stand

South Alabama is 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the Sun Belt West, co-leading the division with Louisiana Tech. The Jaguars have won two straight since a Sept. 26 loss at Kentucky. They play at Marshall on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2).

South Alabama head coach Major Applewhite's offense has been built on the ground. Three backs — Keenan Phillips, PJ Martin and Trae'von Dunbar — have combined for 1,146 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. The Jaguars have committed three turnovers all season.

Remaining schedule

South Alabama needs two wins from six remaining games (including Tuesday at Marshall).

• Oct. 20 — at Marshall (3-3, 0-2 SBC) — Tue. 6:30 PM CT, ESPN2
• Oct. 31 — Louisiana Tech (4-2, 2-0 SBC)
• Nov. 7 — at Louisiana (5-2, 2-1 SBC)
• Nov. 14 — Troy (3-3, 1-1 SBC)
• Nov. 21 — at Southern Miss (1-5, 0-2 SBC)
• Nov. 27 — App State (4-2, 1-1 SBC)

Marshall is 0-2 in conference. Southern Miss is 1-5. Both are winnable. The defining stretch is Louisiana Tech at home on Oct. 31 and at Louisiana on Nov. 7 — the other two teams at the top of the Sun Belt West. Win those two and South Alabama is in the driver's seat for the division title.