WATCH: South Alabama and EMU players caught in an all-out brawl
It was an eventful 68 Ventures Bowl game between Eastern Michigan and South Alabama at Hancock Stadium on Saturday. The matchup proved easy for the Jaguars as they defeated the Eagles 59-10.
However, the bowl game concluded not with cheers but with fists flying. In the postgame celebrations, the loss hit the nerves of the EMU players.
That carried over into the postgame when Eagles defensive back Korey Hernandez rushed over to the South Alabama players, and sucker punched Jamarrien Burt, the Jaguars defensive back. Burt was hit in the head from behind while the Jaguars were facing the marching band in the stands and singing the school’s alma mater.
Witness the mayhem unfold in the video below:
Gio Lopez stars for the South Alabama Jaguars
It was a one-sided contest for the Jaguars, dominating the Eagles in the 68 Ventures Bowl. Freshman sensation Gio Lopez stole the spotlight with three touchdown passes and a 27-yard scoring run. He completed 14 passes out of 19 for 192 yards.
The Jaguars, playing on their home turf at Hancock Whitney Stadium, secured their first-ever bowl victory, making history in their FBS era. The Jaguars' offense was in full force, scoring on its first three possessions. The team recorded 627 yards compared to Eastern Michigan's meager 150.
Sharing duties with Desmond Trotter, Lopez orchestrated the attacks, connecting with Jamaal Pritchett and DJ Thomas-Jones for touchdowns. The Jaguars' defense added to the misery, holding EMU to 6 for 20 on crucial third and fourth downs. The Eagles’ offense couldn’t touch the 100-yard mark in the final six minutes.
The victory was a milestone for South Alabama (7-6), setting a program record for the highest-scoring total against an FBS opponent. In contrast, Eastern Michigan Eagles, already playing without starting quarterback Austin Smith, ended the season with a losing record (6-7) after its first losing season since the pandemic-shortened 2020 (2-4).