In a commanding performance, South Alabama Jaguars defeated Appalachian State Mountaineers 48-14 in their Sun Belt Conference opener on Thursday night. The Jaguars established an early 28-0 lead, with quarterback Gio Lopez contributing significantly by throwing for two touchdowns and rushing for another, totaling 259 yards. South Alabama dominated the ground game, accumulating 322 rushing yards and forcing three turnovers against the Mountaineers. Appalachian State managed two late touchdowns, including a Hail Mary before halftime, but struggled to contend with the Jaguars' strong defense. This victory marks South Alabama's first win against Appalachian State since 2014 and continues their momentum after a record-setting 87-point game against Northwestern State the previous week. The Jaguars improve to 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while Appalachian State falls to 2-2 and 0-1 in Sun Belt play.