Upping the Ante: Can South Alabama's Unbeaten Jaguars Handle D-I Competition?

Two years. No losses.

While the University of South Alabama Jaguars are still basking in the unbeaten glow of 17 mostly lopsided wins against teams your mother-in-law and 10 of her friends could've beaten, they aren't fooling themselves that things are about to change. 

Big time.

After opening their initial season of Division I competition against West Alabama (Sept. 1) and Lamar, the Jags hit the road for consecutive games at N.C. State and Kent State.

Make no mistake, the boys from Mobile acknowledge that their win streak might possibly come to an end, but they aren't backing down from the challenges either:

"We're very excited about this season. We know the competition is going to become tougher," said USA Head Coach Joey Jones Thursday at the team's media day.

"But we're competitors. When you look out on the field now you see guys who are noticeably bigger. They've stepped it up in the weight room."

"Are we there yet? No, but we feel like we're in a good spot for the challenges ahead."

Are you sure your guys don't have a false sense of security after whipping the daylights out of everybody you played?

"To be honest with you, there were some games last year we walked on the field and there were some games we knew we were going to win," said Jones.

"We knew that. We didn't want to say that, but we knew it and they knew it."

Jones has used the last two years of what amounted to a popsicle schedule the Jags had to instill a winning attitude in his players.

He also used his own positive outlook on things to goad his players into believing good things come with hard work.

"I am a positive person, but on the backside of that my guys are great character kids," he said.

The biggest trick to USA's season might just be keeping focused on the next game on the schedule, but maintaining a bullseye on D-I road games against N.C. State, Kent State and Texas-San Antonio.

"Coach-speak says we take them one at a time, but...if we do what we're supposed to do in the first two (West Alabama and Lamar) the next game (N.C. State) will take care of itself," said Defensive Coordinator Bill Clark. 

Offensive Coordinator Greg Gregory says it's simple: "We try to go 1-0 in every game," he said. "If you can go 1-0 each week, you'll have a pretty good season."

The coaches say they're not going to hold anything back. What you see against the West Alabamas, Lamars and Georgia States are the same things you'll see against the D-1 heavyweights on the schedule.

Are they ready for prime time?

"We'll see," said Jones with a sly smile.