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The South Alabama Jaguars would like to return to winning ways after dropping two straight games ahead of the Week 8 encounter against the Troy Trojans. Major Applewhite's team is projected to win the game by an 11.0-point margin as it welcomes Gerad Parker's Troy at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
For the Jaguars, freshman quarterback Gio Lopez has held the reins since the start of the season. He has missed one game this season due to a toe injury. In his place, Applehwhite picked Bishop Davenport to start the game under center as the starting quarterback.
Will Gio Lopez continue to start for South Alabama in Week 8?
With no injuries to report, there's no reason Applewhite would move on from Gio Lopez.
In his true freshman year, Lopez was handed some opportunities under center. He threw for 475 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions for a 67.2% pass completion rate. He also rushed for 154 yards for 18 carries, resulting in two touchdowns.
Gio Lopez's performance in 2024 season
In the 52-38 Week 1 loss against North Texas, Lopez had the best game of the season. He passed for 432 yards for three touchdowns and rushed for 62 yards on 13 carries, including one touchdown.
After missing the game against Ohio due to injury, Lopez returned and led his team to an 87-10 win against the Northeastern State Demons. In that game, he threw four touchdown passes, completing 15 of 19 passes for 257 yards.
The following week against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, Lopez registered the team's second win of the season. In the 48-14 blowout win, Lopez threw 16 of 24 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a season-high 105 yards, including a score.
However, since then, the Jaguars have dropped two straight games, first against the No. 14 LSU Tigers (42-10) and then against Arkansas State (18-16). While Lopez still showed his dual-threat ability, he could not lead his team to an upset victory.
Major Applewhite would like Gio Lopez to get his team back on the winning track. The oddsmakers favor them to win, and the quarterback is also determined to see this one through.
