South Alabama is one win from bowl-eligibility after a 21-14 victory over Arkansas State on Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

The Jaguars (5-5 overall, 3-3 Sun Belt Conference) played great situational defense and did just enough on offense to snap their two-game losing streak and beat the Red Wolves (5-5, 3-3) for the fifth straight year. Running back La’Damian Webb had a second consecutive strong performance against Arkansas State, and Quentin Wilfawn continued to play like a man possessed on defense.

RELATED: South Alabama grinds out 21-14 victory over Arkansas State

South Alabama needs one win in its final two games to qualify for the postseason for the second year in a row. Before that, here are 5 takeaways from the 21-14 victory over the Red Wolves.

1. Jaguars own the Red Wolves, especially under Kane Wommack

South Alabama has not lost to Arkansas State since 2018, which was Steve Campbell’s first season. The win Saturday also evened the all-time series — which once was 6-1 in favor of the Red Wolves — at 6-6. Just as wide receiver Jalen Tolbert did before him, running back La’Damian Webb has feasted on Arkansas State in his South Alabama career. Webb ran for 163 yards on 28 carries Saturday, a year after totaling 162 yards (also on 28 carries) in a 31-3 victory. The Jaguars haven’t closed the gap on every team in the Sun Belt under Wommack, but certainly have vs. the Red Wolves.

2. A limited Carter Bradley was better than no Bradley at all

Bradley played for the first time since injuring his knee Oct. 28 vs. Louisiana, and it was clear South Alabama coaches were trying to save him from having to use his legs too much. The Jaguars took only one deep shot down the field (it was incomplete), content to rely on the running game and dink and dunk in the passing game. Bradley did throw two intermediate-range touchdown passes — 20 and 24 yards to Jamaal Pritchett — but mainly was getting rid of the ball quickly on short passes to Webb and Caullin Lacy. Bradley is likely to be back near 100% with another week to heal, so the deep-strike offense might return.

3. The defensive adjustments after JMU loss have paid off big-time

After losing three of its first five games, South Alabama made some alterations to its 4-2-5 “Swarm D” look. Most notably, the Jaguars moved senior linebacker Quentin Wilfawn from outside to a combination inside-outside position, and began using a 3-3-5 alignment more often than not. Wilfawn was a dominant force for the third straight game vs. Arkansas State, totaling nine tackles, two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup and an astounding four quarterback hurries. South Alabama never let Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor get comfortable, and that was the difference in the game.

4. A special teams gamble sparked the offense and saved the defense

South Alabama put its defense in some terrible situations with sub-par punting and inconsistent offense on Saturday, and appeared it might do so again as the first half wound down on Saturday. The Jaguars led just 7-3 when they lined up to punt on fourth-and-5 from their 41, but instead called for a fake. Upback Todd Justice — normally a tight end — ran 19 yards for a first down, and the Jaguars soon after scored a touchdown to go up by 11 heading into halftime. It must be mentioned that Justice fumbled at the end of his long run, but punt snapper Travis Drosos hustled downfield and was there to recover it and keep the drive alive.

5. South Alabama now has a little margin for error in final 2 games

Getting into a bowl game and finishing with a winning record are the remaining goals for the Jaguars, who need one more win to achieve the first and two more to secure the second. South Alabama should be favored next week vs. Marshall, which snapped a five-game losing streak and appeared to figure a few things out offensively in a win over Georgia Southern on Saturday. It would take a lot of pressure off if the Jaguars could already have bowl-eligibility locked up heading into the final weekend’s game at Texas State, but it’s no longer an absolute necessity after the victory over Arkansas State.

Next up: South Alabama host Marshall (5-5, 2-4) next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium, with the game streamed live via ESPN+.