South Alabama returned to earth in a major way on Saturday, as Louisiana came into Hancock Whitney Stadium and put a 33-20 hurting on the Jaguars.

It was the worst home loss for South Alabama (4-4, 2-2 Sun Belt Conference) under Kane Wommack and most-lopsided since a 29-0 defeat to Troy on Dec. 5, 2020. That game was the last for the Jaguars under Steve Campbell, who was fired the next day.

Wommack was hired a little more than a week later, and things have mostly been looking up for South Alabama since. The Jaguars were riding high coming into Saturday, having pummeled Louisiana-Monroe and Southern Miss by a combined 110-10 in their last two games.

But the Jaguars showed no such dominance on Saturday — far from it. Though South Alabama outgained Louisiana 498 yards to 348, a series of calamitous plays — including five turnovers — resulted in their undoing.

• South Alabama went for it on fourth-and-1 from the Louisiana 7 on their second possession, but Kentrel Bullock was dropped for a 1-yard loss. The Jaguars did not score until the third quarter.

• The Jaguars’ Wy’Kevious Thomas jumped offsides on fourth-and-3 from the Louisiana 47, giving the Ragin’ Cajuns a first down. Louisiana later converted two third downs, including Zeon Chriss’ 33-yard touchdown pass to Jacob Bernard for a 7-0 Cajuns lead with 12:58 left in the second quarter.

• Quarterback Carter Bradley was sacked and fumbled on the Jaguars’ next possession, with Louisiana recovering at the USA 41. That led to another Ragin’ Cajuns touchdown, Chriss’ 3-yard pass to tight end Neal Johnson. Louisiana also converted a third-and-11 on the drive, a 15-yard pass from Chriss to Peter LeBlanc.

• South Alabama’s Jack Martin mishandled a snap and then punted the ball just 9 yards, giving the Ragin’ Cajuns another short field. The Jaguars’ defense held somewhat, but Kenneth Almandares kicked a 20-yard field goal to make it 17-0 with 2:10 left in the half.

• The field goal left South Alabama some time to try and get on the board and avoid a first-half shutout for the first time since that infamous Troy loss. The Jaguars got to the UL 45, but Bradley fumbled again after a sack and the Ragin’ Cajuns were able to run out the clock.

• South Alabama scored touchdown on its first two possessions of the second half — Bradley’s 6-yard pass to Jamaal Pritchett and La’Damian Webb’s 29-yard run — then held Louisiana to a field goal to keep it a 20-14 game with 6:09 left in the third. However, the Ragin’ Cajuns’ Jacob Kibodi burst up the middle for a 56-yard touchdown run to make it a 26-14 game less than three minutes later.

• Bradley was sacked for the sixth time — and fumbled for the third time — on South Alabama’s next possession, and this time the Ragin’ Cajuns made the Jaguars pay. Linebacker Kendre’ Gant scooped up the loose ball and ran 55 yards for a touchdown, putting Louisiana up 33-14 with 1:07 left in the third.

South Alabama turned it over twice more, when Bradley was intercepted on a deep ball with 9:30 left in the game and then in the end zone with 3:02 left. The Jaguars turned the ball over five times on Saturday, tying the season-high set vs. Tulane in a 37-17 loss in the Sept. 2 opener.

South Alabama did tack on one late touchdown, Bradley’s 39-yard pass to Pritchett with 16 seconds left. The try for two failed, and Bradley was helped to the bench by trainers. South Alabama then failed on an onside kick attempt, and Louisiana ran out the clock.

Chriss, a redshirt freshman, completed an efficient 13 of 17 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions, and also ran for 30 yards. Kibodi rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, helping the Ragin’ Cajuns to 203 yards as a team.

Outside linebacker Cameron Whitfield was a demon for Louisiana on defense, totaling 3.5 sacks and forcing three fumbles. Defensive end Antoine Baylis added two tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup in what was a dominant effort by the Ragin’ Cajuns’ front seven.

South Alabama did have some excellent individual performances in the loss. Lacy caught seven passes for 131 yards, extending his school record with his seventh straight 100-yard game.

Pritchett also set career-highs with 11 receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns, while Bradley threw for 381 yards and two scores. Defensively, Quentin Wilfawn posted personal-bests of 15 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss, the most by a Jaguar since Randy Allen also had 4.5 vs. Arkansas State in 2016.

Kickoff for South Alabama-Troy is set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Troy. The game will air live on ESPN2.