South Alabama quarterback Carter Bradley is out for tonight’s game at Troy, with freshman Gio Lopez set to make his first career start in the “Battle for the Belt,” a source told AL.com.

Bradley, who had started 21 consecutive games under center for the Jaguars and is the school’s all-time leading passer, injured his left knee late in last week’s loss to Louisiana. Bradley’s injury is not considered season-ending, the source said, and South Alabama coaches remain optimistic he will be ready to play in the Jaguars’ next game, Nov. 11 at home vs. Arkansas State.

Lopez, a first-team all-state pick last season at James Clemens High School in Madison, is considered South Alabama’s quarterback of the future. The 6-foot-1 left-hander has appeared in three games this season in a mop-up role, completing 10 of 15 passes for 128 yards with a touchdown and an interception while also rushing for a 20-yard touchdown.

South Alabama (4-4, 2-2 Sun Belt) is going with the freshman Lopez over the more-experienced Desmond Trotter, a sixth-year senior who has started 16 games in his career. Trotter started two games and played most of one other while filling in for the injured Jake Bentley in 2021, but has seen the field only sparingly the last two seasons.

Troy (6-2, 3-1) has beaten South Alabama five straight years, with the Jaguars’ last win in the “Battle for the Belt” coming 19-8 at Troy in 2017. The Trojans, the defending Sun Belt Conference champions, enter tonight’s game riding a five-game winning streak this season and winners of 17 of their last 19 games overall.

Bradley was dressed in sweats for South Alabama’s pre-game warmups on Thursday. Lopez was taking snaps from first-team Reggie Smith.