A week after setting a school record with 420 passing yards in a 41-34 victory over Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama quarterback Carter Bradley picked up the ultimate team honor.

Bradley will trade in his regular No. 2 for the honorary No. 5 jersey for Thursday night’s “Battle for the Belt” showdown at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The Jaguars (5-1, 2-0 Sun Belt Conference) host the Trojans (5-2, 3-1) at 6:30 p.m. in a game to be televised nationally by ESPNU.

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“Part of why I felt like he was deserving of the No. 5 jersey is he has been a great teammate from the day he walked in here,” South Alabama head coach Kane Wommack said. “He did not try to be the ‘rah-rah’ leader, the vocal leader of our offense when he first walked in the door. He earned his position, he continued to develop within our system. And then I felt like he earned the right to become the vocal leader of our team, which is what I’m seeing from him now.”

The No. 5 jersey is given each week to a different Jaguars player in honor of former South Alabama running back Anthony Mostella, who died in a 2010 motorcycle accident. Past recipients this season include safety Keith Gallmon (Nicholls), cornerback Darrell Luter (Central Michigan), center James Jackson (UCLA), wide receiver Jalen Wayne (Louisiana Tech), quarterback Desmond Trotter (Louisiana) and safety Yam Banks (ULM).

In his first season since transferring to South Alabama from Toledo, Bradley has completed 126 of 198 passes (63.6%) for 1,677 yards and 13 touchdowns with four interceptions. He had his best game yet vs. ULM, with his yardage total smashing the previous record of 379 set just last year by Jake Bentley vs. Georgia Southern.

“It’s definitely an honor,” said Bradley, the son of long-time NFL coach Gus Bradley. “Everything that’s gone through this program, the stories of guys that have worn it, the story of Anthony Mostella, I’m very grateful of it. But at the same time, you’ve got to go out and play. So I’m excited to wear this number on Thursday and represent this university.”

• South Alabama’s improved offensive line picked up some national recognition on Tuesday as one of 20 units on the “Mid-season Honor Roll” for the Joe Moore Award, given annually to the top offensive line in the country.

The Jaguars were one of five Group of 5 schools on the “honor roll,” along with Air Force, Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina and UAB. Also on the list were Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas State, Michigan, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Syracuse, Tennessee, TCU, UCLA and USC.

South Alabama’s offensive line this season is a combination of homegrown talent and transfers. Left tackle Joshua McCulloch was recruited by Steve Campbell’s staff, while right guard Reggie Smith joined the team during that period as a walk-on.

Right tackle Adrein Strickland was a member of Wommack’s first recruiting class in 2021, the same year center James Jackson joined the team as a transfer from Mississippi State. Left guard Dontae Lucas transferred in this year from Florida State.

Also having seen extensive time this season is tackle PJ Mixon (a Jacksonville State transfer this season), guard Kent Foster and center Trey Simpson, both of whom joined the program as walk-ons during the Campbell era.

• Considering both teams are playing on a short week, South Alabama and Troy are each dealing with various injury concerns heading into the “Battle for the Belt.”

The Trojans will be without wide receiver Jabre Barber for the second straight week due to a lower leg injury, while top reserve linebacker Jayden McDonald is also out, coach Jon Sumrall said. Wide receiver Tez Johnson and quarterback Gunnar Watson are expected to be available after leaving early in last week’s win over Texas State, while cornerback Caleb Ransaw is listed as “questionable.”

For South Alabama, linebacker Quentin Wilfawn and tight end DJ Thomas-Jones are “good to go” for Thursday, Wommack said. Wilfawn has missed the last three games with a shoulder injury, while Thomas-Jones has been out since collapsing on the sideline during the third quarter of the Oct. 1 game at Louisiana.

Lucas also practiced extensively Tuesday after missing the ULM game with a knee injury. The most-questionable position for the Jaguars is probably running back, where starter La’Damian Webb left the ULM game due to a “midsection” injury early in the first quarter and No. 2 man Braylon McReynolds has been sidelined with a leg problem since the Louisiana game.

Wommack said Monday that both Webb and McReynolds would be “game-time decisions” on Thursday. If neither play, South Alabama would again count on Omni Wells and Marco Lee — who combined for 178 yards and two touchdowns vs. ULM — against Troy.

• The latest bowl projections are sort of all over the map for both South Alabama and Troy.

The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel and Scott Dochterman have the Jaguars in the Camellia Bowl Dec. 27 in Montgomery vs. Liberty and the Trojans in the New Orleans Bowl Dec. 21 vs. UAB.

USA Today’s Erick Smith has South Alabama in the New Orleans Bowl vs. Texas-San Antonio and the Trojans in the Lending Tree Bowl Dec. 17 in Mobile vs. Ohio.

College Football News has the Jaguars in the LendingTree Bowl vs. Toledo and the Trojans in the Camellia Bowl vs. Northern Illinois.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach has South Alabama in the LendingTree Bowl Dec. 17 vs. BYU and Troy in the Camellia Bowl vs. Eastern Michigan.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura has the Trojans in the New Orleans Bowl vs. Western Kentucky, but the Jaguars out of the bowl picture.

CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm has South Alabama in the Cure Bowl (Dec. 16) in Orlando vs. UTSA and Troy in the Camellia Bowl vs. Liberty.

Athlon’s Steven Lassan has the Jaguars in the New Orleans Bowl vs. UAB and the Trojans in the Birmingham Bowl Dec. 27 vs. Memphis.

Brad Crawford of 247 Sports curiously has South Alabama and Troy meeting each other in the Gasparilla Bowl Dec. 23 in Tampa, which seems unlikely.