No, they didn't.
On December 6, 2007, the university's Board of Trustees approved the addition of football to the intercollegiate athletics program. The team began play in 2009 with a planned full transition to the
NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) by 2013.
[3] On February 15, 2008, President Gordon Moulton and Athletic Director Joe Gottfried announced
Joey Jones,
Birmingham-Southern head coach, as the first head football coach in the university's history. The team plays its home games in
Ladd Peebles Stadium.
[4]
On September 5, 2009, the University of South Alabama Jaguars defeated
Hargrave Military Academy 30–13 in the program's first ever game in front of more than 26,000 fans. The team completed its first season undefeated at 7–0, outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 321–41.
After playing a seven-game schedule in 2009, the Jaguars played 10 games in 2010. The 2010 schedule was made up of schools from
NCAA Division I-FCS,
NCAA Division II, the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, and no Junior Colleges.
[5] The team completed its second season undefeated at 10-0, outscoring its opponents by a combined score of 413-130.
The 2011 season marked the beginning of South Alabama's two-year transition phase from unclassified to
Division I FBS status. South played as a
Division I-FCSindependent for the 2011 season. The Jaguars were scheduled to play 11 games in 2011 but after ending its contracts with
UC Davis and
Edward Waters College early, and only replacing them with a game against
Mississippi Valley State, South played 10 games in the 2011 season. The 2011 schedule was made up of schools from NCAA Division I-FBS, NCAA Division I-FCS, and NCAA
Division II.
[6] For the first time, South Alabama had games televised. The 2011 season opener against
West Alabama was televised on local channel
WJTC, as well as on
ESPN3. The Jaguars' game against
North Carolina State on September 17 was aired on ESPN3.
[7] The Jaguars finished the season 6–4.
The 2012 season was South Alabama's final year in the transition phase to full
Division I-FBS status. The Jaguars began to face
Sun Belt Conference teams in a full conference schedule, but were not eligible for either the conference title or post-season bowl games. The Jaguars did not perform well in their non-conference play, going 1–4, with the only victory over FCS opponent
Nicholls State. The Jaguars also struggled in Sun Belt Conference play, going 1-7, with their only victory over
Florida Atlantic. The team finished 2–11, and in last place in the Sun Belt.
