JSU Wins the Battle of the Birds
Analyzing Jax State’s 27–26 Win Over Coastal Carolina
In what was an anticipated matchup between two Top 25 teams, it definitely lived up to all the hype. Just ask any of the 18,982 fans who turned out to see the Gamecocks win in dramatic fashion. Most will say the game was worth the price of admission.
Statistically, JSU dominated the Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina, but that wasn’t the case. It was a hard fought game that put the Gamecocks against the wall. It is something most fans aren’t used to seeing, but I believe it will be beneficial later into the season.
Takeaways from the Game
Eli Jenkins once again proved he’s one of the best players in FCS (arguably in all of college football). The senior quarterback was 18 of 24 for 248 yards with 2 TDs while adding 111 yards on the ground and another TD. Eli became the fifth player in school history to rush for over 3,000 yards. What is most important when it comes to Jenkins is his leadership and poise. That’s why the Gamecocks are 28–0 vs non-FBS opponents in the regular season when he’s under center.
I can’t recall there being as much hype about a player as when it was rumored Roc Thomas was bringing his talents to Jacksonville. Since he first suited up for the Gamecocks, fans were eager to watch the junior running back break ankles and blow by defenders. On Saturday, Roc finally had his coming out party. Thomas, with his first 100-yard game of his career, led the team with 144 yards on 25 carries and was pivotal for the Gamecocks down the stretch, churning out first downs when the Gamecocks needed them the most.
Redshirt-Sophomore wide receiver Demontez Terry may be one of the smaller receivers for Jacksonville State, but he packs a big punch. Terry hauled in passes of 44 and 40 yards, for two of the Gamecocks four touchdowns on the day. On a day that saw several dropped passes, Terry was a bright spot for the Gamecock receiver corps.
Jacksonville State’s defense might have bent at times, but it didn’t break. The Gamecocks held the Chanticleers to 42 yards on 35 carries. This was the lowest rushing total by Coastal Carolina since 2011 and was the 11th fewest rushing yards allowed by JSU in its Division 1 history. Thanks to E.J. Moss and Darius Jackson’s 2.5 tackles for loss each, the Chanticleers were stopped 10 times in the backfield. Jackson also had 2 sacks on the day, ranking him 4th in school history with 13.5.
Analysis Points
Penalties (10 for 88 yards) and the kicking game kept this a close one. While the Chanticleers did move the ball efficiently in the air, most of their scoring happened when they were given a short field. If the Gamecocks can fix these two issues and the receivers play to their abilities, JSU should like their chances in the quest for their 3rd straight OVC championship.