Saturday, November 19
Nashville, Tenn.
2 p.m.
Jacksonville State University
38
at
16
Tennessee State
Jacksonville State - 2011 OVC Football Champions!
Gamecocks Earn Share of OVC Championship With 38-16 Win Over Tennessee State
11/19/2011 6:14:00 PM | Football
FINAL STATS | PHOTO GALLERY
NASHVILLE – Sophomore quarterback Coty Blanchard was 15-fof-19 for 213 yards and passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another to lead Jacksonville State to its 18th Conference Championship with a 38-16 win over Tennessee State on Saturday.
The Gamecocks, 7-4 overall and 6-2 in the Ohio Valley Conference, will share the OVC Championship with Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee Tech after all three finished with identical 6-2 conference records. It marks the third OVC title for JSU and first since the 2004 season.
The Gamecock senior class became the school's Division I winningest class with a four-year record of 32-13. It's the most wins and is also tops in winning percentage, just ahead of the 2010 senior class's record of 31-14.
Senior Calvin Middleton finished with 72 yards on 15 carries, while Washaun Ealey became just the 10th player in JSU's 108-year football history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season after having 70 yards on 15 carries. Ealey now has 1,069 yards on the season and is the first Gamecock to top 1,000 yards since Clay Green in 2006.
The Gamecocks took an early lead after Ealey raced 14 yards on his first carry of the game to give JSU a 7-0 lead with 8:41 left in the first quarter.
Tennessee State got on the scoreboard after Jamin Godrey kicked a 28-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3 with 5:16 left, and the Tigers took the lead two plays later.
The Gamecocks fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Tennessee State recovered. Dante' Thomas raced 24 yards on the second play of the drive to give the Tigers a 10-7 lead with 4:32 left in the first quarter.
Jax State answered early in the second quarter after Blanchard raced down the right sidelines 27 yards for a touchdown to give the Gamecocks a 14-10 lead with 11:04 left.
Jacksonville State extended the lead to 17-10 after Esco kicked a 42-yard field goal with 1:23 left in the second quarter to give the Gamecocks the lead at the intermission.
Jax State extended the lead in the third quarter after Blanchard connected on a two-yard touchdown pass to Middleton to give the Gamecocks extended the lead to 24-10 with 6:49 remaining.
Tennessee State then went 74 yards and scored on the final play of the quarter when JeMarcus Sears caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Mike German to cut the lead to 24-16.
The Gamecocks then scored two late touchdowns, thanks to a Blanchard to Middleton 16-yard touchdown pass with 2:30 left in the game to make the score 31-16.
Pierre Warren then returned an interception 98 yards, the third longest in JSU history, with just 1:01 left in the game for the final margin.
Blanchard tied his career-high with two touchdown passes, while Alan Bonner led seven Gamecock receivers with 127 yards on seven receptions.
Tennessee State was led by German, who was 26-of-43 for 262 yards, but had three interceptions.
Jacksonville State will be hoping for an at-large bid to the FCS Playoffs when the NCAA selection show airs on ESPNU at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
POST-GAME NOTES
JSU Captains: Senior RB Calvin Middleton, Junior DB Brooks Robinson, Senior DE Jamison Wadley.
Jax State wins the toss and defers decision until the second half. Tennessee State will receive and defend the north end.
Jax State won its 18th conference championship in school history and third Ohio Valley Conference Title. JSU has claimed three OVC titles (2003, 2004, 2011), won 10 Gulf South Conference Titles (1970, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992) and won five Alabama Collegiate Conference Titles (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966).
The 2011 JSU senior class has now posted a 32-13 record, which is the most wins by a four-year class in the school's Division I history. The 2010 senior class posted a 31-14 four-year record.
Washaun Ealey became just the 10th player in JSU's football history to rush for more than 1,000 yards after finishing with 70 rushing yards today and 1,069 on the season. JSU's last 1,000 yard rusher was Clay Green (1,083) during the 2006 season.
Jax State has battled to come-from-behind in all seven wins of the 2011 season after earning a 38-16 win over Tennessee State today. As a matter of fact, JSU has 14 come-from-behind wins since the start of the 2010 season.
Pierre Warren's 98-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter ties for the third longest interception return in school history, behind Charley Harris (100 vs NE Missouri in 1982) and Quintin Stevenson (99 vs UTM in 1981). Eugene Griep returned an interception 98 yards versus Troy in 1960.
Warren became the 14th player to score a touchdown for the Gamecocks after returning his first career interception for a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Junior Alan Bonner finished with 127 yards on seven receptions today to post his second 100-yard receiving game of his career. He had 205 against Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 5, 2011.
Coty Blanchard finished with 213 passing yards, which is the second most in his two-year career and the 11th time he has thrown for at least 100 yards, all coming this season.
Walk-on freshman Ben Endress earned his first career start today vs Tennessee State. The Clay County High School product has now played in 10 games this season and becomes the 17th player to earn first career start for the Gamecocks during the 2011 season.
A.J. Davis recorded his second interception of the season late in the first quarter. It was the sixth interception of his career.
Francis Duncan recorded his first career interception late in the second quarter.
Jax State finished the game with two interceptions in the game and now has 17 interceptions on the season, which leads the Ohio Valley Conference.
Calvin Middleton caught a 2-yard touchdown pass with 6:49 left in the third quarter, which was his first of the season. He later caught a 15-yard touchdown pass for his second of the season and third of his career.
JSU head coach Jack Crowe earned his 95th career win today and has an 81-52 record at JSU in his 12th season.
Jax State has posted a 32-13 record since the 2008 season.
The Gamecocks are the winningest team in the Ohio Valley Conference with a 54-17 record to post a .761 winning percentage.
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