PHOTO GALLERY | FINAL STATS

JACKSONVILLE – Alabama got the best of Florida in the first-ever football battle of the Jacksonvilles.

Jacksonville State improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2010 with a 48-13 win over Jacksonville University Saturday night at Burgess-Snow Field before a crowd of 17,592. The Gamecocks extended their winning streak in home openers to eight as a school record four players – Troymaine Pope, Eli Jenkins, DaMarcus James and Miles Jones – each ran for more than 100 yards.

Jacksonville State finished with 523 yards rushing on 70 attempts, shattering the previous team rushing record of 453 yards set against Samford in 2004. Pope finished with a career-high 160 yards (and three touchdowns), sophomore Jones ran for 138, Jenkins had 128 and James finished with 105.

The Gamecocks broke open a tight game by scoring 17 points in the first 6½ minutes of the second half. JSU put 45 points on the scoreboard in a 26-minute span during the second and third quarters.

Head coach Bill Clark became the seventh Jacksonville State coach to win his home debut.

"When the running game got going, we really didn't look back and we only made a few adjustments on defense," Clark said. "I saw our guys play awfully hard tonight, and I'm proud of special teams."

Pope scored on runs of 5 and 3 yards and James added a 2-yard run as the Gamecocks built a 21-10 halftime lead.

The Dolphins' hopes of a rally evaporated in the first three minutes of the third quarter. JSU moved 63 yards in five plays after the second-half kickoff with Griffin Thomas kicking a 36-yard field goal to extend the Gamecocks' lead to 24-10.

Jacksonville (0-2) moved near midfield on the ensuing possession. But Dolphins quarterback Kade Bell, son of Jacksonville coach and former University of Florida star Kerwin Bell, was picked off by Pierre Warren, who returned the interception 70 yards for a JSU touchdown with 12:02 left in the third.

"When I saw the ball come my way … I knew I wasn't going to be tackled," said the junior from Marbury. "My defensive players had a nice little convoy set up for me. That was an easy six."

The onslaught continued when JSU's Ben Endress broke through to block a Jacksonville punt. Jenkins' second rushing touchdown, a 9-yarder, gave the Gamecocks a 38-10 lead at the 8:30 mark of the third quarter.

Pope later ran in from the 4 with 3:28 left in the third for a 45-10 JSU lead.

Thomas kicked a 45-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for JSU's final points.

Jacksonville took the fight to the Gamecocks early, driving 40 yards in eight plays midway through the first quarter.

Bell completed passes of 13 and 14 yards as the Dolphins drove deep into JSU territory. He capped the drive with a pass to Dorian Guy on fourth-and-goal from the 1. Dylan Lynch's PAT gave Jacksonville a 7-0 lead with 6:51 left in the first.

Next up for Jacksonville State is the renewal of its rivalry with Division II North Alabama. Kickoff for the game between the former Gulf South Conference foes is set for 7 p.m. at Burgess-Snow Field.

"I'm glad we're at home, but (UNA) has my total respect," Clark said. "They've won tons of games and we better be ready.

"I told our guys, 'This is a longtime rivalry game and there is a lot of history here.' It's a big deal to our fans and it's a big deal to us."

POST-GAME QUOTES



Coach Bill Clark
Thoughts about the game:
"Starting with the Gamecock Walk, we had a great atmosphere and great energy from the fans and our guys felt that when we pulled up. I had a lot of respect for Jacksonville University. I thought they had a really good offense. The quarterback stayed alive and he was impressive. That's one thing we pride ourselves on, making someone earn it, and he did. When the running game got going we really didn't look back and we only made a few adjustments on defense. Offensively and defensively, we want to continue to play hard. We play a lot of folks, and I think that will pay off for us. I saw our guys play awfully hard tonight, and I'm proud of special teams."

Setting the record for rushing:
"What we want to do is what is there and what are they giving you. I don't know if we will come out and throw the ball well like last week. I think we have two different quarterbacks that are good in different ways. When asked about a quarterback controversy, I said I don't think about it at all. Max (Shortell) is a little more of a pro style quarterback and Eli is more of the play-action, zone-read guy. From a defensive standpoint, when you put guys in a press-man coverage you take away the easy throws, you make someone complete it."



DaMarcus James, Jr., RB
"It felt good. We came out and worked hard in practice and it showed in the game tonight."

Troymaine Pope, So., RB
"I just want to thank God and the offensive line. They work hard all week and practice hard. We challenged them to get a hat on a hat and that's what they did. We started moving the ball. All I did was read my blocks. We have to give all the glory to God."

"They (the offensive line) told us before the game we would have 500-yards, believe it or not. We came out here and did it. We believed them and it happened."

Miles Davis, So., RB
"I just got the ball and the offensive line opened the holes. I just ran."

Eli Jenkins, Fr., QB
"The calls that the coaches were giving us worked perfect for the defense they were in. So we just ran the ball. Coach Grass called a wonderful game. We just produced."

Max Holcombe, Jr., C
"As a whole offensive unit, we sat down and we got it into our heads that we were going to run the ball. We practiced hard all week. We were determined to run the ball. Our work all week showed tonight, rushing for 523 yards - a school record. I love everybody that's in the backfield. They're my boys and I'm fully confident in everyone that's back there."

- When asked about promising 500 rushing yards before the game.
"We wanted to show, as an offensive line, we're a better offensive unit than we showed last week. We only averaged 2.2 yards per carry last week. Our goal is over five yards. Our goal for the offensive line this week was 300-yards and we blew that out of the water. We got hype in the locker room and said 500."

Pierre Warren, Jr., CB
"I felt like early in the game, when they scored their touchdown, that was my guy that scored it. I felt like I let the defense down so I had to make up for it. When I saw the ball come my way, and he dropped it, I knew I wasn't going to get tackled. My defensive players had a nice little convoy set up for me. That was an easy six."


POST-GAME NOTES
- Captains for the Gamecocks: senior defensive lineman Barry Stafford, senior outside linebacker Robert Gray and senior tight end Gavin Ellis.

- JSU won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.

- Jacksonville State had two players make their first career start today vs. JU. One on defense: Kameron Wood (DL) and one on offense:
Gavin Ellis (TE).

- JSU QB Max Shortell made his first career start at JSU. He previously started five games at Minnesota prior to transferring to JSU.

- JSU now has an overall record of 47-18-3 in home openers since the Gamecocks moved to Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium in 1946.

-The Gamecocks are now 9-2 in home-openers since joining the Ohio Valley Conference in 2003 and have won eight straight home openers.

- The Gamecocks are now 1-0 all-time against Jacksonville.

- Bill Clark became the seventh head coach to win his home debut at JSU Stadium since1946.

- The Gamecocks record since 2008 is now 40-18.

- Since 2000, JSU is now 55-9 when scoring 30 or more points in a game.

- Freshman tight end Ty Anderson made his first career rushing attempt when he carried the ball for a loss of three yards on a fake punt in the first quarter.

- The Gamecocks were held scoreless in the first quarter, the third straight game the Gamecocks have been held scoreless in the opening quarter. JSU has not scored in the first quarter since scoring seven points against UT Martin on Nov. 3, 2012.

- DaMarcus James' 44 yard run in the first quarter was the Gamecocks first rush of over 20 yards on the season.

- DaMarcus James finished with 105 yards rushing, his sixth career 100 yard rushing game.

- Troymaine Pope's five yard touchdown run in the second quarter was his second straight game to score a rushing touchdown. He had one career touchdown run coming into the season.

- Troymaine Pope rushed for two touchdowns in the first half, marking the first time the sophomore has rushed for multiple touchdowns in one game.

- Troymaine Pope's three rushing touchdowns were the most in a game since Washaun Ealey rushed for three touchdowns against Murray State on Oct. 27, 2012.

- Troymaine Pope set new career highs with 16 carries for 160 yards rushing, breaking his previous career best of 105 yards against UT Chattanooga on Sept. 8, 2012 and 15 carries against Alabama State on August 31, 2013. It also marked his second career 100 yard rushing game.

- Chris Landrum recorded his first career sack when he brought down JU QB Kade Bell for a loss of six yards in the second quarter.

- The Gamecocks led 14-10 at halftime, the first time the Gamecocks led at the half since leading Southeast Missouri 14-10 on Sept. 29, 2012, a streak of eight games on Sept. 29, 2012, a streak of eight games.

- JSU scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half, the most since the Gamecocks scored three rushing touchdowns in the first half against Austin Peay on Oct. 15, 2011.

- Pierre Warren returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown, marking the first time a JSU player has returned an interception for touchdown since Warren returned a 98 yard interception for touchdown against Tennessee State on Nov. 19, 2011.

- Pierre Warren has now scored a defensive touchdown in each of his first three years at JSU. He also returned a fumble for touchdown against Chattanooga on Sept. 8, 2012.

- Eli Jenkins set career-highs with 15 rushes for 128 yards. He also scored his first career rushing touchdown with a nine yard run in the third quarter.

- Ben Endress blocked a punt in the third quarter, marking the first time a JSU player blocked a punt in a game since Barry Stafford blocked a punt against Georgia State on Sept. 17, 2011.

- Miles Jones set a new career high with 20 carries for 138 yards.

BY THE NUMBERS
3 - Straight games the Gamecocks have been held scoreless in the first quarter, a streak that goes back to Nov. 3, 2012, when the Gamecocks scored 7 points in the first quarter against UT Martin.

4 - Number of players that rushed for over 100 yards

70 - Number of rushing attempts by the Gamecocks, tied for the second most at-tempts in the schools Division I history.

523 - Number of rushing yards the Gamecocks finished with, setting a new Division I school record. The previous best was 453 yards against Samford on Nov. 6, 2004.

17,591 - Attendance at tonight's game.