CHARLESTON, S.C. – The College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) announced its 2015 Defensive Awards Watch Lists on Wednesday and Jacksonville State defensive end Darius Jackson found his name listed.
 
Jackson, 6-foot-3, 230-pound sophomore from Bessemer, Ala., is one of 34 players on the first list for the 2015 CFPA FCS Defensive End/Defensive Tackle Award Watch List. The winner of the award will be announced on January 13.
 
Jackson is currently fifth on the team with 26 total tackles but has notched a team-high 10.0 tackles for a loss. His 1.4 tackles for loss per game average is 27th in the nation. His four sacks are also tops on a defense that is averaging 3.0 sacks per game to lead the OVC and rank seventh in the country.
 
He has also been credited with two quarterback hurries, and his 10 tackles for a loss have accounted for a total loss of 30 yards.
 
The Gamecock defense is currently ranked second in the FCS in total defense (259.9 yards per game) and fourth nationally in rushing defense (82.9 yards per game). JSU is also holding its opponents to 16.0 points per game, the eighth-best mark in FCS.
 
Jackson and the top-ranked Gamecocks (7-1, 5-0 Ohio Valley Conference) travel to Charleston, Ill., with first place in the OVC on the line. They will face Eastern Illinois (5-3, 5-0 OVC) at 1 p.m. on Saturday in a game that will be broadcast on ESPN3. Fans can also follow the action on the Gamecock Sports Network, with Mike Parris and Ray Hammett calling the action.
 
2015 CFPA FCS Defensive End/Defensive Tackle Award Watch List:
Ben Schumacher, Bucknell
Jonathan Woodard, Central Arkansas
Keionta Davis, Chattanooga
Mitchell Jeter, Citadel
Pat Afriyie, Colgate
Gabe Sherrod, Delaware State
Dino Fanti, Eastern Illinois
Noah Spence, Eastern Kentucky
Rob Sullivan, Elon
O.J. Mau, Gardner-Webb
Miles Grooms, Hampton
David Perkins, Illinois State
Javancy Jones, Jackson State
Darius Jackson, Jacksonville State
Larance Hale, Lamar
Chima Uzowihe, Liberty
Trevor Bates, Maine
Patrick Ricard, Maine
Tyrone Holmes, Montana
Caleb Kidder, Montana
Cam Shorey, New Hampshire
Angelo Keyes, North Carolina A&T
Greg Menard, North Dakota State
Isaac Ales, Northern Iowa
Karter Schult, Northern Iowa
P.J. Hall, Sam Houston State
Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
Reggie Owens, South Carolina State
Andrew Van Ginkel, South Dakota
James Cowser, Southern Utah
Davion Belk, Stetson 
Victor Ochi, Stony Brook
Rodney Edwards, Tennessee State
Derek Rivers, Youngstown State