JACKSONVILLE – No. 3 Jacksonville State intercepted UT Martin quarterback Troy Cook four times in the first half and cruised to a 33-7 blowout victory at Burgess-Snow Field on Saturday to claim their third consecutive OVC championship and the league's automatic berth in the FCS playoffs.
 
JSU became the first program since Eastern Kentucky (1982-84) to earn three straight outright titles with its 24^th consecutive OVC record, two shy of the all-time record.
 
Jacksonville State will carry a 10-1 record into the FCS playoffs.  The Gamecocks are expected to have a first-round bye and host a second-round game at Burgess-Snow Field on Saturday, Dec. 3.
 
The NCAA Selection Show airs on ESPNU Sunday at 10 a.m.
 
"I don't know what the selection committee will do for us or where they will seed us," Jacksonville State head coach John Grass said, whose squad was ranked No. 1 in the selection committee rankings two weeks ago. "We're not in control of that. We'll take home-field advantage as long as we can get it."
 
Quarterback Eli Jenkins ran for a career-high four touchdowns on Senior Day in his last regular-season game at The Snow. The senior from Birmingham now has 3,607 rushing yards, the 10^th-highest total for a quarterback in FCS history.
 
As the time-honored strains of Queen's "We Are the Champions" and Kool & the Gang's "Celebration" resonated throughout Burgess-Snow Field, Jacksonville State's players and coaches accepted the OVC championship trophy and then turned their attention to postseason play.
 
"We've got a lot more football to play," Grass told the crowd of 18,982 moments after the trophy presentation.
 
The public is invited to join Jacksonville State's players, coaches and school officials to watch Sunday's NCAA Selection Show on the fifth floor at JSU Stadium. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. with the show set to air at 10 a.m. on ESPNU. The Athletic Ticket Office will begin selling FCS playoff tickets on Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
JSU's top-ranked defense served notice to any potential playoff opponents by totally shutting down the No. 1 scoring offense in the OVC at 34.5 points per game.
 
Cook was intercepted by Jaylen Hill (twice), Marlon Bridges and Darius Jackson as the Gamecocks built a 19-0 lead by intermission. Hill's second interception was the 13^th of his career, moving him into first place in JSU's Division I history.
 
UT Martin's only points came on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Cook to Greg McKillion with 1:08 remaining in the third quarter that cut JSU's lead to 26-7.
 
The Skyhawks (7-5, 6-2) had their five-game win streak and faint NCAA playoff hopes end.
 
Jacksonville State's offense was efficient all afternoon and capitalized on the turnovers forced by the defense.
 
Hill's first interception on the game's opening series led to the first of Jenkins' four touchdowns, a one-yard quarterback sneak with 12:20 left in the first quarter.
 
UT Martin's passing woes continued on the ensuing series when Jackson picked off another Cook pass and returned it 20 yards to the 11. Jacksonville State settled for Cade Stinnett's 28-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead with just over five minutes off the clock.
 
Bridges' first-quarter interception – his ninth takeaway of the season – gave the Gamecocks possession at UTM's 32 late in the first. Stinnett converted on a 41-yard field goal when the drive stalled to stretch JSU's lead to 12-0.
 
Hill's electrifying 77-yard interception return after the Skyhawks had driven deep into JSU territory set up Jenkins' second touchdown, a nine-yard run with 6:05 to go in the second quarter.
 
Jenkins added touchdown runs of 32 and 10 yards in the second half. He finished with 54 yards on 12 carries, plus 104 passing yards.
 
Senior receiver Josh Barge caught three passes to extend his FCS record of games with at least one reception to 49 in a row. Barge is current tied with Cooper Kupp of No. 2 Eastern Washington, who left his team's game with an injury in the third quarter Friday night.
 
Bridges and Quan Stoudemire had a game-high 10 tackles apiece to lead Jacksonville State defensively.


 
 
Jacksonville State Postgame Notes – vs. UT Martin
November 19, 2016 • Burgess-Snow Field • Jacksonville, Ala.
- Captains for Jacksonville State: entire 2016 four-year senior class, which include Gavin Golsan, JaJuan Lee, Casey Dunn, Lawon Debardelaben, Ra'Shad Green, Jaylen Hill, Jonathan Curry, Nick Johnson, Anthony Johnson, Jojo Wynn, Desmond Owino, Eli Jenkins, Ty Anderson, Josh Barge, Josh Clemons, Kyron Samuels, David Segers and Luke Smith.
 
- Jacksonville State won the toss and deferred to the second half. It's the sixth time in 11 attempts the Gamecocks have won the coin flip.
 
- With the win, Jacksonville State clinches its third straight Ohio Valley Conference championship outright. Additionally, the Gamecocks clinch the automatic berth to the FCS Playoffs by winning the championship.
 
- On Jacksonville State's first offensive play, Jenkins found Ty Anderson, who earned his first career start when he started at tight end today, recorded his first reception since a 12-yard catch against West Alabama back on Sept. 20, 2014.
 
- With an 11-yard reception late in the first quarter, Josh Barge extends his school record and FCS record of consecutive games played with a reception to 49.
 
- Midway through the second quarter, Jaylen Hill intercepted a UT Martin pass on fourth down and returned it 77 yards, which is the 10th longest interception return in school history. The interception gives Hill 13 for his career, which ties the senior with Darrell Malone (1987-90), Terry Harris (1965-67) and Wayne Carden (1969-72). The 13 interceptions by Hill is the most by a JSU defender in the Gamecocks' Division I history. 
 
- With the win, Jacksonville State is now 31-7 all-time against UT Martin and 16-3 at home in the series. JSU has won the last four in a row and seven of the last eight, including the last eight meetings in Jacksonville. 
 
- Additionally, Jacksonville State has now won its last 31 consecutive games played against non-FBs opponents during the regular season. 
 
- Jacksonville State has also won its last 24 straight Ohio Valley Conference games, which is the longest active conference winning streak in Division I football. The Gamecocks' streak is the second longest in OVC history and two back of EKU's 26 from 1992-95.
 
- With the win, Jacksonville State extends its active home winning streak to 14 games, which is the longest at the FCS level. 
 
- With the win, the 2016 JSU senior class moves its win total over the course of its career to 44, which is already a JSU Division I school record and two back of the all-time mark of 46 set by the 1992 team. 
 
- With his 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, Eli Jenkins passes Boyce Callahan (1970-73; 41) for third on Jacksonville State's career rushing touchdown list. He trails only DaMarcus James (49) and David Gulledge (48). 
 
- By finishing with 54 rushing yards, quarterback Eli Jenkins (3,607) passes former All-American running back DaMarcus James for second on Jacksonville State's career rushing yardage list. He trails only Boyce Callahan (1970-73) for the top mark (4,237). 
 
- Eli Jenkins set a career-high by scoring four touchdowns on the ground. His previous high was three, which he accomplished three times in his career — Chattanooga (Dec. 5, 2015), Murray State (Nov. 21, 2015) and Murray State (Sept. 27, 2014). 
 
- On the second-to-last play of the game, UT Martin's Najee Ray had a 45-yard run, which is the longest run from scrimmage allowed by Jacksonville State's defense to a non-FBS opponent this season. Austin Peay's Timarius Mitchell scored a 43-yard touchdown on the ground on Oct. 15. 
 
- With its 10-1 record, JSU posts its fourth-straight 10-win season for the first time in school history. The Gamecocks are now just one of two FCS teams and seven total Division I teams with a chance at 10 wins in each of the last four seasons. JSU and North Dakota State are the only two teams with 10-win seasons over the past three years. Clemson, Alabama, Ohio State, Florida State and Baylor have won 10 or more in the last three FBS seasons.
 
Jacksonville State Postgame Quotes – vs. UT Martin
November 19, 2016 • Burgess-Snow Field • Jacksonville, Ala.
 
Head Coach John Grass
Opening statement
"That was a good job by our players and coaches today on getting the job done. We came out of the gates with a lot of energy, so I'm proud of that. We talked about this being a playoff-caliber game and felt like it was a do-or-die situation, so everyone raised their level of play for sure. With the importance of the game, I believe our guys played extremely well, and that's important this time of the year."
 
On winning a third-straight conference championship
"Going undefeated in the Ohio Valley Conference is pretty amazing, especially if you go back and look at what these guys have done. There were a lot of former players in the dressing room after it was over, so it was good to see a bunch of those guys. It feels good knowing all the hard work and preparation put in during the season is starting to pay off. We appreciate all the work done by our staff and coaches."
 
On field goal success
"It was good to see us making field goals today. We had the ball deep in the red zone, and sometimes didn't get the ball into the end zone, but we did come away with points. We have a friendly competition during the week. On Thursday, I think our kickers were going head-to-head and both went eight for eight. Neither one was missing."
 
On the defense
"I think it all goes back to preparation, fundamentals, coaches, culture and program. We harp on tackling and being a physical football team. Defensively, we try to make guys one-dimensional, and we are so deep upfront that it's hard to run the football against us. We make opponents throw the football and on the back end. I think we are as good as we've ever been."
 
On way JSU is playing
"I think, with the playoff system, you have to raise your level of play as you go into the playoffs. Teams that are there and have been before, I think they're able to do that. I think our bunch is getting to that level, and that showed from start-to-finish today. It's not that we've been playing bad, but we raised our level of play today. We've been playing great defense, but sporadic on offense and sometimes the kicking game. I think everyone has to raise their level of play, because you can't be complacent at all."
 
On playoff seeding
"We aren't in control of that, but I think we did a good job today. We'll have to see though. I don't know what they look at. I think we should be the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, for sure, but I'm not voting or making that decision. We'll have to take the route that they give us. If UT Martin doesn't make it in, I think that's a disappointment for the OVC."
 
Marlon Bridges, R-Fr., Safety
On if he's been impressed with his play
"Not really, because I know the type of work I put in and the type of player I am. I just like to help my team. I'm a team player."
 
On defense's performance today
"It all starts at practice. We have the mentality of going hard at practice, because we had a good scout team. They give us a good look every week. We just go into each game with a chip on our shoulders, because, coming into the season, everyone was talking like we weren't going to be that great."
 
Jaylen Hill, R-Sr., Defensive Back
On JSU's four interceptions
"Coming in, we knew UT Martin's Troy Cook was a highly-rated quarterback, had some tall receivers and liked to air the ball out. That presented us with the opportunity right there. The plays were called, and I just feel like we capitalized even if there were some times we weren't in the right position."
 
On defense's performance today
"It's all about how we prepare throughout the week. The scout team definitely gives us that look that we need each week. I feel like, as a whole, the defense works together as everyone saw today."
 
Eli Jenkins, R-Sr., Quarterback
On his touchdowns
"I was just reading the defense. If he took the running back, then I get to run. If he takes me, then I give it. They kept taking the running back, so I just kept the ball and followed my blocks."
 
On starting field position
"It felt really great having good field position, because last game we had our backs against the wall most of the time. Today, the defense gave us great opportunities to get into the end zone. Even if we didn't capitalize, we got a couple of field goals, but they still have us opportunities, which they've been doing all year."
 
On the defense
"They always have our back. If I throw an interception or if there's a fumble, they're always there telling us they have our backs no matter. They had a real good day today. Each time we go out there for practice, I can tell the defense is going to be good."