JACKSONVILLE – Zerrick Cooper has quickly found a favorite target in junior wide receiver Josh Pearson.
 
The Cooper-to-Pearson combination struck for two long touchdowns Saturday as No. 9 Jacksonville State defeated Tennessee Tech 48-20 in its Ohio Valley Conference opener at Burgess-Snow Field. The Gamecocks (2-1, 1-0) extended their OVC win streak to 33 games, the longest active conference winning streak in NCAA Division I.
 
Pearson snagged his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season, covering 50 and 32 yards, respectively, and Jamari Hester hauled in a 40-yard touchdown from backup quarterback Zion Webb in the first quarter as Jacksonville State improved to 5-0 in league openers under head coach John Grass.
 
Ten Gamecocks were credited with rushing attempts as JSU rolled up 302 yards on the ground. Jacksonville State ran 74 plays and finished with 544 total yards.
 
The Gamecocks' offense is averaging 533.7 yards per game this season.
 
"I wasn't happy at halftime," Grass said. "I thought we were sluggish and looked like we hadn't played in two weeks. It happens.
 
"I didn't think we played with enough energy. There wasn't a lot of energy that we created and we're responsible for that. So, we've got to play better."
 
Cooper finished with 190 passing yards, completing 14 of 24 attempts without an interception. He also ran for 18 yards on five carries.
 
Webb was equally efficient directing Jacksonville State's attack. In addition to the touchdown pass to Hester, he ran nine times for 59 yards, including touchdowns of 20 and five yards in the fourth quarter as JSU pulled away.
 
Tennessee Tech (0-4, 0-1) started quickly, taking the opening kickoff and moving into Gamecock territory on its first possession. Nick Madonia finished off the drive with a 53-yard field goal to give the Golden Eagles their only lead at 3-0 with 11:53 in the first quarter.
 
Cade Stinnett kicked a 30-yard field goal as Jacksonville State evened it at 3-3 with 6:26 to go in the first. JSU then gained the lead for good following a short Tennessee Tech punt as Webb hit Hester with a 40-yard TD for a 10-3 advantage at the 4:52 mark.
 
Tennessee Tech fought back to within 10-6 on Madonia's 39-yard field goal with 6:15 left before halftime.
 
But JSU wasted no time extending its lead after the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds. Starting from their 35, the Gamecocks scored on first down when Jalen Greene burst up the middle for a 65-yard touchdown at the 6:04 mark. Greene finished as the team's leading rusher with 68 yards on just two carries.
 
Pearson had five catches for 102 yards, giving the Decatur native 362 yards through three games. He entered the contest ranked ninth nationally in receiving yards per game.
 
Jalen Choice was the Gamecocks' leading tackler for the third consecutive game with nine stops in limited action.
 
Austin Peay (2-2, 0-1) visits Burgess-Snow Field for Homecoming next Saturday with kickoff set for 3 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN3.

 
Jacksonville State Postgame Notes – vs. Tennessee Tech
September 22, 2018 • Burgess-Snow Field • Jacksonville, Ala.

• JSU Captains: Senior DE Justin-Thomas Thornton, senior DE Denzil Ware, senior OL B.J. Autry, R-Jr. WR Jamari Hester.
• JSU won the toss and elected to defer.
• Attendance: 17,403.
• The Gamecocks opened their defense of the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference title with their 33rd consecutive OVC win. 
• JSU posted its 26th straight home win, dating back to October 12, 2013.
• Jax State is 13-3 all-time in OVC openers and is now 5-0 in league openers under John Grass.
• JSU has now won the last seven meetings in the series with TTU and leads the all-time series with the Golden Eagles 16-6, including an 8-2 mark in Jacksonville.
• In the last outing against Mississippi Valley State, JSU had 11 different players catch a pass. Versus Tech, eight different Gamecocks rushed the ball.
• Tech's TD with 7:00 in the third quarter was the first scoring play allowed by the Jax State defense in the last 85:36. North Carolina A&T scored its final TD with 2:36 left in the third period on August 25, 2018.
• For the second consecutive contest, the Gamecocks accumulated 300-plus rushing yards.  JSU posted 366 rushing yards two weeks ago against Mississippi Valley State.  Against TTU, Jax State tallied 325 yards rushing. 
• The Gamecocks combined for 544 total yards on offense, making it 89 games with at least 400 yards of total offense since 2003.
• Redshirt freshman QB Zion Webb tossed his first career touchdown for JSU's first TD of the night. Webb connected with Jamari Hester on a 40-yard grab in the opening quarter…Webb registered his first rushing TD of his career with a 20-yard run and tacked on a second rushing TD with in the fourth quarter.  He finished with nine carries for 59 yards rushing and passed for 52 yards.
• Sophomore RB Jaelen Greene's 65-yard TD rush was the longest rushing play of the season for Jax State and the longest of his career.
• Junior Tre' Threat recorded his first career sack as a Gamecock, stalling a second quarter TTU drive.
• Redshirt junior WR Josh Pearson posted a TD catch for the third consecutive game with a 50 yard catch before halftime. 
• Pearson hauled in his second TD of the contest and fifth of the season with a 32-yard grab in the third quarter.  He now has five TDs on the season.  Last season, JSU's leading receiver had three TD catches all season.
• Redshirt junior Christian Wafford recovered his first career fumble, halting a third quarter TTU drive.
• Redshirt junior Jalen Choice matched his career high in tackles with nine stops.  Choice posted nine stops in the season opener against North Carolina A&T.
• Freshman QB Jake Wisener made his Gamecock debut against Tech, becoming the fourth QB used by JSU this season.

 
Jacksonville State Postgame Quotes – vs. Tennessee Tech
September 22, 2018 • Burgess-Snow Field • Jacksonville, Ala.
 
Head Football Coach John Grass
Opening statement
"You could definitely tell we haven't played in two weeks. We just have to do a better job of creating energy. It was just a dead game for us energy-wise. However, we don't have to worry about an off-week because we've got nine straight games now. It will be good to play next week and get into a rhythm. I thought we made a lot of plays and I thought we missed a lot of plays, but give them credit, they were tough and physical. There is just a lot to clean up though."
 
On creating explosive plays
"You've got to throw the ball. When you can stretch the field vertically with your passing game, it opens up many different things. On the line we're getting better. We're young but we're getting better. There's a lot of great competition going on in the running back room, too, and I hope that continues."
  
Zerrick Cooper, quarterback, redshirt sophomore
On creating explosive plays
"It's just from practice. Coach Ogle and the offensive staff preach how hard it is to have multiple big plays. But I really just have to thank my offensive line because if it weren't for them I wouldn't be able to hand the ball off or throw it like we do. The offensive line is really the key."
 
Josh Pearson, wide receiver, redshirt junior
On extending plays for the quarterbacks
"We just keep running until we hear the whistle blow. It's also trusting your quarterback and knowing that they can get it to you."
 
Tramel Terry, running back, redshirt senior
On making his first start of the season
"It felt good. I felt a little winded out there so I've got to get in better game shape, but other than that I think I did a pretty good job."
 
Zion Webb, quarterback, redshirt freshman
On his first career touchdown
"It felt great. It's always good to get your first touchdown. I was just trying to make a play and Jamari Hester helped make a big play for us, so it was great to have my first touchdown."
 
Jaelen Green, running back, sophomore
On his 65-yard touchdown run
"We practiced that play a lot this week. My line did a great job blocking for me. You don't see a hole that big often."
 
Monty Young, defensive end, senior
On the defensive performance
"Any points given up is a lot for us, but I feel like we had some good moments. This team with good tempo got us a little off-beat, but once we settled in and played our football that we did pretty good on defense."