BEAUMONT, Texas – Maxwell Thurmond's debut as Jacksonville State's interim head coach produced the Gamecocks' first road victory since stunning Florida State more than two months ago.
Former Jacksonville High School running back Ron Wiggins scored his first two touchdowns in a JSU uniform and the defense held host Lamar to 147 total yards as the Gamecocks earned a 38-7 win at Provost Umphrey Stadium. Jacksonville State improved to 5-5 overall and 3-2 in the AQ7 with its second straight win.
Zerrick Cooper had three touchdown passes as the Gamecocks poured it on after halftime, rolling up 306 yards against the Cardinals. JSU's record-setting quarterback hit PJ Wells for a 29-yard touchdown in the third quarter and added touchdown throws of 33 yards to Ahmad Edwards and Jayson Jones in the fourth.
Wiggins capped his best career performance with a 55-yard burst up the middle for the Gamecocks' final score.
"It's so awesome," Thurmond said moments after being doused by the contents of the Gamecocks' water coolers. "It's exciting for me but it's more exciting for those guys in that locker room. I couldn't be more proud of how they worked this week with everything that was going on."
The Cardinals (2-8, 0-6) scored first with a six-play, 68-yard drive midway through the first quarter. It turned out to be there only highlight.
Jaylon Jackson ran for a five-yard touchdown and Bailey Giffen kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Lamar lead with 6:49 remaining in the first quarter. The Cardinals, however, only managed 14 scrimmage yards for the rest of the opening half.
Jacksonville State got on the board with a 62-yard, 10-play march. After stalling at the Lamar 4, Alen Karajic entered to kick a 21-yard field goal at the 13:16 mark in the second quarter, trimming the Gamecocks' deficit to 7-3.
Cooper completed five passes as JSU's offense began to find its rhythm on the go-ahead drive. Wiggins wrapped up the 90-yard drive by sweeping 18 yards around the right side and Karajic kicked the extra point for a 10-7 lead with 4:53 left before halftime.
The Gamecocks outgained Lamar 187-82 during the first half.
The half ended in odd fashion when Giffen came on to attempt a 45-yard field goal in the waning seconds. After Lamar called a timeout to try to get its kicking team set, Thurmond burned three consecutive timeouts attempting to ice the Cardinals' kicker.
When play finally resumed, Giffen's kick hit the right upright and bounced away, sending Jacksonville State to the locker room at halftime clinging to a 10-7 cushion.
Cooper was 16-of-26 for 244 yards and was not intercepted.
Chris Hardie, DJ Coleman and Stevonte Tullis shared the honor of JSU's top tackler with six apiece.
The Gamecocks can finish their season riding a three-game win streak for the first time since 2009 when they travel to face former Ohio Valley Conference and current AQ7 rival Eastern Kentucky at Roy Kidd Stadium next Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on ESPN+.
Jacksonville State leads the all-time series vs. the Colonels 10-7 and has won six of the last meetings, including its last three trips to Richmond, Ky.
Jacksonville State Postgame Notes – Lamar
November 13, 2021 • Provost Umphrey Stadium • Beaumont, Texas
- JSU Captains: Junior running back Uriah West and redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Anthony Nesby
- JSU won the coin toss and elected to defer its option to the second half. It marks the eighth time in 10 games this season the Gamecocks have won the opening toss.
- Quarterback Zerrick Cooper's 29-yard, third-quarter scoring pass to PJ Wells was the 91st touchdown he has accounted for during his illustrious JSU career. Cooper later added his 92nd on 33-yard connection with Ahmad Edwards and a 93rd to Jayson Jones in the fourth quarter. It was his first three-touchdown game since the 2019 season finale against Eastern Kentucky.
- Freshman running back Ron Wiggins' 18-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the first career score for the former Jacksonville High School standout. Wiggins finished with a game-high 98 yards on eight carries.
- Lamar's 147 total yards easily marked a season-low allowed by the Gamecocks' defense this year. The previous fewest yards allowed was 343 yards at Kennesaw State on Oct. 2.
- Freshman Jayson Jones' 16-yard punt return in the fourth quarter was JSU's longest since 2019
- Jones' 21-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter was his first score as a Gamecock. He caught two passes for 32 yards but also threw an interception on a foiled gadget play.
- Edwards' 33-yard TD reception in the fourth quarter was his fifth of the season
- Redshirt junior quarterback Hunter Raquet saw the first action of his career, replacing Cooper in the fourth quarter. His first pass was a 12-yard completion to Isaiah Montgomery.
- Jacksonville State's 493 yards was the second-best offensive effort of the season, falling just shy of the 497 last week vs. Abilene Christian
- JSU improves to 15-17 all-time against teams from the state of Texas
