MADISON – Jacksonville State and North Alabama traveled almost 1,000 yards in one direction, but the Gamecocks' opportunistic defense forced four key turnovers at Toyota Field that proved to the difference in the milestone 50th football meeting of the rivalry.

Jax State (6-1, 2-0 in the ASUN) held off its longtime rival 47-31 before an announced crowd of 10,124 in the first football game played in the multi-use facility and home of the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Due to safety protocols, all offensive plays were run toward the west end zone (first base dugout), which had the required 10 yards available beyond the back of the end zone. The east end zone (leftfield wall) was regulation depth and defensive touchdowns, safeties and punt returns could occur in that direction. After every change of possession, the ball was repositioned.

It was, according to Jax State head coach Rich Rodriguez, a unique experience.

"I really thought it was a neat environment," Rodriguez said. "I was a little leery going into it because I've never played on a baseball field, but it worked out fine."

Anwar Lewis rushed for 165 yards and two touchdowns and Zion Webb threw for one touchdown and ran for another as JSU defeated the Lions for the sixth consecutive time.

JSU finished with 511 total yards while the Lions recorded 448 yards.

Jax State led 31-14 at halftime as it rolled up 293 total yards through the first two quarters.

JSU's defense forced a UNA turnover that led to the Gamecocks' first points. Markail Benton pounced on a fumble by UNA quarterback Noah Walters at the Lions' 18 and it took JSU just two plays to convert, with Anwar Lewis scoring on a 9-yard run with less than five minutes elapsed in the first quarter.

Webb had completions of 38 yards to Sterling Galban and 23 yards to Perry Carter as Jax State stretched the lead to 14-0. Matt LaRoche capped off the seven-play, 80-yard drive with by crashing into the end zone from 10 yards out and Alen Karajic added the extra point at the 5:52 mark in the first.

The JSU lead grew to 21-0 following Fred Perry's interception of a Walters pass late in the first quarter.

Webb found Ron Wiggins on a 17-yard completion to the UNA 25 and two players later the duo hooked up again for 25-yard scoring pass. Wiggins' first career TD reception and another Karajic PAT gave Jax State a 21-point cushion late in the first quarter.

Karajic kicked a 24-yarder at the 6:10 mark in the second quarter for a 24-7 JSU lead. The Gamecocks carried a 31-14 lead to the locker room at halftime as the teams traded touchdowns inside the final two minutes.

Webb had a 20-yard touchdown run, his 10^th of the season, at the 1:51 mark. But the Lions (1-5, 0-2) responded by driving 75 yards in six plays and found the end zone with 27 seconds to go to trim the Gamecocks' lead to 17 at the break.

UNA stormed out to start the third quarter and posted two quick touchdowns to cut JSU's lead to 31-28.

Karajic, however, had second-half field goals of 32, 38 and 29 yards and Lewis added his second rushing touchdown, this one covering 60 yards, as the turned back the UNA threat.

This was the first NCAA Division I game to feature "one-directional" football since Northwestern and Illinois played at Wrigley Field in 2010 and game organizers believe it was the first in history involving two FCS programs.

The Gamecocks return to action next Saturday with a non-conference homecoming matchup vs. Southeastern Louisiana at Burgess-Snow Field. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

Jacksonville State Postgame Notes – North Alabama
October 15, 2022 • Toyota Field • Madison, Ala.

• JSU Captains: Redshirt senior offensive lineman Zack Cangelosi, redshirt senior cornerback Yul Gowdy, redshirt senior tight end Keishoen Jarrett
• Jax State leads the all-time series 29-18-3 and has won 12 of the last 13 meetings against their in-state rival, including six straight
• UNA won the toss and elected to defer
• Head coach Rich Rodriguez is now 6-1 at the helm of JSU and moves to 169-120-2 for his career
• Senior quarterback Zion Webb finished 12-of-17 passing for 154 yards with one touchdown plus 18 yards rushing and another TD on the ground.
• Sophomore kicker Alen Karajic matched his career highs in field goals made (4) and attempted (5), which both previously came at FIU in 2020
• Running back Anwar Lewis led JSU's rushing attack with 165 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries for his second 150-yard game of the season (184 at Murray State on Sept. 10)
• Running back Ron Wiggins' 25-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was the first touchdown catch of his career.
• JSU scored four rushing touchdowns for the second straight road game
• Sterling Galban's 28-yard punt return in the second quarter tied Jayson Jones (28 at Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 20, 2021) for JSU's longest punt return since Demontrez Terry's 42-yarder against Murray State on Nov. 7, 2017.
• Redshirt senior Markail Benton recovered just the second fumble of his career, and first since 2020, in the first quarter to give JSU a short field setting up the first touchdown of the game
• Freshman Fred Perry had his first career interception in the first quarter and returned 28 yards  
• Junior defensive lineman Jackson Luttrell collected his first career turnover when he intercepted an errant UNA pass late in the fourth quarter to deny the Lions' comeback attempt.