JACKSONVILLE – Injuries to its two top quarterbacks proved to be too much for Jax State to overcome against unbeaten Liberty.
Playing their fourth game in 17 days, the Gamecocks dropped a 31-13 decision to the CUSA-leading Flames in a nationally televised matchup before a crowd of 21,745 at Burgess-Snow Field Tuesday night.
Jax State (5-2, 3-1) saw its three-game win streak halted as Liberty improved to 6-0 and maintained its lead atop the CUSA standings with a 4-0 league mark. It was the Flames' first win over the Gamecocks in five meetings.
Deadlocked 10-10 at halftime, Liberty kept possession for more than two-thirds of the final two quarters while outscoring the Gamecocks 21-3.
"It was a neat opportunity for us and a good atmosphere," said Jacksonville State head coach
Rich Rodriguez. "It seemed like they controlled the clock the whole second half."
Logan Smothers entered the game on Jax State's second series after starting quarterback
Zion Webb was shaken up while rushing for a short gain.
Smothers promptly marched the Gamecocks into the end zone, the key play coming on his 25-yard completion to
Perry Carter to Liberty's 1. Smothers finished off the 11-play scoring drive by running in on a quarterback sneak with 7:48 remaining in the first quarter.
Alen Karajic's extra point put Jax State in front 7-0.
The Flames answered with a 16-play drive that consumed the remainder the opening quarter. Liberty drew to within 7-3 on the first play of the second period with a 31-yard field goal.
Liberty capitalized on a missed field goal attempt after the Gamecocks had moved 62 yards in 16 plays. The Flames responded by going 80 yards and taking their first lead via a 6-yard touchdown run with 7:23 to go in the second quarter.
Jax State put together another lengthy drive to draw even at 10-10.
Smothers hit on a 28-yard completion to
Jordan McCants and a 14-yard pass to Carter before settling for a 39-yard Karajic field goal at the 4:09 mark.
The Gamecocks outgained the Flames 212-165 in the first half. Each Jax State quarterback was intercepted once, including a pick of Smothers near the end zone with only seconds left before intermission.
Smothers left the game midway through the third and was replaced by redshirt freshman
Ashton Frye, who made his collegiate debut and passed for 51 yards while running seven times for 23 yards.
Liberty went ahead for good, 17-10, midway through the third with a 12-play, 89-yard drive capped off by a 27-yard TD pass, the first of two thrown in the second half by Kaidon Salter.
After another 39-yard field goal from Karajic trimmed the Flames' lead to 17-13, Salter started the fourth quarter with a 29-yard TD to Aaron Bedgood and the extra point increased the visitors' lead to 24-13.
Quae Drake and
Fred Perry were Jax State's top tacklers with nine each. Carter had a game-high five receptions for 83 yards.
Jax State hosts Western Kentucky (4-2, 2-0 in CUSA) next Tuesday in another nationally televised game on ESPNU at 6:30 p.m. The Hilltoppers have an open date this week.
Jacksonville State Head Coach Rich Rodriguez
October 10, 2023
The Liberty Game
Opening Comments:
"Obviously disappointed. I thought that it was a neat opportunity for us, and good atmosphere, and we didn't play well. Still had moments, but you know, they controlled the clock. We didn't play physical enough, we didn't tackle well enough, we didn't block well enough, we didn't coach well enough. We didn't really do anything well enough to win against a solid team, but I was disappointed in that. We had some stupid, silly penalties we should never have, let them control the clock the whole second half it seemed like. They had the ball the whole second half, you know we couldn't get off the field defensively. Give them credit and they did a good job, but disappointed in our entire effort, coaching wise, playing wise."
On Ashton Frye in after QB injuries:
"I thought for a guy, the young guy, getting in for the first time he was doing okay. He was seeing things, but yeah, that limits a little bit of what you do, but we never had the ball in the second half. It was kind of hard to tell."
On the size of Liberty:
"I was disappointed how we blocked up front. I mean, I didn't think we moved the pile at all, and then they did some stuff that gave us some opportunities to throw it and we missed some easy throws, missing stuff. They're a good team, a solid team, athletic, do a good job. I mean they're a few years ahead of us being Division I, but that ain't an excuse, I'm just saying."
Quae Drake, LB, R-Sr.
On Liberty's size:
"Second half, I feel like they came out and they wanted it a little bit more than us all across the board, the whole defense. I think size wise we matched up well, it's just I think they wanted it a little bit more and they prepared better than us."
On the crowd:
"The atmosphere was great. Huge shout out to the fans, to the student body as well, for coming out. All the energy was great the whole entire game. It's a Tuesday night, so we're very appreciative of that. I hope they come out next week as well."
Perry Carter, WR, R-Sr.
On the second half changes:
"I feel like going into halftime we were good, executing plays. We just let a couple big plays slip from us, so I feel, you know, this film going to show us a lot we got to work on to get. Just get back together, stay as a team, stay as a unit because I feel like we was the better team."
On Ashton Frye:
"For him to be in his first college game as a quarterback, I thought he did good, especially first drive. He wasn't nervous, he wasn't big eyed or nothing, so I feel like for that to be his first start in the college game, for that drive he did very well. He's going to have a good year, will be a great player for us."
On his catch in the first quarter:
"It was a good catch. I know we needed a little momentum. I wish I could have stayed up, got us in the end zone, but I'm glad that Logan got in the end zone. You just got to keep looking at film, seeing those plays, and you got to do more stuff like that."
Jax State Postgame Notes – Liberty
October 10, 2023 • Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium • Jacksonville, Ala.
- Jax State Captains: Redshirt senior linebacker Quae Drake, redshirt senior safety Jeremiah Harris, redshirt senior quarterback Zion Webb
- JSU won the toss and elected to defer.
- Head Coach Rich Rodriguez is now 14-4 at the helm of Jax State in his second season.
- After an 8-0 start between the ASUN and Conference USA, Rich Rodriguez loses his first conference game with the Gamecocks in their ninth league matchup.
- Jax State falls to Liberty for the first time in series history, now leading the all-time series, 4-1 after five meetings.
- Tuesday's game was the third in a string of five consecutive nationally-televised games for the Gamecocks – four straight on ESPNU followed by one on CBS Sports Network.
- The Fall Preview Day crowd of 21,745 at Burgess-Snow Field was the largest to watch Jax State play – home or away – in 2023.
- Junior kicker Alen Karajic converted on a pair of 39-yard field goals for his 40 th and 41 st field goals of his Gamecock career. The second-most in school history, Karajic closes in on the school record 49 set by Gavin Hallford (2004-08).
- With his two field goals and an extra point on Tuesday, Karajic moves past Cade Stinnett (2014-18) and Eli Jenkins (2013-16) to fifth on the Jax State all-time scoring list with 256 points.
- Redshirt-freshman quarterback Ashton Frye finished 5-for-11 passing for 51 yards with 23 more yards on the ground in his first experience off the bench.
- Junior Logan Smothers passed for 115 yards on 8-of-18 throwing.
- Redshirt-junior running back Anwar Lewis led the Gamecocks with a season-high 81 rushing yards in his third appearance back from injury.
- Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jordan McCants' 28-yard reception in the second quarter was his first career catch as a Gamecock.
- Sophomore safety Fred Perry led the Gamecock defense with 10 tackles.
