JACKSONVILLE – A spectacular defensive effort in the second half and a career-best rushing performance by quarterback Zion Webb lifted Jax State past Western Kentucky 20-17 in a Conference USA showdown Tuesday night.
 
Alen Karajic booted a 41-yard field goal as time expired as the Gamecocks (6-2, 4-1) erased a fourth-quarter deficit before a crowd of 17,977 at Burgess-Snow Field and in the process became bowl eligible in their inaugural season in FBS.
 
Jax State moved 45 yards in 10 plays in the final 2½ minutes to set up Karajic, whose kick was the Gamecocks' first game-winning field goal on the final play in 11 years.
 
"We didn't play in the first half in any phase, but we hung around," said Jax State head coach Rich Rodriguez. "I thought the defense was phenomenal in the second half. Our offense made some key plays when we had to.
 
"Our guys are certainly entertaining if nothing else."
 
Western Kentucky was held scoreless in the second half and gained only 69 yards after intermission.
 
"Getting six wins in your first year (in FBS) doesn't happen very often," Rodriguez said. "I'm happy more than anything for our players, especially our seniors."
 
Webb rushed for a career-high 146 yards as the Gamecocks ran 95 plays and outgained the Hilltoppers 484-339. Anwar Lewis, whose 26-yard TD run with under five minutes left tied it at 17-17, added 85 yards on the ground.
 
The Gamecocks only trailed 17-10 at intermission despite Western Kentucky having run 50% of its first-half plays from Jax State territory.
 
Hilltoppers QB Austin Reed, the FBS leader in passing yards a year ago, staked his team to a 7-0 lead with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Dalvin Smith with 8:52 left in the first quarter. Western Kentucky (4-3, 2-1) later extended its lead to 10-0 with a 28-yard field goal at the 1:55 mark.
 
Webb found success on the ground on the ensuing drive, including a 32-yard carry to the Hilltoppers 25. Three J'Wan Evans runs moved the Gamecocks deep into Western Kentucky territory and Webb finished off Jax State's initial scoring drive by running left for a 10-yard TD with 12:45 remaining in the second quarter.
 
Karajic's extra point cut the deficit to 10-7.
 
Reed's second touchdown toss came after Jax State safety Fred Perry had intercepted a WKU pass and returned it to the 40, only to fumble and have the loose ball recovered by the Hilltoppers.
 
Western Kentucky took advantage and covered the distance to the end zone in five plays, capped by a 3-yard touchdown pass for a 17-7 lead with 8:36 remaining in the second.
 
Karajic finished off the first-half scoring with a 23-yard field goal, the 42^nd of his career.
 
The teams combined for nearly 500 total yards (WKU 270, Jax State 223) through the opening 30 minutes.
 
Next up for the Gamecocks is a road trip to Florida International on Wednesday, October 25. Jax State defeated FIU 19-10 in Miami during the abbreviated fall 2020 campaign, the only previous meeting between the programs.
 
Kickoff at FIU Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT and the game will be televised by CBS Sports Network.
 

Jacksonville State Head Coach Rich Rodriguez
October 17, 2023
The WKU Game
Opening Comments:
"It was a great win for our guys, our program. Really proud of them. They're a really good team, we knew that coming in. We didn't play really well in the first half in any phase, but we hung around. And then the second half, I thought our defense was phenomenal. Now offense, we actually wound up having 95 plays. Offense got some first downs, controlled the clock a little bit, and just made some key plays when we had to, then AK comes through. I thought our defense as coaches and players did a great job of adjusting at halftime. I thought our offense hung in there and battled and competed and got just enough to get it done."
 
On Zion Webb:
 "Zion's a great competitor. He missed a few things, he'll be the first to tell you, you know a throw here and there or a read here and there. But, he ran hard. I think when he gets tired, he'll lay down for a little bit extra, but he was seeing the field well. Even when he missed a few things, before I could even yell at him, which I don't mind yelling at him, but before I could, he already said, 'coach, this is what it was, and this what I saw.' So, he knew when he missed it, he knew right away which is telling me he's seeing the field even better. This is his second year in the offense, so he should, but at the same time he was recognizing everything today."
 
On the offense:
 "I thought Anwar (Lewis) got more comfortable in the second half, started trusting the tracks and pressing the runs where they're supposed to be pressed. He got more comfortable in the second half as well. Then PJ Wells was, I knew it was coming because he was getting healthier, and I saw it this week. I said, 'he's finally back to his full self.' He's one of our best wideouts and I thought he was great today."
 
 
On J-Rock Swain:
 "J-Rock, you know, he's a great competitor. He's got a knack in pass rushing. He's not, obviously, real tall, but he's got a knack to get under people. I thought a couple times he might have been getting grabbed a little bit, but they're going to grab him because he's small and he's an intense guy. He has that same intensity every day. I thought it was just a matter of time before he gets an opportunity. When we play a team that throws the ball a lot, that's his world to be in."
 
 
Zion Webb, QB, R-Sr.
On six wins in FBS:
"From our standpoint, I think it's tremendous just not knowing that we would even get a chance to be bowl eligible. We just working each day, putting one foot in front of the other. It feels amazing."
 
On getting healthy:
"I was off the first two days, and I kind of just took it a day at a time. Just killed it with our trainer, Mike, going to the doctor, and trying to understand what was going on with me. I just felt that I can take on this challenge and that's what I did."
 
 
J-Rock Swain, DE, Jr. 
On the second half defense:
"We had a few busts, guys was doing something that they wasn't taught to do. But we got it controlled, everybody, instead of last game, we were just getting under control. We had better self-control. It was really good. Going to the second half we knew the game plan was going to work. Whatever we did, stop No. 11 and make the sure the quarterback's got to get the ball out fast because that's what you want to do anyway. Coach was just like stick with the game plan, just go out and execute, and when we get to the quarterback just get our hands up and we did that."
 
 
On his efforts:
"Just sticking to the script. Whatever coach called I was just going out there playing hard, making sure when I get off the ball just trying to make a play because it was needed in that moment in time. The game was going slow for us and defensively we needed to make a play and help the offense out."
 
 
Anwar Lewis, RB, R-Jr. 
On his late game touchdown:
"It felt good. I just had to take it play-by-play, and just execute when it was time to go. That's what I did instead of, you know, getting frustrated and worrying about trying to score every play. I just took base hits."
 

On going strong throughout the game:
"I've got to give a big shout out to our strength and conditioning staff, but they stay on us. They get us right in the weight room, it really helps. That and just continuing to work, trying to help our team get extra yards. Be a ballplayer, help out the team."
 
 
Alen Karajic, K, Jr.
On his game winning field goal:
 "It feels amazing. One of the best feelings of my life. I felt confidence."


Jacksonville State Postgame Notes – Western Kentucky
October 17, 2023 • Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium • Jacksonville, Ala.

• Jax State Captains: Redshirt senior center Treylen Brown, senior defensive tackle Jackson Lutttrell, redshirt senior receiver Perry Carter
• JSU won the toss and elected to defer.
• Head Coach Rich Rodriguez is now 15-4 at the helm of Jax State in his second season.
• Jax State moves to 2-4 in the all-time series with Western Kentucky and now leads 2-1 in games played in Jacksonville.
• 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 fourth in a string of five consecutive nationally-televised games for the Gamecocks – four straight on ESPNU followed by one on CBS Sports Network.
• Junior kicker Alen Karajic's game-winning 41-yard kick was the first time Jax State won on a last-second field goal in regulation since Griffin Thomas made a 37-yard kick to beat Chattanooga, 27-24, on Sept. 8, 2012.
• The time-expiring field goal was the first time Jax State scored on the final play of the game since the 59-yard hail mary to beat Florida State on Sept. 11, 2021.
• Karajic also made a 23-yard attempt earlier in the game and now runs his career total to 43 made field goals, the second-most in school history behind only Gavin Hallford (2004-08) with 49.
• Redshirt-senior quarterback Zion Webb rushed for a career-high 149 yards on 28 carries while also completing 22-of-38 passes for 218 yards.
• Redshirt-junior running back Anwar Lewis ran for his first touchdown of the season to tie the game in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard breakthrough up the middle.
• Redshirt junior receiver PJ Wells from Rainbow City caught his first pass of the year early in the third quarter and finished with a team-high five receptions for 53 yards.
• Redshirt-sophomore cornerback Derek Carter matched a career-high with eigh tackles to lead the Gamecock defense.
•  Jax State's defense held WKU's explosive offense to just 69 yards in the second half.