JACKSONVILLE – On a blazing afternoon in arguably the most significant game in Jacksonville State University's vaunted football history, the Gamecocks dug deep and won when things looked bleak in their first game as a Football Bowl Subdivision member.
Veteran safety Jeremiah Harris picked off a UTEP pass at the Jax State 22 with 1:15 left as the Gamecocks held on to defeat favored UTEP 17-14 before a raucous crowd of 17,982 at Burgess-Snow Field.
The Miners elected not to attempt a 40-yard field goal after driving from their 12 to Jax State's 24 in the game's waning moments, only to see Harris come up with the game-sealing interception on fourth down.
Both programs entered the season with lowered expectations in the eyes of the CUSA media members. Jax State (1-0) was picked seventh in the preseason poll while the Miners, 5-7 a year ago, were picked to finish sixth in the nine-team league.
"It's a great night for Jax State," said head coach Rich Rodriguez. "Expectations are rightfully not very high because not very many teams make the transition successfully right away.
"We've got a lot of work to do. But I'd rather teach off a win than a loss. We'll learn from it, get better from it and get ready for the next one."
Jax State (1-0) led 10-7 at halftime despite being limited to 110 total yards.
Placekicker Alen Karajic was true on his first field goal try of the season, booting a 41-yarder with 4:57 remaining in the first quarter for the Gamecocks' first points as an FBS program.
Ron Wiggins punched in Jax State's first FBS touchdown early in the second quarter to stretch the lead to 10-0. Wiggins ran in from the Miners 4 to finish off a 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive for his seventh career rushing TD.
Karajic added the extra point with 13:26 left in the second quarter.
UTEP didn't get on the scoreboard until the final play of the first half. The Miners covered 74 yards in nine plays in the last 1:31, with Deion Hankins diving in from the 1 as the clock struck zero. The extra point trimmed the Gamecocks' cushion to 10-7 at intermission.
Malik Jackson's 44-yard run in third quarter – the longest of the game by either team – set up his 7-yard touchdown run with 7:47 to go in the third. Karajic's PAT extended Jax State's lead to 17-7.
UTEP outgained the Gamecocks 364-275 but Miners standout receiver Tyrin Smith was limited to five catches for 38 yards. Jackson led JSU's balanced rushing attack with 76 yards while Wiggins and quarterback Zion Webb contributed 63 each on the ground.
Newcomer Quae Drake led the Gamecock defense with 11 tackles. Harris was next with eight stops in addition to his clutch interception. Kolbi Fuqua also intercepted a Miners pass and Jeff Marks recovered a fumble forced by Larry Worth in the first half.
"I've got to give the fans credit because they hung in there," Rodriguez said. "That was a hot day. I really appreciate the crowd helping out with the energy there at the end."
The Gamecocks host Southern Conference member East Tennessee State next Saturday at 1 p.m. for "Band Day." JSU is 1-0 all-time against the Buccaneers, having beaten ETSU 34-27 in Jacksonville during the 2018 FCS playoffs.
Jacksonville State Head Coach Rich Rodriguez
August 26, 2023
The UTEP Game
Opening Comments:
"Very excited for our guys for the win. Obviously, it was a lot of first game mistakes, didn't play really well, particularly offensively. We messed some things up, some stuff that we thought we should've executed, but the guys played hard the whole time. Our defense was fabulous with their intensity. I really liked our focus. We made a couple of big plays on special teams. I really appreciate the crowd hanging around on a hot day and helping us out with some energy at the end, so it was a great win. That's a good football team. I think they'll make a bowl game and that's the most veteran team in Conference USA, so I knew it'd be a challenge and you know, they played really hard."
On Jeremiah Harris' interception:
"Isn't it a terrific way to end it. He walked on seven years ago and here he is coming back in his final college year and making the play of the game. Everybody, they lifted him up in the locker room. I mean, everybody on our team has tremendous respect for him, so tickled to death to see that."
On getting Jax State's first FBS win:
"It's huge. I know expectations are probably, rightfully, not very high because not very many teams will make the transition successfully right away. You know, it takes a couple of years, and we still got a lot of work to do. Trust me, I know I'll watch the film. Tomorrow maybe, and see, gee whiz, we got a lot of work to do. But I'd rather teach off a win than a loss, and there's a lot of things we can get better from. We're going to enjoy the win."
Zion Webb, QB, R-SR
Opening comments:
"I think me personally, it means a lot just for the simple fact that I didn't even know if I was getting my last year back. So just to come out and handle business and everybody play as team and we just get the team win, it was great."
On the journey to FBS:
"It was a lot of ups and downs during this journey. It was a lot of obstacles that we had to go through, but I think we just fought it out, believed in each other, and we just stuck it out and made it to the end."
Jeremiah Harris, S, R-SR
Opening comments:
"It's a great feeling, you know, that to come out, play our first Conference USA game on an FBS level. I feel like we did good, and I feel like we got more improvement and more to show."
On the final interception:
"We werr in man coverage and one of my DBs didn't come over, so I actually guarded two people right there so I had to apex both. I knew he wanted to get the ball to the playmaker number one, so I just took a great guess and broke on the ball and made a play."
On the journey to FBS:
"It means a lot because I feel like when we were FCS players, I feel like we deserved to play FBS ball, the skill level that we had. Everybody was a dog, so I feel like we deserve a chance to actually play FBS ball."
Quae Drake, LB, R-SR
Opening comments:
"It means a lot to me as well, transferring in here this summer. These guys brought me in, and I just want to give a shout out to all the coaches and all my teammates for making me feel comfortable, making me feel at home. I'm excited to see what happens in the near future."
On proving something:
"I feel like we proved that we belong here. I speak for defensive and I feel like we proved that we can compete in this conference and at this level."
Jacksonville State Postgame Notes – UTEP August 26, 2023 • Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium • Jacksonville, Ala.
· JSU Captains: Redshirt senior safety Jeremiah Harris, Redshirt senior offensive lineman Treylen Brown and redshirt senior quarterback Zion Webb
· UTEP won the toss and elected to defer
· The Gamecocks are now 52-54-8 all-time in season openers
· Following last season's 42-17 season-opening victory over Stephen F. Austin, the Gamecocks have won back-to-back openers for the first time since winning three straight from 2015-2017
· The victory marks Jax State's first season-opening win at home since 2016
· The Gamecocks are now 1-0 following their first meeting with the Miners, while Rodriguez moves to 2-0 in his career vs. UTEP (Arizona, 2017)
· Redshirt senior Malik Jackson rushed for a team-best 76 yards, including a 44-yarder, to set up his first touchdown as a Gamecock since transferring from UL-Monroe
· Linebacker Larry Worth assisted on a fourth-down sack and forced his first career fumble in the first half prior to being ejected for targeting late in the second quarter
· Jax State finished with a 3-0 advantage in the turnover battle with a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery in addition to also forcing a fourth-down stop at midfield
· Harris' last-minute, game-winning interception was the third of his career.
· Jax State and UTEP met in the first NCAA FBS game of the 2023 season played on American soil. Notre Dame beat Navy 42-3 in the day's first game that was played in Dublin, Ireland; five other games involving FBS programs kicked off after the Gamecocks vs. Miners started.
· Jax State improves to 17-17 all-time against teams from the state of Texas; the Gamecocks visit Huntsville, TX, on Sept. 28 for a CUSA showdown against Sam Houston State.
