MIAMI – Two fourth-quarter turnovers in FIU territory doomed Jax State on Saturday, as the Gamecocks fell 27-21 to the Panthers at Pitbull Stadium. The loss, which snapped a five-game win streak, leaves Jax State needing a victory next week to secure a return trip to the Conference USA Championship Game.

Caden Creel threw two touchdown passes and Cam Cook rushed for 138 yards and one TD, but fumbles by both players proved too much for Jax State (7-4, 6-1) to overcome as FIU rallied to score the game's final 13 points. FIU improved to 6-5, 4-3 in CUSA and gained bowl eligibility.

"We did not do the things that it takes to win the football game," said Jax State head coach Charles Kelly. "We did not do a good job coaching and we did not do a good playing. We didn't execute.

"With two minutes left I thought we were going to go down and win the game. But honestly, even if we did win the game, we didn't do the things that it takes to beat an opponent. They did. Our kids played hard, but we didn't do the things it takes to win the football game and that's what it takes to win on the road."

Cook's 138 yards moved him past Missouri's Ahmad Hardy as the leading rusher in FBS entering the final week of the regular season.

The Gamecocks drove into FIU territory on their first five possessions, scoring on a 28-yard Deondre Johnson touchdown reception in the first quarter and Cook's one-yard dive midway through the second quarter for a 14-7 lead.

The Gamecocks crossed midfield three other times but came away empty: Rippa missed a 47-yard field goal on the opening drive, Jax State was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the FIU 1 in the second quarter, and later turned the ball over on downs again with 3:15 left in the first half.

Cook's touchdown run at the 8:06 mark in the second quarter was set up by linebacker Jacob Cruz's first career interception at the Panthers 16. FIU's pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage by Emmanuel Oyebadejo and snatched out of the air by Cruz as he was falling backward.

The six-play, 16-yard scoring drive gave the Gamecocks their first lead at 14-7.

That's how the teams went to their respective locker rooms after Tre'Quon Fegans picked off FIU quarterback Joe Pesansky in the end zone just the Panthers had driven from their 38 to Jax State's 14.

Jax State outgained FIU 257-119 in the first 30 minutes and had 15 first downs to the Panthers' 10.

Another FIU turnover deep in its own territory helped the Gamecocks snap a 14-14 deadlock in the third quarter.

Walker O'Steen forced a Panthers fumble that Khurtiss Perry recovered at FIU's 20. On first down, Caden Creel connected with Pearson Baldwin for a 20-yard TD and Rippa tacked on the extra point for a 21-14 lead with 7:14 to play in the third.

It was O'Steen's first forced fumble and Perry's first recovery of the season.

FIU added a field goal followed by a 64-yard touchdown pass from Pesansky to Alex Perry on its next possession to surge ahead 24-21 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers tacked on a 42-yard field goal with 1:54 left in regulation to extend their lead to 27-21.

Jax State held a 44-398 edge in total offense.

Mac Sanders was the Gamecocks' top tackler with eight in addition to a team-best 1.5 tackles for loss.

Jax State hosts Western Kentucky (6-1 in CUSA) next Saturday on Hall of Fame Weekend. The Gamecocks own a 10-game home winning streak, currently the fifth-longest among all FBS schools.

Kickoff at Burgess-Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium is set for 1 p.m. with television coverage on ESPN+.
 

Jax State Postgame Notes – FIU
November 22, 2025 • Pitbull Stadium • Miami, Fla.

• JSU Captains: senior quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, redshirt senior cornerback Tyrin Taylor, redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Reggie Jackson and redshirt junior defensive end Emmanuel Oyebadejo.
• The Gamecocks lost the opening coin toss and received the kickoff to start the game, the second straight week they lost the toss.
• With his 28-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, Deondre Johnson became the first Jax State player since Super Bowl champion Josh Pearson in 2019 to snag a least five TDs in a four-game stretch. Pearson hauled in nine touchdowns in four games that season and finished the year with 13.
• Tight end Pearson Baldwin's 20-yard TD reception in the third quarter was his first time to get into the end zone as a Gamecock.
• Cam Cook, Jax State's first-ever Doak Walker Award semifinalist, rushed for 138 yards on 25 carries vs. the Panthers and now has 1,444 for the season, moving him to fourth place on the single-season rushing list. The 2025 Doak Walker Award is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding college running back with three finalists to be announced on Nov. 25.
• Cook is the only FBS player this season with at least 1,400 yards rushing and 20 receptions. He has eight outings with 100+ rushing yards and a catch, most by any FBS player, after catching two passes for 46 yards.
• Saturday marked the first FBS game this season featuring two 1,000-yard rushers: Cam Cook, who began the day No. 2 nationally, and FIU's Kejon Owens, who was No. 8 and rushed for 135 against the Gamecocks.
• Jax State now has had one play gain 40+ yards in six consecutive games.
• Punter Conor Donaghy kicked four times for a 41.3-yard average.
• The Gamecocks are now 20-4 against CUSA opponents since joining the conference in 2023.
• Caleb Nix's punt return of 14 yards in the second quarter was Jax State's longest return of the season.
• The Gamecocks have now forced at least one turnover in all 11 games.
• Garrison Rippa is in sixth place on Jax State's career field goals made list with 33. He stands one behind Alen Karajic, who made 34 from 2020-23.
• Jax State has a 7-4 record for the first time since 2011.
• The Gamecocks have faced five FBS programs from the state of Florida – FIU, UCF, Florida, Florida State and South Florida. Jax State met the University of Tampa, which disbanded its program in 1974, seven times between 1950-65, the most meetings vs. any Florida school.
• Over the past six decades, Jax State is only 2-5 in games played on November 22. The Gamecocks were 0-4 on this date between 1969-97 but reeled off three straight wins on Nov. 22 – at Southeast Missouri in 2003 and 2014 – before losing at FIU.
• Jax State's roster includes 12 native Floridians.
• The win was FIU's first over the Gamecocks in four all-time meetings.
• Gamecocks sophomore defensive lineman Talan Carter started his 18^th game in a row, the longest active streak on the team.