Cardiac Gamecocks stay perfect in CUSA with last-second heroics

Tuesday, October 13

JACKSONVILLE

7 p.m.

Jax State

5-2 , 3-0

FIU

3-3 , 1-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
FIU	7	10	7	0	24
Jacksonville St.	14	3	7	3	27

Photo by: Emily Kish / Jax State

Cardiac Gamecocks stay perfect in CUSA with last-second heroics

10/13/2026 11:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE – Jax State heads into a record 15-day break riding a four-game winning streak after a thrilling 27-24 victory over FIU Tuesday night in Conference USA action at AmFirst Stadium.

The script was a familiar one to the Gamecock faithful in attendance. Quarterback Caden Creel directed his sixth career game-winning drive, the key play coming on a 34-yard third-down pass to Ronnel Johnson to FIU's 8-yard line. That brought on kicker Garrison Rippa, who calmly drilled a 26-yard field goal with 44 seconds left in regulation for a three-point lead.

Then the Gamecocks could only watch as the Panthers drove into position to have Robert Czeremcha attempt a 50-yard field goal in the waning seconds. His kick had the needed distance but sailed wide right, setting off a frenzied celebration by the crowd of 17,224.

Jax State improved to 5-2 and 3-0 in CUSA.

"I'm very proud of our players and very proud of our coaching staff," said Jax State head coach Charles Kelly. "I expected this game to be hard. I'm proud of the resiliency. I thought we did some good things in all three phases but we made mistakes in all three phases."

FIU, which had not allowed a touchdown in the past 11 quarters, found itself trailing 7-0 after the Gamecocks received the opening kickoff and drove 63 yards in six plays for the game's first score.

Jax State converted on fourth-and-2 from its own 45 with Creel's five-yard completion to Jamill Williams, then found the end zone two plays later when Creel hit tight end Luke Gilbert in stride for a touchdown. Garrison Rippa's PAT made it 7-0 with just over three minutes elapsed.

The Panthers (3-3, 1-1) evened it at 7 with a 50-yard touchdown that saw quarterback JJ Kohl evade two potential tacklers and connect with Maguire Anderson, who hauled in the pass between a pair of Jax State defenders and ran in untouched.

Creel helped the Gamecocks regain the momentum and go up 14-7.

The senior quarterback connected with Deondre Johnson for a 23-yard gain over the middle, then scrambled 16 yards into FIU territory. One play later, Creel found Johnson in single coverage for a 36-yard touchdown. Rippa's extra point put Jax State ahead 14-7 with 1:48 remaining in the first quarter.

The Gamecocks extended their lead to double digits when Rippa, who had earlier missed a 46-yard try, was successful on a 47-yard field goal with 13:39 remaining in the second quarter.

The Panthers reeled off 10 points – a field goal by Czeremcha and a 30-yard Kohl to Anderson TD connection – in the final seven minutes of the first half. The teams went to the locker rooms deadlocked at 17 when Czeremcha missed a 38-yard attempt on the last play of the half after Creel had thrown an interception in Jax State territory.

FIU outgained the Gamecocks 208-204 in the first half after limiting Jax State's offense to 10 total yards in the second quarter.

A failed FIU fake punt on the opening series of the second half led to Jax State taking a 24-17 lead.

Taking over in Panthers' territory, the Gamecock offense needed just five plays to drive 46 yards to the end zone. Justus Savage's four-yard touchdown run and Rippa's PAT came at the 8:02 mark in the third quarter.

Back came FIU with a 12-play march that consumed almost seven minutes. An eight-yard TD run and extra point drew the Panthers even at 24 late in the third quarter.

Jax State now has the longest stretch between regular-season games in school history before returning to CUSA action on Wednesday, October 28, at 7 p.m. at New Mexico State (2-4, 1-1).

Jax State Postgame Notes – Florida International
October 13, 2026 • Burgess-Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium (17,224) • Jacksonville, Ala.

Jax State Captains: Safety Marc Woods, running back Kristian Lando, linebacker Mac Sanders
FIU won the coin toss and elected to defer to start the game. The Gamecocks had won the toss in four of their first six games this year.
Luke Gilbert's 38-yard TD catch in the first quarter was his fifth reception of 30+ yards this season, the most of any FBS tight end.
The 194 total yards in the first quarter was the most by Jax State's offense in the first 15 minutes this season.
Jax State has rushed for a touchdown in an NCAA-best 65 consecutive games with Justus Savage's four-yard TD run in the third quarter. That's 26 games more than the next-longest active streak across all Division I programs (FCS Montana State at 39).
Savage's third-quarter touchdown was the first of his career with the Gamecocks.
Linebacker Morven Joseph had a career-high nine tackles. His previous best was six stops against Middle Tennessee.
The Gamecocks improved their record at AmFirst Stadium to 20-3 since joining the FBS ranks.
Jax State's defense has allowed a touchdown in the last 1:41 of the first half in all six games vs. FBS competition.
Jax State is 5-2 for the first time since 2023.
The Gamecocks are 24-5 against CUSA foes since joining the conference in 2023. Jax State has never lost back-to-back games to a league opponent.
Jax State's 13-1 'Weekday CUSA' record is the best in the league over the last four years. The Gamecocks are now riding a 11-game weekday win streak, dating back to Oct. 10, 2023.
Garrison Rippa's two field goals give him 47 for his career, moving him to within two of the school record of 49 owned by Gavin Hallford (2004-08) and Alen Karajic (2020-23.
FIU center Daveion Harley from Quincy, Fla., started eight games for Jax State's 2024 CUSA championship squad and had one start for the Gamecocks in 2023.
FIU defensive lineman DeeJay Holmes Jr.'s streak of at least one sack in five consecutive games ended against the Gamecocks.