A dreamer’s day
- Updated: August 26, 2023
With signs of progress all around, Jacksonville State scored its eighth victory against FBS competition and first that counted in conference standings
Editor’s note: Videos for postgame interviews and a link for postgame statistics embedded.
JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville State’s blistering hot debut in Football Bowl Subdivision had the look of progress in motion.
The skeletal promise of the Loring and Debbie White Football Complex separated Burgess-Snow Field and the lording construction crane beyond the west end zone. Red Conference USA logos draped across the 25-yard lines, occupying the spaces where ASUN logos lay in 2022 and OVC logos in 2021.
The freshly green turf on the logo field patches contrasted the more worn artificial turf around them.
The scoreboard told a crowd that looked like crowds of Football Championship Subdivision seasons what it wanted to hear … that moving up to FBS after 30 FCS seasons might not bring as much initial pain before JSU realizes gain.
Whatever comes in JSU’s brave new football world, the Gamecocks scored their eighth victory against FBS competition Saturday, beating UTEP 17-14 in the CUSA opener for both teams.
JSU is 1-0 as an FBS member, 1-0 CUSA.
“It’s huge,”JSU coach Rich Rodriguez said in his postgame news conference. “Expectations are, probably, rightfully not very high because not very many teams make the transition successfully right away. It takes a couple of years, and we’ve still got a lot of work to do. Trust me.”
Before talking realities, let’s not brush past what the day meant for JSU athletics. No national hoopla like what comes with March Madness, but the relevance meter read like March 16-17, 2017.
That’s the day JSU made its first-ever appearance in the Division I NCAA basketball tournament. The rest of the country learned that 7-foot center Norbertas Giga had a 3-point touch that day in Indianapolis, and JSU tasked Rick Pitino’s last Louisville team before succumbing 78-63.
The game itself, complete with expected outcome, meant only a little more to JSU people than JSU’s shootaround appearance a day earlier. There JSU was, having its day as a national curiosity, living the dreams of so many.
Former JSU trustee Bob Kennamer, then 82, got emotional talking about it. He was the guy out front 25 years earlier, advocating JSU’s move up from Division II. He took the slings and arrows that came with it, so seeing a vision realized hit his soul that way.
JSU leadership had long had its eye open for an opportunity to move up from NCAA Division I FCS to FBS, and the ongoing realignment frenzy brought it. Six teams left CUSA, and the league welcomed four new teams for 2023 with one more to come, in 2024.
The mix includes Kennesaw State, like JSU making the move up from FCS.
In the big picture, JSU’s wait in the lobby of FBS Tower ended. An elevator door opened, with a ding and illuminated up arrow.
JSU didn’t hesitate. No need to stick a Gamecock wing in the middle to prompt the doors to slide back open. No need to check the elevator’s code approval.
Team JSU strutted inside ready to for the ride up the shaft. Any floor button would do.
The progress ride had its victims. Progress always does.
The move up from Division II became the beginning of the end for JSU football coaching legend Bill Burgess’ glorious tenure.
The move up to FBS came with an instant ending to John Grass’ largely successful tenure. He didn’t get to coach the final two games of 2021, his last season.
It would take a while to delve into the roster rebuild as JSU seeks to get competitive in FBS sooner, rather than later. Safe to say, those not deemed FBS-worthy portaled out, and anyone FBS-worthy found the door at least propped open.
Local standouts like Jacksonville graduate Ron Wiggins and Oxford grad J-Rock Swain, who signed with an FCS program, lived life as FBS players Saturday. They did all right, too, with Wiggins accounting for 87 total yards and a touchdown and Swain creating his usual havoc on the defensive line.
Quarterback Zion Webb, who spent nearly a third of his life in FCS, grandfathered in and led his team to an FBS victory.
“We proved we have the competition level that everybody didn’t think we had,” Webb said in postgame interviews.
Jeremiah Harris, now a scholarship FBS player who walked onto an FCS program in 2017 while his dad mowed lawns to pay his way, made the game-saving interception. His diving cutoff in front of Tyrin Smith ended UTEP’s last-gasp drive on fourth down and one at JSU’s 24-yard line.
Teammates lifted Harris up in the locker room, Rodriguez said.
“It means a lot,” Harris said. “When we were FCS players, I felt like we deserved to play FBS ball. The skill that we had, everybody was a dog. I feel like we actually deserved the chance to play FBS ball.”
A full and warmer-than-usual press box watched it all.
What does it all mean for JSU’s immediate FBS future?
Maybe it won’t hurt as much as it hurt fellow CUSA member Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers won a Division I-AA (later called FCS) national championship in 2002, and a 26-game losing streak followed the move up.
Then again, WKU got to the Group of Five sweet spot. The Hilltoppers grew competitive in their conference, made their share of low-tier bowls and won their share of them.
Maybe JSU will stare across the line of scrimmage at its future, when WKU comes to Burgess-Snow FIeld on Oct.17.
Years will pass before JSU people know how much pardon came with the Gamecocks’ progress. Measures will include wins and losses but also dollars and growth that could come with more exposure.
None of that mattered Saturday as much as JSU winning its CUSA opener, on its home field, complete with construction backdrop.
For one day, at least, JSU’s football dreams came true.
Game updates
–UTEP wins toss, defers to second half. JSU will receive the opening kickoff.
FIRST QUARTER
–Fair catch, JSU takes over on its 25. JSU gets one first down but stalls, and Jack Dawson punts 62 yards, downed at the UTEP 5.
–UTEP goes 95 yards, with Gavin Hardison completing an apparent 49-yard touchdown bomb to Kelly Akharaiyi. Play is under review to determine catch/no catch. Ruled incomplete, catch not completed to the ground. …. UTEP lines up as if to draw JSU offsides on fourth and three, then tries to go for it. Hardison sacked (Worth,Young). JSU takes over on UTEP’s 47.
–Alen Karajic kicks a 41-yard field goal, and JSU leads UTEP 3-0 at 4:57.
SECOND QUARTER
–Zion Webb with a nice wheel pass to Ron Wiggins for 17 yards. Ball was right on the money.
–Center Treylen Brown down, JSU’s second injury of the game. Limps off the field on his own power. DL Chris Hardie left the action earlier. JSU has second down and five at UTEP’s 29.
–Wiggins with a 4-yard TD run. He had a 15-yard run right before that and a big catch on that drive. Karajic’s kick is good, and JSU leads UTEP 10-0 at 13:26. Scoring drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 3:40.
–UTEP drives into field position, but Justin Duff’s 43-yard field goal attempt goes wide right. JSU takes over on its 26 at 6:26.
–UTEP gets to JSU’s 27, but Worth forces a fumble and Jack Marks recovers at the 39.
–Deion Hankins gets UTEP on the board with a 1-yard TD run, and Buzz Flabiano’s extra point brings UTEP within 10-7 at halftime.
THIRD QUARTER
–Kolbi Fuqua stops a UTEP drive, dropping into coverage an interception a Hardison pass. JSU takes over on its 41.
–JSU’s Malik Jackson breaks a 44-yard run to UTEP’s 7-yard line, setting up his 7-yard TD run. Karajic adds the extra point, and JSU leads UTEP 17-7 at 7:47.
–Karajic pulls a 43-yard field goal wide left. The pyrotechnic folks, used to him hitting field goals, shot fireworks anyway.
FOURTH QUARTER
–It’s a ballgame again … Hardison passes 32 yards to Akharaiyi, who holds it to the ground this time. Touchdown plus PAT brings UTEP within 17-14 with 12:19 to play. Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 4:02.
–Logan Smothers in at QB for JSU. After three straight Smothers keepers, JSU punts with 5:08 to play. Dawson with a 50-yard, rugby-style punt, out of bounds at UTEP’s12.
–Hardison throws to the end zone for Akhariyi,who had it,but Derek Carter breaks it up. Fourth and one from JSU’s 24.
–Hardison throws left for Tyrin Smith, and Jeremiah Harris jumps in front for the interception with 1:15 to play.
FINAL: JSU wins, 17-14. Stats available here.
Construction underway at Burgess-Snow Field. (Photo by Joe Medley)
Cover photo: Jacksonville State’s Ron Wiggins runs against UTEP during Saturday’s season opener at Burgess-Snow Stadium. JSU won its first game in FBS and its first Conference USA game, 17-14. (Submitted photo)
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