Jacksonville State 63-24 Kennesaw State (Oct. 4, 2024) Game Recap

KENNESAW, Ga. — Tre Stewart ran for 134 yards and four touchdowns, quarterback Tyler Huff ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns and Jacksonville State tied the program record with eight rushing touchdowns on Friday night as the Gamecocks defeated Kennesaw State 63-24 in the opening game of the Conference USA for both teams.

The Gamecocks, who finished with 384 yards rushing and 577 total yards, also ran for eight touchdowns against Cumberland in 2001 and Mississippi Valley State in 2018.

Kennesaw State (0-5), playing in its first C-USA game in its first season in the FBS, is off to its worst start in program history.

The Owls took the lead with a three-pointer on the game's first possession before Stewart — who had a 25-yard run on Jacksonville State's first play from scrimmage — scored on the ball to make it 7-0 with 10:54 left in the first minute before the end of the first quarter. The Owls responded with a 13-play, 62-yard drive that took 6 minutes, 50 seconds to play but had to settle for a 25-yard field goal by Austin Welch.

Huff scored on a 6-yard run with 11:35 left in the first half and Stewart ran for a 9-yard TD, but Qua Ashley returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to end Kennesaw's deficit State down by 6 to 21-10: 56 left in the first half.

JeRico Washington Jr. forced a fumble that was recovered at the KSU 33 by Milon Jones, and 12 plays later, on third-and-goal from the 7, Davis hit Bryson Carson Kent in the end zone to bring the game to within four points bring. Garrison Rippa kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, but a false start penalty put Jacksonville State at the 21, and Adam Watkins blocked the ensuing attempt to end the second quarter and the Gamecocks led with 21:17.

JSU quelled any momentum the Owls had entering halftime with an 11-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter, which culminated when Huff entered the game from the 14th minute. Zechariah Poyser intercepted a pass from Bryson and after a personal foul against a Kennesaw State run and a 46-yard run from Huff, Stewart ran from the first minute to make it 35-17 with about six minutes left in the third quarter.

Jabari Mack returned the favor with a 30-yard interception for a score that made the score 49-17 about a minute into the fourth quarter, and Mike Franklin's 23-yard touchdown run with 1:22 remaining capped the score .

Michael Benefield led Kennesaw State with 113 yards rushing, including a 1-yard TD run.

Jacksonville State (2-3), which defeated Southern Miss 44-7 last week, has won two straight games after its first 0-3 start since 2005.

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