SATURDAY'S SCORES
@Chattanooga 42,
Austin Peay 10
#21 Coastal Carolina 51,
@#25 Eastern Kentucky 32
Tennessee Tech 30, @Hampton 27
@#9 Eastern Illinois 57, #16 Illinois State 24
@Murray State 41, Missouri State 38
@UT Martin 24, #7 Central Arkansas 23
Tennessee State 26, Jackson State 16 (Memphis, Tenn.)
@Jacksonville State 24, North Alabama 21 (2OT)
CHATTANOOGA 42, AUSTIN PEAY 10
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - The return to FCS competition was a rough one for Austin Peay State University’s football team, which allowed Chattanooga to gain 270 yards on the ground on the way to a 42-10 loss to the Mocs at Finley Stadium, Saturday.
Austin Peay (0-3) couldn’t slow a high-octane Mocs offense that came into the game averaging 271.5 yards on the ground. Chattanooga (2-1) picked up 270 yards on 44 carries against Austin Peay, averaging 6.1 yards per effort. The Govs, meanwhile, were limited to just 210 yards total offense.
After Chattanooga carved up the Govs defense with two quick touchdowns, Austin Peay embarked on a 12-play, 79-yard drive that chewed up much of the first quarter’s remainder. Senior Tim Phillips carried five times for 34 yards on the drive, including an eight-yard touchdown run that was the Govs first touchdown on the 2013 season. It broke a 156-minute streak without a touchdown for the Govs.
Chattanooga countered with a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive of its own punctuated by a fourth-and-one conversion on the second quarter’s first play. A 24-yard end-around by Tommy Hudson and an offsides penalty on the Govs put the Mocs inside the 10-yard line, where Jacob Huesman completed the drive with an eight-yard touchdown toss to Terrell Robinson.
The Mocs would tack on a one-yard touchdown run by Keon Williams to make the score 28-7 with 3:12 remaining in the half. The Govs would give Chattanooga the ball back at midfield with two minutes remaining, and the Mocs would drive it into the redzone before senior Leron Eaddy picked off a Huesman pass. However, the success would be short-lived when junior Andrew Spivey’s pass attempt on the very next play was deflected and returned 20 yards for a touchdown by Gunner Miller.
Austin Peay went three-and-out and allowed a Chattanooga touchdown to open the second half, prompting a quarterback switch. Sophomore Jacob Sexton led the Govs on a 15-play, 62-yard drive that culminated in a 26-yard field goal from junior Walter Spears to end the scoring efforts for both squads on the evening.
Phillips finished the day with a team-high 78 yards on 18 carries, including his first touchdown in an Austin Peay uniform. Senior Darryl Clack was the Govs primary target in the passing game, catching three balls for 48 yards.
The Govs defense was challenged time and again Saturday, with cornerback Montez Carlton leading Austin Peay with eight tackles (five solo). Eaddy was one of four Govs, along with seniors Tyreon Clark, Enriques Perry and freshman A.J. Gray, with seven tackles. Freshman Montrieze Lillard found his way into the backfield several times against the Mocs, recording two tackles for loss.
#21 COASTAL CAROLINA 51, #25 EASTERN KENTUCKY 32
RICHMOND, Ky. - The Eastern Kentucky University football team entered the game eighth in the nation in rushing defense, but No. 21 Coastal Carolina ran for 339 yards in a 51-32 victory over the 25th-ranked Colonels.
EKU entered the contest allowing 66.5 yards rushing per game and had limited No. 8 Louisville to 78 yards a week ago. However, the Chanticleers came out running and amassed 138 yards on the ground on their first two drives.
Both teams overcame double-digit deficits in the game. Eastern Kentucky fell behind 14-0 after Coastal’s first two drives ended with touchdown runs by Lorenzo Taliaferro, the first coming from 45 yards out.
The Colonel defense briefly righted the ship to allow EKU to score 24 unanswered points. After running for 138 yards on its first two possessions, Coastal Carolina totaled just 35 yards on the ground on the next six possessions.
The Colonels got on the board when junior quarterback Jared McClain found senior tight end Nathan Watts all alone along the right sideline. Watts bobbled the ball briefly, and then raced to the end zone untouched for a 70-yard scoring pass.
Eastern was down 14-10 early in the second quarter when McClain helped give his team its first lead. The junior ran 40 yards up the middle on a busted play early in the drive and then capped it with a seven-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman wide receiver Devin Borders for a 17-14 lead. On Coastal’s ensuing possession, senior defensive back Christian Albertson picked up a fumble and carried it 28 yards for a score and a 24-14 lead.
The Chanticleers turned two Eastern turnovers into 10 points to tie the game and then took a 31-24 halftime lead when Taliaferro scored his third touchdown with 11 seconds left before intermission.
Coastal Carolina rolled off 20 unanswered second half points thanks in part to converting 6-of-8 third downs following intermission. The Chanticleers totaled 631 yards of offense, second most in program history.
Coastal’s Taliaferro finished with 174 yards on 17 carries, for an average of 10.2 per touch. Quarterback Alex Ross completed 19-of-28 for 292 yards and three touchdowns. DeMario Bennett caught six passes for 131 yards and a score.
For EKU, McClain was 15-for-34 for 233 yards. He tossed two touchdowns and one interception. McClain also led the ground game with 93 yards on 10 carries. None of the four running backs had more than 22 yards.
TENNESSEE TECH 30, HAMPTON 27
HAMPTON, Va. - Tennessee Tech junior quarterback Darian Stone showed exactly what he's made of Saturday night, fighting back from cramps that sidelined him early in the second half to lift the Golden Eagles (2-1) to a 30-27, come-from-behind victory at Hampton University.
While Stone engineered the game-winning drive, he would be the first to give credit to backup quarterback Jared Davis for putting Tech in position to pull out the victory.
Trailing 20-10, Stone was replaced in the third quarter by the redshirt freshman, who drove Tech on a touchdown drive, then directed another scoring drive that ended with Zach Sharp's second field goal of the contest, a 35-yarder that tied the contest at 20-20.
Four minutes later, Sharp's third field goal of the night – this one from 20 yards – put Tech on top, 23-20.
That's when Stone moved Tech's offense 96 yards in 10 plays, firing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Cody Matthews on fourth-and-13, to make it a 10-point lead with 4:09 to go.
Hampton blitzed Tech for a 59-yard scoring drive to make it 30-27 with 1:43 remaining, but the Golden Eagles were able to run out the clock for their second win of the season and their first road victory since a 28-21 win at Eastern Kentucky in the 2011 championship season.
Stone finished the game 14-for-28 passing for 158 yards and one touchdown, and also rushed 16 times for 52 yards and a score. Davis was 4-for-7 passing for 23 yards.
Junior Cody Forbes was Tech's leading rusher, carrying the ball 19 times for 72 yards , while Matthews finished the game with a career-high nine catches for 114 yards, the second 100-yard receiving game of his career.
Sophomore Ladarius Vanlier had an 80-yard kickoff return after Hampton went up 20-10, setting up the 19-yard scoring drive that Davis directed.
Tech finished the night with 84 plays for 340 yards of offense, while Hampton ran 65 plays for 245 yards. The Pirates were held to 55 rushing yards on 29 carries, and added 190 yards through the air.
Hampton quarterback Jaylian Williamson was 22-for-36 for 190 yards with two touchdowns. Antwon Chisholm had six catches for 36 yards, including the clutch seven-yard touchdown in the final minutes.
Tech turned over the ball three times in its own end of the field, leading to three Hampton scores, and the homestanding Pirates looked to use those opportunities to stymie the Golden Eagles in the rematch from last year's 41-31 TTU victory in Cookeville.
Tech coughed up the ball at its own six-yard-line that led to an easy seven-yard touchdown for a 7-3 Hampton lead, and twice gave it up on returns. The first led to a 30-yard field goal for a 10-10 tie and the second to another touchdown to put the Pirates on top 20-10 in the third quarter.
Bill Dillard topped Tech with eight tackles, while Marty Jones added seven and Austin Tallant six.
#9 EASTERN ILLINOIS, #16 ILLINOIS STATE
CHARLESTON, Ill. - On a night in which Eastern Illinois set three records, the Panthers picked up a lopsided 57-24 victory over Illinois State in the 102nd playing of the Mid-America Classic. The 57 points were the most by the Panthers in the rivalry game topping last year’s 51 points.
EIU, ranked No. 9 in this week’s FCS poll, improved to 3-0. ISU which was ranked as high as No. 16 fell to 0-2.
Erik Lora started the series of records as he caught his third pass midway through the second half moving into first place on the OVC career receptions list. Lora finished with ten catches for 186 yards and three touchdowns.
Jimmy Garoppolo tied the school record in the first half with his sixth touchdown pass connecting with Lora for 13 yards with 4:49 left to play in the half. Garoppolo nearly set the school record on the Panthers final drive of the half as EIU settled for a Cameron Berra 38-yard field goal as time expired to lead 44-10.
Garoppolo would get the school record in the second half hitting Lora again from seven yards out with 13:55 left to play. He now stands alone in the record books passing Jeff Christensen and Tony Romo’s mark of six.
The biggest number was posted by the Panthers entire offensive unit as they amassed 739 yards of total offense, throwing for 491 and rushing for 248. That number broke the previous school record of 683 set by Sean Payton and company against Winona State back in 1986.
Garoppolo finished his day 26-of-41 for 480 yards and seven touchdowns. His long pass was an 86-yard strike to Keiondre Gober with four seconds left in the first quarter which put EIU up 27-7. Garoppolo also hit Lora for a 63-yard strike in the first quarter.
Shepard Little paced the running game with 129 yards on seven carries including a 73-yard touchdown run in the second half. Adam Drake caught 11 passes for 176 yards and two scores.
Illinois State actually opened the game with a lead as the Redbirds marched 64 yards and scored on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Jared Barnett to Anthony Warrum. EIU’s defense then clamped down as the Panthers forced four turnovers – three interceptions and one forced fumble and recovery by Jourdan Wickliffe as an ISU receiver was about to score from the two-yard line.
The Redbirds tacked on two second half touchdowns by Cameron Meredith as EIU stuffed the ISU run game limiting them to 115 yards on 36 carries.
The Panther defense was led by former Redbird Pat Wertz who recorded six tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks. LeQuince McCall had a team high seven tackles and one interception.
MURRAY STATE 41, MISSOURI STATE 38
MURRAY, Ky. - Maikhail Miller found Walter Powell on a fade in the back of the endzone with just 24 seconds remaining as Murray State completed an improbable comeback with a 41-38 victory over Missouri State Saturday evening at Stewart Stadium.
Trailing by four points with 2:55 showing on the fourth-quarter clock, the Racers got the ball on their own 25-yard line. On the second play, Miller threw an interception, but it was nullified by a roughing the passer penalty. Three-straight Duane Brady covered 27 yards and put the Racers at the Bears 38-yard line.
Runs by Miller and Jaamal Berry gave the Racers a first down on the 15-yard line. Three-straight incompletions saw the Racers facing a 4th-and-10. After a timeout, Miller threw the faded to Powell in the back of the endzone for the game winner.
The Bears (0-3) had one last chance, but John Therrell intercepted the deep pass to seal the victory.
A very sluggish first half for the Racers left MUR trailing 14-6 at the half. The lone Racer points came when Miller found Powell for a 37-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
The momentum for the game made a drastic change on the final play of the first half and the first play of the second half. With the ball on the one-yard line with one second remaining, the Bears decided to go for the touchdown instead of the field goal. Brandon Wicks made sure the runner did not reach the endzone, ending the half.
The second half started with Powell taking the opening kickoff 98 yards for the touchdown. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown in the All-American’s career.
The Racer (2-1) defense forced a punt on the Bears first possession of the half, and the offense quickly found the endzone. Brady picked up 16 yards on two carries, before Miller found Janawski Davis for a 52-yard touchdown, the first of his career, to give the Racers their first lead of the game at 19-14.
The Bears drove down the field to regain the lead, but the duo of Miller and Powell hooked up again on a 66-yard touchdown strike midway through the third quarter.
MSU closed out the scoring in the third quarter with a 35-yard field goal from Austin Witmer, before Vernon Scott scored from three-yards out to give the Bears a 31-26 advantage.
The game was just getting excited at that point as the Racers drove down the field again, but found themselves facing a 4th-and-goal at the four yard line. After a timeout, head coach Chris Hatcher reached into his bag of tricks and went with the double-reverse pass that ended with Miller and Powell hooking up on the four-yard score. Hatcher was not done there as he ran another trick play on the two-point conversion, with Jordan Morrow scoring around the left end.
The Bears forced the Racers to need the last-second drive as Kierra Harris scored from nine-yards out on a quarterback run.
Powell finished the day with 11 catches for 155 yards and a career-best four touchdowns. He also added 151 yards in kickoff returns and finished with a career-best 306 all-purpose yards.
Miller also shined in front of the home crowd by going 24-for-33 for 272 yards and five touchdowns.
The defense was led by Chavez Sims and his team-best 13 tackles. He also added two tackles-for-loss and a sack. Brandon Wicks added 12 tackles and Perry Cooper added 11.
UT MARTIN 24, #7 CENTRAL ARKANSAS 23
MARTIN, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee at Martin football team scored less than five minutes into tonight’s game against No. 7 Central Arkansas and never trailed the rest of the way, turning away the Bears 24-23 in the 2013 home opener at Hardy M. Graham Stadium.
The victory was the second over a Football Championship Subdivision ranked opponent in three games this season. UT Martin also downed No. 24 Chattanooga in a 31-21 victory in the season opener on Aug. 29.
UT Martin (2-1) led by as many as 14 points at the halftime break and led by 10 points with less than six minutes left to play. After Central Arkansas (1-2) cut the deficit to one point with 35 seconds left, the Bears had a 42-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds left but J’Vontez Blackmon charged through and blocked the kick, clinching the victory for the Skyhawks.
Junior Dylan Favre got the starting nod at quarterback, completing 14-of-19 passes (73.7 percent) for 146 yards and three touchdowns. The Kiln, Miss. native also added 78 yards rushing for UT Martin.
On the ground, DJ McNeil tallied 21 attempts for 78 yards while adding a 31-yard touchdown reception. Jeremy Butler hauled in six catches for 71 yards and a touchdown while Dylan Davis also was responsible for a touchdown tonight for the Skyhawks.
Ben Johnson collected a game-high 12 tackles tonight, while Bobby Ellis also was in on 10 tackles. Leon Carlton III also had a big interception late in the fourth quarter to halt a Central Arkansas drive in the red zone.
The Skyhawks received the ball first and wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Favre had rushes of 21 and 14 yards on the drive before finding Davis for a five-yard sliding touchdown catch at the 10:53 mark.
The UT Martin defense made a statement early, forcing a turnover on downs on Central Arkansas’ first possession. The Skyhawks forced the Bears to punt on their second drive and held Central Arkansas scoreless on the third drive after a 42-yard missed field goal attempt.
The Skyhawks immediately responded with another touchdown to go ahead by two scores. Favre hit McNeil along the left sideline for 31 yards and after a Jackson Redditt PAT, UT Martin led 14-0 with 5:48 to play before the halftime break.
UT Martin forced yet another punt on Central Arkansas’ next possession, resulting in a 14-0 Skyhawk lead at the half. It marked the second time that the Skyhawks had carried a shutout into the second half against a FCS ranked opponent.
Central Arkansas received the ball first in the second half and scored a touchdown on its fourth play from scrimmage to make the score 14-7.
Blackmon then stepped up big for UT Martin, securing an interception on Central Arkansas’ next drive. Blackmon intercepted the ball at the UT Martin 40-yard line and took it back 37 yards to get the Skyhawks in good field position. It was Blackmon’s second pick of the season and fourth career interception in less than two seasons at UT Martin.
The Skyhawk defense once again flexed their muscle on the Bears’ next drive, limiting Central Arkansas to just two yards before forcing a three-and-out.
Long rushes by McNeil (17 yards) and Najee Ray (23 yards) helped UT Martin put three more points on the scoreboard on the Skyhawks’ next possession, as Redditt booted a 22-yard field goal to make the score 17-7 with 3:31 to go in the third quarter.
UT Martin would then force yet another turnover on downs, as Ryan Isom and Thad Williams stuffed Central Arkansas’ Willie Matthews on a fourth-and-one play to open the fourth quarter.
The Skyhawks once again held Central Arkansas on its next possession but an unlucky fumble off a punt gave the Bears the ball on the UT Martin 12-yard line. Central Arkansas scored on its next play to get within three points at 17-14.
Favre and Butler would extend UT Martin’s lead back out to double-digits on the next offensive drive. After connecting for completions of 12 and 16 yards early in the drive, Favre hooked up with Butler for a 24-yard touchdown strike off a slant pass down the middle to give the Skyhawks the 24-14 advantage with 6:53 remaining.
The Bears then scored a touchdown just 1:20 later and after a Skyhawk punt, Central Arkansas pieced together an eight-play drive before Carlton came up with a big interception at the UT Martin 8-yard line.
Trying to run out as much clock as they could, the Skyhawks attempted three rushing plays before punting with 29 seconds left. On the punt, UT Martin’s James Satterfield intentionally ran out of bounds for a planned safety to make the score 24-23.
After Satterfield’s free kick gave Central Arkansas the ball on the Bear’s 39-yard line, the Bears had a chance to win the game with a 42-yard field goal attempt. However, Blackmon would not allow that to happen, capping off an outstanding effort with the block to ice the game.
TENNESSEE STATE 26, JACKSON STATE 16
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Tennessee State defense forced six turnovers as TSU knocked off Jackson State, 26-16, in the 24th Annual Southern Heritage Classic.
Redshirt sophomore running back Telvin Hooks was named the game’s Most Valuable Player, rushing for 92 yards on 16 carries for an average of 5.8 yards per carry. Senior Tim Broughton added 95 yards rushing on 19 touches.
JSU outgained Big Blue 367 yards to 285, but TSU’s defense accounted for 198 yards via interception returns and added a score.
Tennessee State got the ball to start the game and Ronald Butler proceeded to orchestrate a ten-play, 76-yard drive that culminated in Jamin Godfrey 26-yard field goal. Butler was 2-of-4 on the series including a 27-yard completion to Ryan Mitchell and a 24-yard toss to A.C. Leonard.
Jackson State picked up a first down on its first drive, but Stephen Godbolt III intercepted Clayton Moore’s fifth pass of the game and brought it back 15 yards before fumbling. TSU’s Daniel Fitzpatrick immediately leapt on the ball, setting up the Big Blue offense on JSU’s 48.
Godbolt’s pick was his first of the season, a year removed from leading all Football Championship Subdivision with six during the 2012 campaign.
TSU was unable to capitalize off of the turnover and punted the ball back to Jackson State with 5:18 left in the first quarter.
JSU made it six plays down the field this time before Nick Thrasher forced a fumble and Anthony Bass recovered the ball in Jackson State territory.
Thrasher led the team with 12 tackles while Bass chipped in with five stops and TSU’s only two sacks of the contest.
Butler marched his Tigers down to the 18 yard line before a penalty, sack and screen pass that went for negative yardage setup a third and 32. Butler tried to pick up the first down by threading the needle to Leonard, but JSU’s Ryan Griffin easily intercepted the pass and brought it back 78 yards for a Jackson State score. Butler finished the game 5-of-8 for 69 yards with the lone interception.
JSU held a 7-3 advantage at the end of the first quarter despite TSU outgaining the Miss. school 114-53.
Redshirt junior quarterback Michael German entered the game to start the second period, but his entrance led to no immediate points as TSU was forced to punt during its opening drive of the second quarter. Butler would not return.
JSU picked up four first downs on its next possession, but senior Andrew Taylor stepped in front of a pass for Jackson State’s third turnover of the half. Taylor returned the pick all the way to the Jackson State seven, but TSU was unable to find the end zone. Godfrey canned his second field goal of the game – this one from 23 yards out – bringing the Tigers within one of the lead, 7-6, with eight minutes to go before the break.
Five straight runs and a 26-yard passing play set up JSU at the Tennessee State six yard line, but again, the Big Blue defense forced a key turnover. This time, De’Ante Saunders intercepted the ball on the goal line and raced down the sideline. Saunders eventually lost the foot race, but he still managed to return the ball 71 yards to the JSU 29.
A defensive targeting penalty caused Jackson State’s leading tackler last season Cameron Loeffler to be ejected and put the ball on JSU’s 12-yard line. Broughton rushed up the middle for eight yards on TSU’s next play, but a personal foul penalty moved the offense back to the 16. Big Blue couldn’t overcome the setback, and settled for Godfrey’s third field goal of the half.
The senior’s kick put TSU up 9-7 heading into halftime and also moved him into fifth place on the school’s all-time career scoring list with 235 points.
German finished the half 0-for-7 passing and the TSU defense outgained its offensive teammates, 147 to 136 during the game’s first 30 minutes.
The sides traded punts to start the third quarter, but JSU completed a 54-yard bomb on the first play of its second possession of the half. Four plays later, JSU nailed a 22-yard field goal that hit off of the upright, and bounced in. The kick allowed Jackson State to re-take the lead at 10-9 with eight minutes to play in the third.
A Mitchell 18-yard reception and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on JSU gave Godfrey another chance at three points on TSU’s next series with a 29-yard attempt. Like JSU’s, Godfrey’s kick hit the upright, but the ball bounced out, squandering another red zone opportunity.
Mitchell’s two grabs for 45 yards were the most by a Tiger receiver this year.
TSU scored four times on its six red zone chances during the contest, but only one went for a touchdown. Tennessee State has had the ball in the red zone 11 times this season, but has only scored three touchdowns in those chances.
After a JSU three-and-out, TSU finally found pay dirt with a nine play, 63-yard drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from German that put TSU in the driver’s seat, 16-10. Hooks was the workhorse on the drive, totaling five carries for 42 yards.
In his first game of the season, German completed 4-of-14 passes for 42 yards. It was his lowest yardage output since his first career game during his freshman season.
Godfrey punched in a 42-yard field goal to begin the fourth quarter, and then Daniel Fitzpatrick intercepted JSU’s very next play and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown. The pick six made the score 26-10 in favor of TSU with eight minutes left to play.
Five drives and a David Van Dyke interception later, JSU found the end zone for the second time when Evan Ingram scored from one yard out. The ensuing two-point conversion failed, and TSU led, 26-16, which would wound up being the final score.
TSU’s six forced turnovers were the most for the team since 2005 when Big Blue came up with seven cough ups against Tennessee Tech on Oct. 13.
With his 13 points against JSU, Godfrey now has 239 points for his career. He is 13 points away from tying Charles Anthony for fourth on the school’s all-time scoring list.
JACKSONVILLE STATE 24, NORTH ALABAMA 21 (2OT)
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - The renewal of the rivalry between Jacksonville State and North Alabama after a 10-year hiatus didn't feature the offensive fireworks of past meetings.
But the one-time Gulf South Conference rivals still managed another classic in their 45th meeting before a crowd of 20,834 at Burgess-Snow Field Saturday night. Senior Griffin Thomas kicked a school-record five field goals and Division II UNA's upset bid ended when Lions kicker Michael Schuster missed a 37-yarder as Jacksonville State escaped with a 24-21 double-overtime victory.
Thomas booted field goals of 26 and 20 yards in overtime to go with kicks of 50, 44 and 42 yards during regulation. UNA had forced overtime by driving 70 yards in 11 plays late in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 18-18 on Luke Wingo's five-yard pass to Lee Mayhall with 13 seconds remaining.
Schuster's 26-yard field goal on the first possession of overtime gave the Lions (1-1) their only lead. Thomas answered with a 26-yard kick on Jacksonville State's first series to send the game to a second overtime period tied at 21-21.
Thomas set a school record with his fifth field goal in the second OT. UNA advanced to the 20, but Schuster – who had missed from 32 yards as time expired in the second quarter – was wide right, setting off a raucous celebration on the JSU sideline.
Jacksonville State has won its last five overtime games and is now 5-4 all-time in OT games.
Jacksonville State ran its record to 3-0 for the first time since 2010.
The Gamecocks led 10-0 after the first quarter. Running back Troymaine Pope's first pass as a collegian went for a 53-yard touchdown to Markis Merrill on the JSU's first offensive play and Thomas added a 50-yard field goal five minutes later as the Gamecocks appeared poised to turn the game into a rout.
UNA closed to within 10-2 with a safety on the first play of the second quarter when Eli Jenkins was sacked in the end zone by Shaquille Smith. But Jacksonville State's Thomas capped a short drive set up by a UNA fumble with another field goal for a 13-2 halftime lead.
Jacksonville State's offense, which had 190 yards in the first two quarters, struggled to find its rhythm after halftime.
Schuster's 49-yard field goal capped a 10-play drive late in the third quarter that saw the Lions close the gap to 13-5. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, managed just 23 yards in the third quarter and 44 yards in the fourth, allowing UNA to stay within striking distance.
Wingo engineered a 10-play, 76-yard scoring drive to start the fourth quarter and capped it with a 1-yard run with 11:04 remaining. The Lions, trailing 13-11, opted for a two-point conversion attempt, but Wingo's pass fell incomplete.
Hamish MacInnes' punt on the ensuing JSU possession pinned UNA at its 1. A poor snap resulted in a safety for the Gamecocks, making it 15-11 at the 8:25 mark.
Thomas' field goal with just over three minutes remaining pushed JSU's lead to 18-11.
The teams were penalized a combined 30 times, with Jacksonville drawing a school-record 17 flags for 159 yards. The Gamecocks have only been penalized eight times for 60 yards in wins over Alabama State and Jacksonville.