SATURDAY'S SCORES
#16 Kennesaw State 17,
@#2 Jacksonville State 7
#16 KENNESAW STATE 17, #2 JACKSONVILLE STATE 7
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - Jacksonville State fell 17-7 to Kennesaw State in the Second Round of the FCS Playoffs at Burgess-Snow Field on Saturday.
Kennesaw State (12-1), the Big South Conference champion, advances to the quarterfinals and travels to No. 6 Sam Houston State. Its 12 victories establish an FCS record for the most wins for a program in its third year of existence – the old mark was 10 set by Old Dominion in 2011.
Jacksonville State (10-2) was limited to a season-low 187 total yards, nearly 200 below its season average. JSU was held to its lowest point total against an FCS opponent since 2005, and the offense managed only 54 yards after halftime.
The Owls dominated time of possession over the final two quarters with their FCS-best ground attack, consuming nearly 22 minutes and scoring on a pair of touchdown runs to overcome a 7-3 halftime deficit. JSU, meanwhile, was 2-for-12 on third-down conversions.
Jacksonville State got on the scoreboard first by driving 53 yards in nine plays for what proved to be its only points.
Roc Thomas kept the drive alive by rushing for three hard-fought yards on fourth-and-1 from Kennesaw State's 25. Thomas then sprinted 22 yards for a touchdown on the next play and Cade Stinnett kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead with 4:20 to go in the second quarter.
Thomas, the Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year, finished with 1,065 yards and 13 touchdowns in his final season for the Gamecocks. The Oxford, Ala., native ran 17 times for 74 yards on Saturday.
Kennesaw State took the lead for good on a 9-yard run by Darnell Holland early in the third quarter. The Owls added a 2-yard run from quarterback Chandler Burks on the first play to extend their lead to 17-7 and JSU never seriously threatened again.
Senior linebacker Jonathan Hagler led the Gamecocks' defensively with 10 tackles in his final appearance in a JSU uniform. Senior defensive end Darius Jackson recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and ends his illustrious career with 60.5, by far the most in school history.
The two programs, located 90 miles apart, will resume their budding rivalry on Nov. 17, 2018, in the first football game at 41,149-seat SunTrust Park, the home of the Atlanta Braves. The 2018 meeting will serve as Kennesaw State's home game, with the Owls coming to Burgess-Snow Field at a later date not yet set.
Next year's game will be the regular-season finale and come during JSU's scheduled off week in OVC play. The baseball playing surface at SunTrust Park will be converted to a football field running from near home plate to left field.