Jacksonville State football storms back to beat Middle Tennessee State as Sean Brown shines
Jacksonville State football and Rich Rodriguez played their best half of the year to storm back and drop 38 second-half points to beat Middle Tennessee State 45-30 on Wednesday.
The Blue Raiders (1-5, 0-2 CUSA) scored the only points of the first quarter, with a field goal in the final minutes. Zion Webb sparked a Gamecocks (5-1, 3-0) to a touchdown drive that was finished by Malik Jackson before MTSU added another touchdown, starting a stretch of three straight touchdowns for the Blue Raiders. The Gamecocks got it in done in multiple ways while scoring on five of their first seven second-half drives.
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The Sean Brown game
It seemed like whenever Jacksonville State needed a big catch, it was Sean Brown coming down with the ball. It started on his first catch, a 15-yard reception to convert a third down. His second catch helped Webb get off to a strong start with a 31-yard gain. On the second touchdown drive, he had the play to set it up and the score. Following a muffed punt, he had 24-yard catch to set up another score.
For the night, he went over 100 yards, the second time he's ever done that. He was able to assist in the run game with quality blocks.
Zion Webb makes instant impact
On the fourth drive of the game, Rodriguez sent Webb in at quarterback. His immediate impact was a 61-yard run on a option keeper that set up the only Gamecocks touchdown, and points, of the first half. Jacksonville State only had 95 passing yards in the first half, with the fault falling on both quarterbacks.
Webb turned it around on the second drive of the third quarter and finished 11 for 21 for 186 yards and a touchdown while running for 104 yards and another score.
First drive shows second-half promise
The Gamecocks defense found a way to one-up itself on each play of the opening drive: first with a quarterback hurry, the a tackle for loss and then a sack, the last two plays both by Chris Hardie. The defense allowed three straight scoring drives in the second quarter.
The defense responded with a near-shutout second half, finishing with eight sacks and 14 tackles for loss, two interceptions and two fumbles.
Up next
Jacksonville State will host Liberty on Tuesday.
Maxwell Donaldson covers high school sports and Jacksonville State athletics for the Gadsden Times. Find him on Twitter/X @_Max_Donaldson and contact him at MDonaldson@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Jacksonville State football surges to beat Middle Tennessee State
