Report card: How we graded Jacksonville State's 35-28 overtime win over Sam Houston
Sep. 29—The report card from Jacksonville State's 35-28 overtime win over Sam Houston on Thursday:
OFFENSE
Analysis: Rich Rod's Gamecocks are built for fast-paced offensive situations and two-point conversions.
During Jacksonville State's 58-second drive with just over a minute left, Jax State quarterback Logan Smothers went 6-for-8 for 75 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to Perry Carter. One of those incompletions was a spike.
Running back Malik Jackson still proved effective despite carrying a huge bulk of the run game. He totaled a season-high 129 rushing yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Receivers Michael Pettway and Perry Carter emerged as bright spots in the passing game, with Pettway totaling 74 yards and a touchdown on three catches and Carter finishing with 69 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
However, the offense looked lost following a four-play, 86-yard touchdown drive powered entirely by Jackson's three-carry, 86-yard performance early in the first quarter. Aside from those three plays, Sam Houston held Jax State to just 41 rushing yards and an abysmal 16 passing yards in the first half. Over half of the team's passing yards came in the final drive and overtime.
While the fast-paced offense completed a monstrous comeback, the miscues in the first half and points left on the field still leave much to be desired moving forward.
Grade: C+
DEFENSE
Analysis: Jacksonville State's defense was exceptional in the second half. The Gamecocks held Sam Houston to just seven second-half points and over 100 yards less of total offense in the second half than in the first.
Linebacker Quae Drake was impressive yet again, racking up 10 total tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for loss and a pair of pass breakups. Safety Fred Perry led the team in total tackles with 14 (12 solo), including a tackle for loss, two quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.
Ky'Won McCray's pick with 9:41 left in the game helped the Gamecocks score their second touchdown of the second half.
In the first half, there was only so much the defense could do when it was on the field for 20 minutes and 22 seconds, but the secondary created some opportunities for Sam Houston's passing game to break loose for some big first-half plays.
Grade: B+
SPECIAL TEAMS
Analysis: While the Gamecocks escaped in overtime, Alen Karajic's uncharacteristic extra-point miss put Jacksonville State in a bind in the third quarter. Prior to his miss, he was 122 of 125 on extra points.
While it wound up meaningless, it's hard to ignore Malik Phillips' 49-yard kickoff return to put Sam Houston on JSU's 44-yard line with six seconds left in regulation.
Still, punter Jack Dawson shined, averaging 46.1 yards per punt and putting four of his punts inside the 20. Karajic finished 4-for-5 on extra points and fared well on kickoffs, and the kickoff team got the job done other than its last-second gaff.
Grade: B-
OVERALL
Analysis: Aside from winning games, one of Jacksonville State's main goals for the season is to gain recognition at a national level by playing fun games on primetime television.
To quote both the Gladiator film and Rich Rod in his postgame radio interview, "Were you not entertained?"
The Gamecocks still have plenty of football left to play, but with a 4-1 record and a pair of Conference USA wins, both of which ended in dramatic fashion, Jacksonville State's in a great spot heading into Week 6 with this overtime win over Sam Houston.
Grade: B-
Sports Writer Thomas Ashworth: 256-236-1551. On Twitter: @ThomasAshworth0.
