EIU Drops Football Contest To Jacksonville St.

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Published on April 5 2021 6:23 am
Last Updated on April 5 2021 6:23 am

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois pulled within one score of No. 12 ranked Jacksonville State twice in the second half before the Gamecocks were able to close out the 44-23 contest in their final Ohio Valley Conference trip to O'Brien Field.

JSU had the final two scores of the game to post the win over EIU. JSU improved to 8-2 overall, 5-1 in the OVC while EIU fell to 1-5 overall/OVC and will host Austin Peay next Sunday for the final regular season game.

JSU opened up with a 24-7 lead as they had two offensive touchdowns and a defensive score. Ahmad Edwards hauled in a 26 yard pass from Zion Webb for the only score of the opening quarter.

EIU then countered on the first play of the second half to tie the game at 7-7 on a Jordan Smith six-yard touchdown run.

JSU went back in front on a Uriah West short touchdown run with 7:47 to play in the second quarter. On the first play of the next possession, EIU fumbled the ball in the backfield and Hudson Petty picked up the loose ball and raced 22 yards to put JSU up 21-7. Alen Karajic tacked on a 46-yard field goal to put the Gamecocks up comfortably 24-7 with 2:49 left in the first half.

EIU would gain some momentum heading into the half as Harry Woodbery connected with Jay Vallie for a 7-yard touchdown pass with ten seconds left in the half. Woodbery got the start for the injured Otto Kuhns and passed for 220 yards with one touchdown. His top target on the day was DeWayne Cooks with four catches for 103 yards.

Stone Galloway would knock home a 44-yard field goal on the Panthers opening drive of the second half to bring EIU within one score at 24-17 with 12:29 left in the game.

Following a Webb 2-yard run to extend the lead, EIU again got to within one possession as Woodbery rushed for a 4-yard score with 14 seconds left in the third quarter. EIU failed on a 2-point conversion to trail 31-23.

JSU added two fourth quarter touchdowns with a Edwards 11-yard touchdown reception and Josh Samuel 10-yard touchdown run.  Edwards had 101 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Webb passed for 249 yards while Samuel rushed for 130.

Jaelin Benefield led EIU with 51 yards on the ground. The Panthers defense was led by Jason Johnson with 11 tackles while Jestin Morrow had nine tackles and a blocked field goal in the fourth quarter.

Jaylen Swain had eight tackles with two tackles for loss to lead JSU.