Jax State Preview
In another bout of C-USA action, the Hilltoppers travel to Jacksonville, Alabama to take on the Gamecocks in JSU Stadium at 6:30 PM.
Going into the Tuesday night game, the Gamecocks currently sit at third in the conference with a 3-1 C-USA record after suffering their lone conference loss to Liberty. Western Kentucky currently sits at 2-0 in conference play, good for second-place, after taking victories against Middle Tennessee State and LA Tech.
As it currently stands, Jacksonville State has the 72nd ranked offense in the nation. While they average a poor 158.6 passing yards per game, their run game sits at 15th nationally with an average 204 yards per game, 4.5 yards per carry, and 2.5 rushing touchdowns per game.
In the air, quarterbacks Logan Smothers and Zion Webb have shared responsibilities for the season. Smothers is the better passer of the two, having accumulated a 56.9% completion rate for 638 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. Webb has completed just 47% of his passes for 421 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Receiver Perry Carter is the favored target, having compiled 18 receptions for 325 yards and two touchdowns.
On the ground, the Gamecocks have found their bread and butter. Malik Jackson leads the team, and is second in the C-USA, with 578 rushing yards. Jackson averages 5.6 yards per carry and has totaled four scores. Following Jackson’s efforts has been Smothers, Webb, Ron Wiggins, and Anwar Lewis, who each have 253, 189, 156, and 114 rushing yards on the season, respectively. The following four have totaled nine rushing touchdowns on the season.
Defensively, the Gamecocks have been sound, as the unit has allowed just 19.4 points per game this season across seven games. The team has four players in the C-USA’s top ten in terms of sacks, with Curley Young Jr, Kamari Stephens, Chris Hardie, and Larry Worth combining for 11 sacks on the season. Hardie is also fifth in the conference in tackles for loss with nine.
In the air, the Gamecocks have settled at 78th nationally, allowing 231.1 yards, one touchdown, and a 59.3% completion rate. Cornerbacks Jabari Mack and Kekoura Tarnue are the two stand-out coverage defenders in the Gamecocks backfield, as Mack has allowed just a 46.7% completion rate (14-of-30) and Tarnue has allowed 50% (eight-of-16) and garnered two interceptions. Cornerback Derek Carter and safety Jeremiah Harris have pretty much stayed on the field, with 396 and 383 total defensive snaps between the two. Carter leads the team in pass breakups with four, attached to his 24 tackles.
On the ground, Jacksonville State arrives at 58th in the nation with 131.6 yards per game, including an average of 3.0 yards per carry and 1.3 touchdowns allowed. Safety Jeremiah Harris and cornerback Kolbi Fuqua are the team’s highest graded run defenders with 22 combined stops and just three missed tackles. On the defensive line, Hardie has stepped up as the premier run stopper. Hardie has accumulated 21 stops and just three missed tackles, attached to 41 tackles on the season (23 of which have been solo).
As it currently stands, the Hilltoppers will be the next toughest opponent the Gamecocks have faced after Liberty. The Gamecocks defense has allowed 89 points across their past three games (28, 30, 31), and fans should expect the Tops to continue that trend.
Final Prediction: 34 - 17, Hilltoppers victory.
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