Jacksonville State 33, Tennessee State 3

October 22, 2005

NASHVILLE --- Tennessee State took an early 3-0 lead, but two-time defending Ohio Valley Conference champion Jacksonville State scored 33 unanswered points on the way to handing the Tigers a 33-3 loss Saturday night.

The Tigers had taken the lead just over three minutes into the game. Eric Benson booted a 40-yard field goal to conclude a five-play, 42-yard drive. However, after that point, the Tigers missed several other opportunities while the Gamecocks controlled the flow of the game to take the victory.

With the loss, the Tigers fall to 2-5 and 1-2 in the OVC. Jax State improves to 4-4 overall and 4-1 in the conference.

“You have to give Jacksonville State credit, they have a fine team,” said first-year head coach James Webster. “You don’t win the conference back-to-back and not have a good program. We had chances, but we just didn’t take advantage.”

The Tigers were inside JSU’s 15-yard line three times, but failed to come away with any points. One of the most crucial times was near the five-minute mark of the second quarter when the Tigers were stopped on downs at the JSU 13-yard line. The Gamecocks responded with an 86-yard scoring drive to expand the lead to 13-3. JSU would add another later second quarter TD after a blocked punt.

TSU had 342 yards total offense to JSU’s 376. Tiger redshirt freshman Javarris Williams had his second straight 100-yard rushing game with 134 yards on 27 carries.

The Gamecocks scored their first points on a Raynood Zeine 5-yard run to conclude a 45-yard drive late in the first period. The PAT attempt failed.

JSU scored two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the second quarter to lead 20-3 at halftime. Clay Green scored on a 35-yard run at the 2:41 mark. The Gamecocks add a TD with 28 seconds left following the blocked punt. Green scored his second TD, this time from 15 yards out.

Zeine was on the receiving end of a 5-yard TD pass from Maurice Mullins at the 8:03 mark, that concluded a 66-0yard, nine play drive/

JSU’s final score came with 3:51 left as Ty Griswold scored on a 3-yard run to end a 43-yard drive.

Green finished the game with 125 yards on 18 carries. Gamecock quarterback Maurice Mullins was 12-17-0 through the air for 139 yards and the one touchdown.