Jacksonville, AL – Jacksonville State loses to New Mexico State on game-ending field goal, however the results from other games have bowl spots open for Gamecocks who are transitioning. (Includes scores to keep track of)

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Eastern Michigan 24, Buffalo 11 — EMU (6-6)

Louisiana 52, Louisiana-Monroe 21 — ULL (6-6)

Marshall 35. Arkansas State 21 -Marshall (6-6) Marshall (6-6)

Northern Illinois 37, Kent State 27 — NIU (6-6)

Old Dominion 25, Georgia State 24 -Georgia State 24 – ODU (6-6)

Rice 24 Florida Atlantic 21 — Rice (6-6)

Syracuse 35. Wake Forest 31 -Syracuse (6-3) Syracuse (6-6)

Central Florida 27, Houston 13 -13 – UCF (6-6)

Utah State 44, New Mexico 41, OT — Utah State (6-6)

Virginia Tech 55, Virginia 17 — Va. Tech (6-6)

South Florida 48, Charlotte 14 — South Florida (6-6)

Cal 33. UCLA 7. UCLA 7. Cal (6-6)

SMU 59, Navy 14 — Navy (5-6) plays Army (5-6) on Dec. 9.

Oklahoma State 40, BYU 34 — BYU (5-7)

Toledo 32. Central Michigan 17 -CMU 5-7 CMU (5-7)

Northwestern 45, Illinois 43 — Illinois (5-7)

Wisconsin 28, Minnesota 14 — Minnesota (5-7)

Ole Miss 17, Miss. State 7 – MSU (5-7)

Iowa 13, Nebraska 10: Nebraska (5-7)

Oklahoma 69, TCU 45 — TCU (5-7)

Washington 24th, Washington State 21 — WSU (5-7)

Florida State 24, Florida 15 — Florida (5-7)

Clemson 16. South Carolina 7 -7 – South Carolina (5-7)

Hawai’i 27, Colorado State 24 — CSU (5-7)


By Joe Medley

Jacksonville State went to Las Cruces hoping to secure Conference USA’s second-highest record in the Gamecocks’ inaugural Conference USA season.

They departed exactly the same place they were when they arrived … an eight-win Football Bowl Championship Subdivision team with very real bowling potential.

The goal and the realization have was far beyond expectations from the preseason for Jax State’s debut FBS season. A sense of relief has been a constant theme to see if the new Gamecocks will be able to play in the bonus game.

Bowl spots will be available to Bowl-eligible Jax State.

The bottom line is that Jax State fell 20-17 at New Mexico State on Ethan Albertson’s game-winning, 42 yard field goal.

The second-year Rich Rodriguez was his usual short self following losing. He’d watched his team recover after a 17-3 deficit in the second half to draw the match Alen Karajic’s 27-yard field shot with 43 seconds remaining and then fall to Trent Hudson on a 37-yard, Diego Pavia pass to create for the field goal to win game.

Grumpy RichRod watched Zion Webb throw two interceptions one of which was in the end zone on a day that New Mexico State spied Jax State’s quarterback in order to stop his from running.

BleepRod witnessed Karajic take a 36-yard shot over the left side in the second quarter.

Fourth loss for the Jax State team dragged out just like two other games this year, with plenty of potential-to-have-beens to make one believe that a more successful than expected transition season could’ve gotten at least one win further into the realm of fantasy.

The Gamecocks walked away with no reason to be second in CUSA. They came just a few steps away from saying that they should’ve been able to play in the conference championship game, but not an NCAA waiver of that claim.

However, it did not change anything in the bottom line of Jax State. The Gamecocks made it to Las Cruces after having met the bowl eligibility threshold. The Gamecocks went home and the waiting for results in the following games was a relief for bowl-hoping Jax State.

As of this week’s game there were 67 teams that had earned the eligibility requirements for one of the 82 bowl slots, without including transitioning Jax State and James Madison. Twenty-four games featured teams seeking the six-win bowl standard 12 teams had improved to 6-6, with only one final game still to complete.

Navy (5-6) defeated SMU and will play Army (5-6) at the end of Dec. 9 following December. 3, bowl choices. Two of Army’s wins were in the Football Championship Subdivision competition.

Three bowls will remain vacant, which means there will be open slots in Jax State and James Madison.

“Bowl” The “Bowl” Football Bowl Subdivision looks very real for the Gamecocks during their debut FBS season.

Through a video uploaded on the Jax State Football Facebook social media feeds, we are able to witness the moment Rodriguez told the team about his decision on that night.

“I’m still irritated by this game” He said on the phone during the Gamecocks’ flight back home. “I’m more irritated after watching the movie. I don’t want our senior citizens to leave in that manner But you know what. There’s no need to as you’re heading to bowl. …

“You made history, guys!”

Jax State-NMSU updates


A timeline of the key events that occurred during Jax State’s defeat of 20-17 at New Mexico State on Saturday:


FIRST QARTER

Jamoni Jones is in with one-yard TD at the time New Mexico State makes good on the opening drive of the game. Ethan Albertson’s kickoff is successful at 8:12. Drive 13 plays 65 yards, 6:48 and a face-masking violation against Jax State helped that cause. NMSU 7 JAX STATE 0.

Diego Pavia throws an 11 yard touchdown throw for Trent Hudson, and PAT is successful at 2:28. Drive: 8 plays, 83 yards, 4:15. NMU 14, JAX STATE 0.

A sack scratch and penalty an impressive game to Jax State, and Jack Dawson kicks NMSU at their 1-yard-line.


SECOND QARTER

Alen Karajic scores Jax State on the board by scoring a field goal from 33 yards at 7:09. Drive: 5 plays, 41 yards, 1:21. NCSU 14 JAX STATE 3.

Qae Drake comes up with a fumble recover at the Jax State 26.

ZION WEBB’S 38-yard touchdown to a soaring Perry Carter gets Jax State in position, however Karajic is unable to make a field goal of 36 yards wide right.

Albertson scores a field goal of 27 yards to close the first half. 17 NMSU 3 JAX STATE


THIRD Quarter

An exchange of interceptions which ended which resulted in Jeremiah Harris getting the last one before returning deep into NMSU territory.


Fourth Quarter

The team is unable to convert a TD and so Karajic is able to score a short field goal in 14:52. NMSU 17, JAX STATE 6.

The Jax State team is at the NMSU’s 15 and Webb’s ball to the goal line on the third and goal intercepted. The ball was just overshot Sean Brown, and Dylan Early by catching a pass on the ball that is right in front of his.

Lattimer makes an interception to catch Jax State at NMSU’s 22.

The runner, Malik Jackson, scores an 11-yard TD run, and Webb continues to try and convert at 6:23. 17 NMSU Jax STATE 14

On fourth down and five yards from the NMSU 45, Webb continues to convert … using the help from his biggest friends who were pushing. The Aggies’ 33 was reached. Trey Brown started the push.

Webb throws what could be a the go-ahead TD towards Malik Jackson in the end zone, however Webb was penalized because he was over the line of play after throwing.

Karajic scores a field goal that ties the score with the clock at 0:46: JAX STATE 17, NMSU 17

Pavia catches a long pass at Jax State’s line of 28 yards … the ball travels 37 yards towards Hudson.

Albertson’s 42-yard field shot with no time remaining. 20 NMSU JAX STATE 17.

Final:Jax State falls to New Mexico State 20-17, ends regular season 8-4, is waiting for the results of other games to determine whether bowl slots are open.