New Orleans, NO – Jax State overcomes the pressure of allowing three defensive touchdowns to secure the first FBS bowl win and first FBS bowl appearance in the debut FBS game of the season.
By Joe Medley
It was just when it appeared that Zion Webb’s college football career was about to take a end-of-the-line twist Webb quit Jacksonville State with an unforgettable moment.
Just as Jacksonville High graduate Ron Wiggins had his chance in the Football Bowl Subdivision bowl, the football player racked up an outstanding performance as a player.
When the replacement kicker needed to show up the way he was supposed to, he did.
Webb was the driving force in a game-tying effort that forced overtime, and Garrison Rippa hit a 27-yard field goal in overtime to seal the Gamecocks with a 34-31 win in the game against Louisiana during the R+L Carriers New Orleans bowl on Saturday at the Ceaser’s Superdome.
Wiggins was a runner for the 126 yards and scored one touchdown, and the Gamecocks clinched their very first FBS bowl win, winning the first FBS bowl game to cap their debut FBS season.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time and we’ve won an award that is among the most unbelievable wins that I’ve ever been a part in,” Jax State second-year coach Rich Rodriguez said.
The Gamecocks (9-4) played the ball on 109 offensive plays, which is second of any team in Conference USA history, and were able to overcome giving up three defensive touchdowns.
Louisiana (6-7) score in the second half when Jalen Clark recovered an Perry Carter fumble 46 yards for the game’s first point.
The Ragin Cajuns’ scored their second intercept of the Webb pass, and Clark returning the touchdown 16 yards to give them 14-7 after 4:22 in the second period.
A shin injury at the end of the first quarter caused a shin injury in the first half, sending Webb in the locker room. Tyree Skipper retried to return Logan Smothers’ pass 43 yards to make Louisiana ahead 31-24 with 5:32 remaining in the time for regulation.
When it comes to Football 101, just one of those defensive touchdowns frequently can make the difference, particularly in a match where the team who scored it did not make any mistakes. Jax State had four turnovers that resulted to 21, Louisiana points.
Did we not mention that Jax State has a dream season, in which an FBS team for the first time in its FBS season wins an appearance in an FBS bowl?
Have we mentioned that the person who composes dream scripts left the best scripts to the very last time, during the Jax State dream seasons?
Jax Stat’s 109 games for 526 yards in total is the reason to the critics. The Gamecocks were relentless in their movement and never stopped handing it over.
As a gelatinous animal that regenerated itself, they continued to grow.
“Our guys kept battling,” Rodriguez said. “This is how they’ve played all season. We’ve played many tight games and have won most of them. However, we losing a few and they’ve never gotten scared. … they continued playing until the very end.
“Even an individual like Zion. He’ll play in one spot or another, but when something goes wrong, Zion won’t jump into the tank.”
The player who was most rejuvenated was a seventh-year senior quarterback who was exiled from an postseason game at least twice. He was then replaced by an Power 5 transfer for what is believed to be the 10th.
After Smothers the transfer from Nebraska transfer and a Nebraska transfer, threw his pick-6 pass, Webb emerged to lead Jax State’s game-changing drive. Jax State went three-and-out on the first drive in the game, but Webb completed the pass on three occasions for 45 yards, which helped move Jax State into scoring position. After that, he sped off to Carter at the end of fourth and three to score an 18-yard touchdown.
Add an extra score by Rippa’s fourth of the game over four attempts in addition, Jax State tied it 31-31 at 1:46 of the final minute of regulation.
Webb was suffering the hurt of an injury which forced him to go down the hall for X-rays as the other players went in the dressing room to watch halftime. Due to two interceptions in the first half Webb had suffered the most Rodriguez tongue slappings during the two years of believing that he was the most effective player Jax State could field.
“He enjoys every minute of hard-earned coaching and the lessons he gains by it” Rodriguez said. “He’s been doing that for the past two years. Not everyone can do this, but a good athlete can. A good competitor absorbs everything being taught to him and attempt to understand it so that they can improve their performance.
“That’s the way he’s described. More than any other thing, he’s a adversary. He was a victim of the chewing on his butt. He accepted the praise, and he fought and fighting. He did this all game and that’s one major reason we won the match.”
Then Webb who was a quarterback for Jax State to its last Ohio Valley Conference championship and the ASUN Conference title Jax State took in 2022, left some traces on the table in their FBS Bowl debut.
“It’s incredible to leave a lasting impression in the history of your team” Webb said. “Just for me I’ve left a legacy that I am convinced. My mark is on my work.”
When the game reached over, the tables were was set to accommodate Wiggins as well as Rippa.
Jax State’s defense was the catalyst by preventing Louisiana from scoring an inch in three overtime games. Kenneth Almendares missed a 42-yard field goal to the left of the ball the only thing Jax State needed was a field goal to prevail.
Webb switched and handed over to Wiggins at six times consecutively to slow-march the Gamecocks down to their Louisiana 7 yard line. It was only fitting to ensure that the man who ran 100 yards in regulation was given the chance to make it happen.
Wiggins is an redshirt junior who signed to Jax State in 2020, in the days when it was an Football Championship subdivision program, was a winner.
“Just arriving to this place, FCS, I didn’t think that this organization could be as successful as it is,”” Wiggins said. “I would like to continue to go forward with this program and continue making history.”
After Webb had made his game-winning drive and Wiggins had seen the ball in time for an attempt at a field goal. It was now up to the man who would be Jax State’s starter kicker following during the normal season. Alen Karajic entered the transfer portal in the week following that New Mexico State game, and Rippa was the next player to be added.
It’s not a daunting distance however 27 yards could appear long with a crucial kick in the final. Louisiana head coach Michael Desormeaux did his best and called a timeout to stop Rippa.
The lefty did his job making history at Jax State.
“There’s an image showing me appearing in a video on ESPN in a position where my head is against the walls,” Rippa said. “I was breathing, trying to convince myself that”You’ve prepared yourself for this for all of the time outside of practice as well as all of the time practicing. What I’ve been doing is lots of.
“My teammates placed me in a position to be victorious, and I made this happen.”
Game updates
A look back in time at the key turns and plays during Jax State’s 34-31 win against Louisiana in the R+L Carriers game on Saturday. New Orleans Bowl
-Kickoff, 1 p.m.
Louisiana wins the toss and puts off the second half. Jax State to receive opening kickoff.
FIRST QARTER
With Jax State on the march, Perry Carter catches a quick Zion Webb pass then fumbles. The Louisiana’s Jalen Clark recovers and return 46 yards for the TD. Kenneth Almendares’ kick is perfect at 13:17. Keyon Martin is able to force the ball to be fumbled. LOUISIANA 7. JAX STATE 0.
Webb throws a deep ball to Jamarye Joiner but not enough deep. The ball that was thrown is picked up by Martin. ULL assumes control at 2. Jax State is moving the ball, but is kicking it around.
– With ULL attacking Jax State’s 24. Quae Drake is forced to Fumble on a strip sack. ULL’s recovery occurs in Jax State’s 42. Jax State 42. The Jax State 42 forces ULL to punt.
The drive is completed by Jax State this time. Webb’s pass of 33 yards for Carter is the best play, with the Gamecocks’ on ULL’s 5-yard line. Cole Fuller makes good with one-yard TD run and Garrison Rippa’s kickoff is adequate at 3:06. Drive: 13 plays, 80 yards, 4:42. 7 JAX STATE ULL 7.
The first quarter, which lasted for an hour, is over with Jacksonville High grad Ron Wiggins has 62 yards total. He also convinced the stadium announcer to not call his name Higgins. Jax State has second down and eight against ULL’s 37.
SECOND Quarter
The Jaguars get an opportunity to make it third down following a review that found a substitution penalty on ULL in addition, the Ragin Cajuns have their second defensive touchdown during the match … The pick-6 of Clark (16 yards) in a short Webb pass that went over the middle. The PAT was in good form at 4:22. ULL 14. JAX STATE 7.
A brief altercation took place within the Jax State’s bench and offsetting calls for conduct.
After the Jax State timeout at 0:34, Logan Smothers comes in as QB and stays for 9 yards, which is ULL’s seven. The timeout is Jax State, 0:28.
Ron Wiggins is able to carry 7 yards to score the Jax State TD at 0:23. PAT is good. JX STATE 14, ULL 14.
HALFTIME
Am hearing Webb has been injured and that’s why Smothers arrived at the close of the road. I’m trying to confirm.
THIRD Quarter
I haven’t been able to verify Webb injury, however Smothers is in the QB position to begin 3Q.
Jax State drives to ULL’s number 4, and Rippa scores the field goal in the short distance for a lead of Jax State its first lead at 7:55. Drive: 16 plays, 72 yards, 5:37. STATE JAX 17, ULL 14.
-ULL responds with its most impressive drive that it has had all game, culminating with Chandler Fields’ 1-yard keeper for TD to regain the lead in 5:47. Good PAT. Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 2:00. ULL 20, JAX STATE 17.
-On fourth and two from ULL’s 44, Smothers passes to a open Jacob Barrick for 17 yards, which ULL’s 27. This sets the stage for Smothers his 10-yard TD run to take the lead back for Jax State. PAT time: 2:53. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 2:54. JAZ STATE 24 ULL 21
Fourth Quarter
Almendares kicks 33 yards field goal in game at 14:02. Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 3:44. JAZ STATE 24 ULL 24
The pass is made by Wiggins for the ball 100 yards (108) and Then he takes a hard blow when he catches a passing pass that was hanging in the air. After remaining down for the ground, he sprints away from the field.
Smothers’ pass across the middle was returned 43 yards to score an ULL touchdown through Tyree Skipper. ULL is credited with three defensive TDs this week. PAT is good at 5:32. ULL 31, JAX STATE 24,
Webb is back at QB however, Jax State unable to convert and throw punts.
Jax State calls for a three-out call for timeout at 3:46.
Webb is able to hit on three passes, putting Jax State into scoring position. On fourth down, and the ULL’s 18 yard line, Webb throws to Perry Carter to score his TD around 1:46. Rippa makes the PAT to make it a tie. Drive:8 plays, 70 yards, 1:51. 31 JAX STATE ULL 31
The kickoff is returned by the NFL to 41. On the third and 13, Larry Worth blitzes and gets the sack. ULL announces a timeout when there are 20 seconds left.
The punt was knocked down in an angle of Jax State 3 at 0:13. Webb gets down on the ground.
OVERTIME
The offense of ULL starts, the Jax State defense does not permit the ball to go beyond a yard. Almendares fails to score an attempt to kick a 42-yard field to the left of the field.
Garrison Rippa scores the field goal from 27 yards to take the game. 44 JAX STATE ULL 31,
