Skyhawks face tough task against Jacksonville State

The Skyhawk football team will play their Ohio Valley Conference opener this weekend against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.

The Gamecocks (2-1, 1-0 OVC), who are the defending OVC champions, are the current No. 1 team in the Football Championship Subdivision and are currently riding a 13-game regular season winning streak against non-FBS opponents. Jacksonville State is led by head coach John Grass, who has a 12-3 record since taking over the head coaching position last year.

The Gamecocks have a very deep and talented roster, placing 12 players on the 2015 Preseason All-OVC team. The Gamecocks will be led by redshirt junior quarterback Eli Jenkins, who in three years playing for the Gamecocks has started in 29 games and has passed for 3,309 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Earlier this season, Jacksonville State almost shocked the country by nearly upsetting the Auburn Tigers, who at the time was the No. 6 overall team in the FBS. Auburn had to pull a fourth quarter comeback to tie the game and send it into overtime. The Tigers eventually defeated Jacksonville State in overtime 27-21.

The Gamecocks are coming into this game fresh off a dominating 48-13 win over OVC foe Tennessee State. Jacksonville State racked up 576 yards of total offense in that game and Jenkins passed for 162 yards and two touchdowns. But the real highlight was the Gamecock defense holding the Tigers to only 208 yards of total offense and 24 rushing yards.

The Skyhawks (1-1, 0-0 OVC) are coming off a bye week after defeating NAIA opponent Bethel 73-10. In that game, quarterback Jarod Neal completed 18 of his 27 passes and threw for 249 yards and six touchdowns. Receiver Caylon Weathers also had a huge game, catching five passes for 105 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, UTM had 496 yards of total offense and scored a total 10 touchdowns.

However, the Skyhawks will be without star linebacker Nick Dance, who suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the Bethel game. Sophomore James Cotton and freshman James Gilleyland are expected to replace Dance’s spot at linebacker. UTM will also be without receiver Kyle Kerrick, who is expected to miss five to six weeks due to injury.

At his weekly Monday press conference, UTM head coach Jason Simpson had this to say about their upcoming opponent.

“In my ten years this is by far the most talented OVC team that we’ve ever faced,” Simpson said. “Outstanding, well coached, and great players.”

Coach Simpson also talked about the talented Gamecock defense.

“I would say that’s one of the top FCS defenses in the country, and you probably could throw them in a bunch of FBS conferences and they’d match up as well, too.”

The Skyhawks will host No. 1 Jacksonville State at 2 p.m Saturday, Sept. 26 at Hardy Graham Stadium. The game will be available on ESPN3 and on the WatchESPN app.