WKU’s high-powered offense felt flat Tuesday night, especially in the second half, as the Hilltoppers fell 20-17 to the Jacksonville State Gamecocks.
Graduate quarterback Austin Reed played below his superstar status against the Gamecocks. Reed threw for 250 yards, which is his lowest mark since Ohio State, and an interception.
Redshirt junior linebackers Devon Lynch and Kylan Guidry were the dominant forces on the Hilltopper defense that held the Gamecocks to 20 points. The pair combined for 17 tackles in the loss.
WKU controlled the first quarter. Despite back-to-back punts between the two squads right after kickoff, 120 combined yards in the period from quarterback Austin Reed aided the Hilltoppers to a 10-0 lead at the end of one.
JVST got things going in the second quarter. WKU struggled to stop Gamecock quarterback Zion Webb on the ground, as he ran for 106 yards and a touchdown in the quarter, helping JVST outscore the Hilltoppers 10-7 in the 15-minute period. However, the offenses stalled out late in the second. Three combined punts led to the end of the first half with the Hilltoppers up 17-10.
The third quarter was dominated by defense. A combined six punts were forced along with three turnovers in the 15 minutes leading to a scoreless third. WKU’s lone highlight of the period came from defensive back Anthony Johnson Jr. when he got up and took the ball out of the sky for a pick late in the third.
The scoring drought carried over into the fourth quarter as both teams failed to score within the first 10 minutes. However, JVST got back into an offensive groove late in the fourth, The Gamecocks scored 10 points in the final five minutes to take home the victory against WKU.
SCORING SUMMARY
WKU drove the ball 53 yards on eight plays to draw first blood after a Jacksonville State three-and-out, 7-0.
WKU capitalized on a JVST three-and-out with a 13 play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a Lucas Carneiro field goal, 10-0.
Fueled by 42 rushing yards from Gamecock quarterback Zion Webb, JVST took the ball 75 yards on 11 plays to cut the Hilltopper lead to three, 10-7.
Following a crazy play where Reed threw a pick, but the Hilltoppers got the ball back with a fumble on the same sequence, WKU jumped back to a 10-point lead with Reed’s second touchdown of the night, 17-7.
JVST responded to the Hilltoppers second touchdown of the night with three, 17-10.
Following a 25-minute scoring drought, the Gamecocks tied the ballgame up on a 91-yard touchdown drive, 17-17.
The Gamecocks sealed the victory with a field goal at the buzzer, 20-17.
WKU looks to bounce back on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at home against the Liberty Flames.
Football reporter Jake McMahon can be reached at [email protected].
