11/29/25 04:56:00
Printable Page
11/29 16:55 CST Jacksonville State beats Western Kentucky 37-34 to reach CUSA
championship game
Jacksonville State beats Western Kentucky 37-34 to reach CUSA championship game
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) --- Garrison Rippa kicked a 28-yard field goal as time
expired to send Jacksonville State to the Conference USA championship game with
a 37-34 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday.
The Gamecocks (8-4, 7-1) will host Kennesaw State in the championship game on
Friday.
Caden Creel led the Gamecocks from the JSU 39 to the WKU 11 over the final 4:18
to set up the winning kick.
Creel completed 12 of 19 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns and had 143
rushing yards including a score. Cam Cook added 137 yards rushing and a TD.
Cook entered the game with the second-most rushing yards in the FBS with 1,444.
Cook scored the first touchdown for Jacksonville, a 14-yard rush in the first
quarter. Western Kentucky (8-4, 6-2) responded with three straight scores to go
up 21-7 early in the second quarter. A kick from Rippa and a 2-yard reception
by Pearson Baldwin made it 21-17. Both teams scored another touchdown before
halftime.
Creel rushed for a 70-yard score in the third quarter to take the lead for the
Gamecocks.
Rodney Tisdale Jr. completed 17 of 24 passes for 180 yards for Western
Kentucky. La'Vell Wright ran for 116 yards and scored two touchdowns.
___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up
here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football:
https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and
https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
|
