Football | September 29, 2018

FROM THE TOP   

• The Governors kept it tight with No. 8 Jacksonville State throughout the game, after posting a 9-0 first quarter lead, and trailing by just two points after the second and third quarters.

CAPTAINS/COIN TOSS

• Captains: Jaison Williams, Gunnar Scholato, Austin Maloata and Kyle Anderton
• Austin Peay won the toss and deferred to the second half
• The Governors have won four of five coin tosses in 2018

SERIES UPDATE                                                        

• Jacksonville State leads the series 20-6-3. The Gamecocks are 12-2-1 at home in the series.

OFFENSIVE SPARKS

• Jeremiah Oatsvall threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns passes on the day, both career highs. His four touchdown passes marked the first time a Gov has thrown for four scores in a single game since 2016.  
• He also rushed for 49 yards to account for 294 yards of total offense.
• DJ Montgomery caught two touchdown passes on the day: a 6-yarder in the first quarter and a 23-yarder in the third. They were his second and third touchdown receptions on the season, tying his mark from all of last year.
• On second touchdown reception, Montgomery secured his 20th catch of the season, eclipsing his total of 19 from last season.
• DeAngelo Wilson caught his third touchdown of the season on a 27-yard pass from Oatsvall in the third quarter.
• Tre Nation's 75-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter was his first-career touchdown reception.
• With 76 rushing yards in the first quarter, the Govs blew by the 57 yards rushing per game the Gamecocks allowed in their first three contests. The Govs finished the game with 143 yards on the ground, led by Kentel Williams' 54 yards on eight carries.
• Redshirt freshman Seth Johnson recorded his first start as a Governor, playing at left tackle.

DEFENSIVE STANDS

• The defense forced a three-and-out on JSU's first two possessions and forced a punt on their three first quarter possessions.
• On JSU's second possession of the second quarter, Govs corner Keawvis Cummings stripped JSU's Jamari Hester after an 11-yard reception. Gunnar Scholato recovered the loose ball for his fourth career fumble recovery.
• Malik Davis recorded his first-career interception after reeling in a tipped pass in the third quarter.
• The Govs defense has forced a turnover in all five games this season, and recorded an interception in four consecutive contests.
• It marked the second straight game the Governors have forced multiple turnovers.
• Juantarius Bryant and Gunnar Scholato each posted nine total tackles to tie for the team lead: all nine of Bryant's were solo, while Scholato had eight solo stop.

SPECIAL TEAMS SPRINTS                   

• Logan Birchfield nailed a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, and hit another 34-yard attempt in the second quarter. It is the first time he's connected on multiple field goals in a game since last season's game at Murray State on Sept. 23.
• Devin Stuart's 65-yard punt in the third quarter came up one yard shy of his career long, but set a season long.
• Stuart punted eight times with an average of 46.5. He boomed three of 50-plus, and downed the 65-yard boot inside the 20.