Jacksonville State received its first Convention USA championship in solely its second 12 months enjoying FBS soccer. Now the chief and architect of this system’s transition from the FCS stage is off to West Virginia.
The Gamecocks will transfer ahead with out Wealthy Rodriguez and face Ohio in a battle of convention champions on the Remedy Bowl on Friday afternoon in Orlando.
Offensive coordinator Rod Smith was named the interim coach for the bowl recreation for Jacksonville State (9-4). Rodriguez was scooped up by a West Virginia program that he led from 2001-07.
Mid-American Convention champion Ohio (10-3) is in the same place, as coach Tim Albin left for a similar job at Charlotte. The Bobcats tapped their offensive coordinator, Brian Smith, as interim head coach.
Though Rodriguez has left, the Gamecocks have achieved a lot value celebrating. Rodriguez took over this system in 2022 because it ready to maneuver as much as the FBS stage. The Gamecocks captured the Atlantic Solar title that 12 months, ending 9-2, then went 9-4 of their inaugural FBS season in 2023 and received the New Orleans Bowl.
This season, an eight-game profitable streak propelled them to the highest of the CUSA standings. Jacksonville State misplaced 19-17 to Western Kentucky within the regular-season finale however bought a significant dose of revenge when the 2 groups met six days later within the convention championship recreation.
Tre Stewart rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns whereas quarterback Tyler Huff added 176 passing yards, 167 dashing yards and three complete TDs in Jacksonville State’s 52-12 victory.
“Keep the course, all the time believing the place you got here from or the place you are at,” senior defensive finish J-Rock Swain mentioned postgame. “We had quite a lot of guys getting within the portal, quite a lot of guys coming from the portal, however we nonetheless bought to remain the course. And all people believed.”
The Gamecocks have the No. 2 dashing offense in FBS at 267.3 yards per recreation. Stewart racked up 1,604 yards and 23 touchdowns and Huff contributed 1,343 yards and 14 TDs on the bottom along with 2,179 yards and 13 touchdowns passing. He was named Convention USA MVP and Newcomer of the 12 months.
The Bobcats ranked No. 12 nationally in dashing offense and No. 1 within the MAC at 211.5 yards per recreation. Anthony Tyus III has run for 1,111 yards and 9 touchdowns, whereas quarterback Parker Navarro has added 943 yards and 15 touchdowns on the bottom.
By beating Miami (Ohio) 38-3 within the convention title recreation, Ohio reached 10 wins for the third season in a row. Profitable the Remedy Bowl would give Ohio the primary 11-win season in program historical past.
Almost about the switch portal, Brian Smith mentioned final week he anticipated full participation from his roster within the bowl recreation, however “with that situation, you by no means know.”
“Probably the most unlucky factor was the workers, gamers, you did not actually get an opportunity to have a good time the (MAC title recreation) win fairly the way in which you wished to, with the (teaching) change as quickly because it occurred,” he mentioned. “In order that was the one factor that was unlucky. The factor with our children is that they’re wonderful and so they’re resilient, in order that they’ve bounced again extraordinarily nicely.”
–Subject Stage Media