2014 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team

The 2014 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team represented Jacksonville State University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by first-year head coach John Grass and played their home games at Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium. They were a member of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). Jacksonville State finished the season 10–2 overall and 8–0 in OVC play to win the conference championship. They received the OVC's automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs, where they lost in the second round to Sam Houston State.

2014 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football
OVC champion
FCS Playoffs Second Round, L 26–37 vs. Sam Houston State
Conference	Ohio Valley Conference
Ranking
Sports Network	No. 9
FCS Coaches	No. 9
2014 record	10–2 (8–0 OVC)
Head coach	John Grass (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	David Blackwell (1st season)
Co-defensive coordinator	Brandon Hall (1st season)
Home stadium	JSU Stadium (Capacity: 24,000)

2014 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 9 Jacksonville State $^		8	–	0					10	–	2
No. 21 Eastern Kentucky ^		6	–	2					9	–	4
UT Martin		5	–	3					6	–	6
Eastern Illinois		5	–	3					5	–	7
Tennessee Tech		4	–	4					5	–	7
Tennessee State		3	–	5					6	–	6
SE Missouri State		3	–	5					5	–	7
Murray State		1	–	7					3	–	9
Austin Peay		1	–	7					1	–	11
$ – Conference champion ^ – FCS playoff participant Rankings from The Sports Network poll

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
August 29	6:30 PM	at No. 8 (FBS) Michigan State*	No. 6	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI	BTN	L 7–45	75,127
September 6	5:00 PM	at Chattanooga*	No. 9	Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN		W 26–23 ^OT	14,285
September 20	3:00 PM	West Alabama*	No. 9	JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL	WJXS	W 45–34	18,912
September 27	6:00 PM	at Murray State	No. 8	Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY	OVCDN	W 52–28	10,897
October 4	3:00 PM	Tennessee–Martin	No. 8	JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL	WJXS	W 38–14	15,944
October 11	2:00 PM	at No. 25 Tennessee State	No. 8	Hale Stadium Nashville, TN	ESPN3	W 27–20	5,849
October 25	3:00 PM	Tennessee Tech	No. 6	JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL	WJXS	W 49–3	14,874
November 1	3:00 PM	Austin Peay	No. 5	JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL	WJXS	W 56–0	17,952
November 8	12:00 PM	at No. 16 Eastern Kentucky	No. 4	Roy Kidd Stadium Richmond, KY	OVCDN	W 20–6	9,400
November 15	3:00 PM	Eastern Illinois	No. 3	JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL	ESPN3	W 27–20	14,925
November 22	1:00 PM	at SE Missouri State	No. 4	Houck Stadium Cape Girardeau, MO	OVCDN	W 49–30	2,201
December 6	1:00 PM	No. 19 Sam Houston State*	No. 3	JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL (FCS Playoffs Second Round)	ESPN3	L 26–37	10,832
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll released prior to game Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

• Source: Schedule

Game summaries

@ Michigan State

Jacksonville State @ Michigan State

1 2 3 4 Total #6 Gamecocks 0 0 7 0 7 • #8 Spartans 21 17 7 0 45 Date: August 29 Location: Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI Game start: 6:30 PM CDT Game attendance: 75,127 Television network: BTN

See also: 2014 Michigan State Spartans football team

In their first game of the season, the Gamecocks lost, 45–7 to the Michigan State Spartans.[1]

@ Chattanooga

Jacksonville State @ Chattanooga

1 2 3 4 OT Total • #9 Gamecocks 7 10 3 0 6 26 Mocs 7 7 3 3 3 23 Date: September 6 Location: Finley Stadium Chattanooga, TN Game start: 5:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 14,285

See also: 2014 Chattanooga Mocs football team

In their second game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 26–23, in overtime, over the Chattanooga Mocs.[2]

West Alabama

West Alabama @ Jacksonville State

1 2 3 4 Total Tigers 7 7 0 20 34 • #9 Gamecocks 7 17 14 7 45 Date: September 20 Location: JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL Game start: 3:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 18,912 Television network: WJXS

See also: West Alabama Tigers football

In their third game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 45–34 over the West Alabama Tigers.[3]

@ Murray State

Jacksonville State @ Murray State

1 2 3 4 Total • #8 Gamecocks 21 14 10 7 52 Racers 14 14 0 0 28 Date: September 27 Location: Roy Stewart Stadium Murray, KY Game start: 6:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 10,897 Television network: OVCDN

See also: 2014 Murray State Racers football team

In their fourth game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 52–28 over the Murray State Racers.[4]

Tennessee–Martin

Tennessee–Martin @ Jacksonville State

1 2 3 4 Total Skyhawks 0 7 0 7 14 • #8 Gamecocks 7 14 0 17 38 Date: October 4 Location: JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL Game start: 3:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 15,944 Television network: WJXS

In their fifth game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 38–14 over the Tennessee–Martin Skyhawks.[5]

@ Tennessee State Tigers

Jacksonville State @ Tennessee State

1 2 3 4 Total • #8 Gamecocks 6 7 14 0 27 #25 Tigers 3 0 17 0 20 Date: October 11 Location: Hale Stadium Nashville, TN Game start: 2:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 5,849 Television network: ESPN3

See also: 2014 Tennessee State Tigers football team

In their sixth game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 27–20 over the Tennessee State Tigers.[6]

Tennessee Tech

Tennessee Tech @ Jacksonville State

1 2 3 4 Total Golden Eagles 3 0 0 0 3 • #6 Gamecocks 0 35 7 7 49 Date: October 25 Location: JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL Game start: 3:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 14,874 Television network: WJXS

See also: 2014 Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles football team

In their seventh game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 49–3 over the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles.[7]

Austin Peay

Austin Peay @ Jacksonville State

1 2 3 4 Total Governors 0 0 0 0 0 • #5 Gamecocks 28 7 14 7 56 Date: November 1 Location: JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL Game start: 3:00 PM CDT Game attendance: 17,952 Television network: WJXS

See also: 2014 Austin Peay Governors football team

In their eighth game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 56–0 over the Austin Peay Governors.[8]

@ Eastern Kentucky

Jacksonville State @ Eastern Kentucky

1 2 3 4 Total • #4 Gamecocks 3 7 0 10 20 #16 Colonels 0 3 3 0 6 Date: November 8 Location: Roy Kidd Stadium Richmond, KY Game start: 12:00 PM CST Game attendance: 9,400 Television network: OVCDN

See also: 2014 Eastern Kentucky Colonels football team

In their ninth game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 20–6 over the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.[9]

Eastern Illinois

Eastern Illinois @ Jacksonville State

1 2 3 4 Total Panthers 7 0 10 3 20 • #3 Gamecocks 7 13 0 7 27 Date: November 15 Location: JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL Game start: 3:00 PM CST Game attendance: 14,925 Television network: ESPN3

See also: 2014 Eastern Illinois Panthers football team

In their tenth game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 27–20 over the Eastern Illinois Panthers.[10]

@ Southeast Missouri State

Jacksonville State @ Southeast Missouri State

1 2 3 4 Total • #4 Gamecocks 21 7 14 7 49 Redhawks 7 3 14 6 30 Date: November 22 Location: Houck Stadium Cape Girardeau, MO Game start: 1:00 PM CST Game attendance: 2,201 Television network: OVCDN

See also: 2014 Southeast Missouri State Redhawks football team

In their eleventh game of the season, the Gamecocks won, 49–30 over the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks.[11]

Sam Houston State–FCS Playoffs Second Round

Sam Houston State @ Jacksonville State

1 2 3 4 Total • #19 Bearkats 7 17 13 0 37 #3 Gamecocks 14 12 0 0 26 Date: December 6 Location: JSU Stadium Jacksonville, AL Game start: 1:00 PM CST Elapsed time: 2:26 Game attendance: 10,832 Game weather: Temperature: 65 • Wind: WNW 10 • Weather: Scattered Showers Referee: Greg Sujack Television network: ESPN3

See also: 2014 Sam Houston State Bearkats football team

In their twelfth game of the season, the Gamecocks lost, 37–26 to the Sam Houston State Bearkats in their 2014 FCS Second Round playoff game.[12]

Ranking movements

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	Final
Sports Network	6	9	9	9	8	8	8	6	6	5	4	3 (13)	4 (10)	3 (14)	9
Coaches	8	9	8	8	8	8	8	7	7	5	4	3 (2)	3 (1)	2 (1)	9

References

1. "Connor Cook throws 3 TDs despite injury scare in Michigan State rout". Associated Press. August 29, 2014. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
2. "Jacksonville State tops Chattanooga in OT 26-23". Associated Press. September 6, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
3. "Jacksonville State defeats West Alabama 45-34". Associated Press. September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
4. "Jacksonville State beats Murray State 52-28". Associated Press. September 27, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
5. "Jacksonville State blasts UT-Martin 38-14". Associated Press. October 4, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
6. "Jacksonville State beats Tennessee State 27-20". Associated Press. October 11, 2014. Retrieved October 12, 2014.
7. "Jacksonville State blows out Tennessee Tech 49-3". Associated Press. October 25, 2014. Retrieved October 26, 2014.
8. "Jacksonville State dominates Austin Peay 56-0". Associated Press. November 1, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2014.
9. "Jacksonville State tops Eastern Kentucky 20-6". Associated Press. November 8, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
10. "Jacksonville State beats Eastern Illinois 27-20". Associated Press. November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
11. "Jenkins, Jacksonville State top SE Missouri 49-30". Associated Press. November 22, 2014. Retrieved November 23, 2014.
12. "Sam Houston State wins 37-26 in FCS playoffs". Associated Press. December 6, 2014. Retrieved December 7, 2014.