Posted: Oct 07, 2016
By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – After a thrilling overtime win over Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, the Tennessee Tech football team will load up the busses again and hit the road to take on one of its most daunting challenges of the season.
The Golden Eagles (2-3) face Football Championship Subdivision No. 3-ranked – and Ohio Valley Conference preseason favorite – Jacksonville State on Saturday.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Roger Ealey and Dylan Vazzano will provide broadcasting duties for the Golden Eagle Sports Network and KISS 98.5 FM. Kevin Ingram and Bob Belvin will be the broadcasters for the ESPN3 telecast.
As Tech enters the game with a 2-1 record in the OVC – currently third in the league behind undefeated Southeast Missouri (2-0) and Tennessee State (1-0) – Jacksonville State faces its first challenger as it tries to repeat as OVC champions for the third straight year.
And judging by the numbers, JSU (3-1) will be a formidable challenge on both sides of the ball. The Gamecocks are averaging 491.8 yards of offense per game – an impressive number considering that JSU's opponents include North Alabama, Louisiana State, Coastal Carolina and Liberty.
Quarterback Eli Jenkins is a double threat, leading JSU in both passing and rushing. Jenkins has rushed for 415 yards and four touchdowns on 69 carries, while also passing for 950 yards and five scores on a 69-for-125 performance. Jenkins is averaging 341.2 yards of total offense per game himself, serving as a one-man wrecking crew on defenses.
Jenkins has spread the wealth to 13 different receivers this season, with Krenwick Sanders leading the way with 11 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown and Roc Thomas with 11 catches for 151 yards and a score. Three other Gamecock wideouts have also broken the century mark this season.
Marlon Bridges has been the standout thus far for the JSU defense, collecting a total of 30 tackles, including 1.5 for-loss. He also has an interception, three pass break-ups, four passes defended and a fumble recovery – marking him as Public Enemy No. 1 for the Tech quarterback Michael Birdsong and the Golden Eagle receiving corps.
As a team, JSU has intercepted three passes and forced four fumbles. Inversely, the Gamecocks have had two passes picked off and two fumbles forced.
For the Golden Eagles, Birdsong continues to be the OVC's leading passer, throwing for 1,336 yards and nine touchdowns on 108-of-171 passing.
But Birdsong will have to pay extra attention in the pocket as JSU has 16 sacks this season for 96 yards. Tech has given up 21 sacks for 145 yards.
The Gamecocks have also been very stout on rush defense, holding opponents to under 100 yards rushing 65 times since joining the Football Championship Subdivision in 1995. Six of those games are against the Golden Eagles, who is averaging 99.8 rushing yards per game so far this season.
Yeedee Thaenrat leads the Tech rushers with 264 yards and two touchdowns on 86 totes, while Andrew Goldsmith has 103 yards on 21 carries.
Kip Patton leads the Golden Eagle receivers with 23 catches for 258 yards and one touchdown, while Dontez Byrd has 21 catches for 270 yards and two touchdowns.
Josh Poplar remains the top defender for Tech with 44 tackles, 1.5 tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles and fumble recoveries and a pass break-up.
