Lynchburg, VA – Stewart makes it back-to-back 200-yard games, and Jax State goes on the road to down CUSA favorite Liberty for fifth consecutive win.
Jax State enters the final month of the regular season in firm control of its Conference USA destiny following a 31-21 victory over defending champion and preseason favorite Liberty on Wednesday night.
The Williams Stadium crowd was treated to a record-setting rushing effort by the Gamecocks’ Tre Stewart.
The senior became just the second player in Jax State history to surpass 200 yards in consecutive games, scoring all four touchdowns while piling up 232 yards as the Gamecocks (5-3, 4-0 CUSA) remained tied with Western Kentucky atop the conference standings.
“This is big, just because, one, they haven’t got beat here in a long time,” Jax State coach Rich Rodriguez said. “And two, they were the favorites coming into the league to win the championship.”
The outcome wasn’t secure until cornerback Geimere Lattimer stepped in front of a Liberty pass and returned it to the Flames’ 2-yard line with two minutes remaining. Stewart plunged into the end zone for the fourth time with 1:59 left, giving him 12 touchdowns in four games and 16 on the year.
Stewart’s 232 yards was the fifth-highest single-game total in school history.
Quarterback Tyler Huff added 130 yards on 20 carries, the bulk of his yards coming in the second half.
Stewart piled up 127 yards on six carries in the first quarter. His 190 first-half yards made him only the second player in CUSA history to rush for that many yards in a single half.
Rodriguez called Stewart’s performance “phenomenal” and Jax State’s blocking on point.
“Our line did a good job of pressing up front,” Rodriguez said. “We continue to block on the perimeter really well. I mean, our tight ends and wideouts take a lot of pride in that.
“That was probably the key to it.”
The Flames went to work quickly, driving 62 yards in only five plays after their defense forced a Jax State punt on the game’s first series. Vaughn Blue scored on a 25-yard run, and Colin Karhu added the extra point at the 10:43 mark for a 7-0 Liberty lead.
That lead lasted 13 seconds. Following a touchback, Stewart broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run — the Gamecocks’ longest rushing play this season — and Garrison Rippa’s extra point tied it 7-7.
Stewart’s second score gave Jax State its first lead. He reeled off gains of nine and 16 yards before Huff completed his first pass, a 15-yarder to P.J. Wells with 11:21 to go in the second quarter, down to Liberty’s 28.
Stewart swept around the left side on the next play for a 28-yard touchdown run, and Rippa tacked on his second extra point as the Gamecocks went in front 14-7.
Liberty answered with a time-consuming, 75-yard, 12-play drive on its next possession to tie the game at 14-all at the 4:16 mark, which was how the first half ended.
Jax State regained the lead for good, 17-14, on Rippa’s 25-yard field goal in the third quarter.
Liberty’s decision to eschew a tying field goal attempt and go for it on fourth-and-1 at Jax State’s 18 proved fatal to the Flames’ comeback hopes. Quarterback Kaidon Salter fumbled the snap, and Jax State’s J-Rock Swain came away with the key recovery, giving the Gamecocks possession with less than six minutes on the clock.
Lattimer’s interception in the waning moments wrapped up the Gamecocks’ fifth straight win.
Five Gamecock defenders had at least seven tackles, led by Antonio Carter with nine, including a team-high six solo stops. Reginald Hughes and Fred Perry had eight each, and Hale and Ky’won McCray had seven.
One sore point for Jax State was penalties. The Gamecocks had 12 for 115 yards, some that helped sustain Liberty drives.
“I was really disappointed,” Rodriguez said. “We had so many penalties, and I have to watch the film, but it was killing us on both sides of the ball, so we got to clean that up, but the effort was outstanding.”
Jax State travels to Ruston, La., to take on Louisiana Tech (3-5, 2-3) on Nov. 9. It will be the Gamecocks’ first game on a Saturday in a 50-day span.
