Jackson State recap: Bethune-Cookman football 36, Tigers 15
Romando DixsonThe Jackson State Tigers took on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge in Atlanta.
True freshman quarterback Quincy Casey was named the starter for Jackson State. The decision was made in part because of disciplinary reasons, according to the ESPN2 broadcast team.
Here's the recap.
1st quarter: Jackson State 3-0
Jackson State took a 3-0 lead on the first drive of the game. Casey completed a deep pass, but he was injured on the 47-yard play. The Tigers settled for a field goal after a six-play, 60-yard drive.
Jackson State, led by Derrick Ponder, went three-and-out on the second drive.
Casey returned on the third drive of the game for Jackson State, and the Tigers went three-and-out.
Meanwhile, Jackson State's defense started out strong. The Tigers had five tackles for loss in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Jalon Jones, a transfer from Florida, led the Tigers on Jackson State's last drive of the first quarter, but he suffered an injury on a running play. Ponder stepped in again after Jones was injured.
2nd quarter: Jackson State 3-0
Ponder completed a pass of more than 40 yards to D.D. Bowie to put the Tigers in scoring position. But Adrian Salazar's field goal was no good. The holder bungled the hold on the kick; Salazar got off a kick but not cleanly.
On the ensuing drive, the Jackson State defense appeared to force a fumble and recovered it. But the play was overturned on a review.
Late in the first half, Salazar missed a long field goal.
Halftime: Jackson State 3-0.
ESPN2 interviewed Jackson State coach John Hendrick at halftime. He was asked about his defense's strong first-half performance.
"We're going to be sound," Hendrick said. "We're going to take away what you do best, and we're just going to be play and make sure we close everything down. That's what we do on defense.
"You know, we just got to be better when we get the ball and we matriculate the ball down the field on offense and take advantage of field position and making sure we score when we're in scoring position."
Jones, the transfer quarterback from Florida, didn't return to the game after he was hit on a running play in the first quarter. He was seen on the sideline with an ice pack near his waist.
Hendrick was asked if Jones would we return in the second half
"We'll see," he said, continuing to play coy with his quarterback situation, as he has during the lead up to the season.
He smirked and the interview ended.
3rd quarter: Bethune-Cookman 22-15
Jones started Jackson State's first drive of the third quarter. But it was Jordan Johnson who scored the Tigers' first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard run out of the wildcat formation.
The run gave the Tigers a 9-0 lead. The extra point was blocked.
Jones threw an interception, and it was returned for a touchdown, trimming Jackson State's lead to 9-7.
But Jones bounced back on the very next drive. He threw a touchdown pass to Warren Newman, giving Jackson State a 15-7 cushion. Jackson State missed the extra point.
This game is getting good, with 34 points combined in the third quarter.
Bethune-Cookman's Akevious Williams responded to Jones' touchdown pass with a 20-yard run on the ensuing drive, trimming Jackson State's lead to 15-14.
Bethune-Cookman intercepted Jones again on Jackson State's next drive, setting up the Wildcats in scoring position. Bethune-Cookman capitalized with a Williams touchdown pass. The Wildcats also converted the two-point conversion for a 22-15 lead.
Jones has now thrown two interceptions and fumbled, committing three turnovers in the Tigers' last four possessions.
4th quarter: Bethune Cookman 36-15
Bethune-Cookman has opened up a 29-15 lead early in the fourth quarter. Can Jackson State respond?
Nope.
Ponder scrambled for positive yards but fumbled inside the 5-yard line, and Bethune-Cookman returned the fumble for a touchdown for a 36-15 lead.
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