Stewart’s record night keeps Gamecocks unbeaten in CUSA
10/30/2024
LYNCHBURG, Va. – 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 before a national TV audience Wednesday night.
The Williams Stadium crowd was treated to a record-setting rushing effort by the Gamecocks’ Tre Stewart.
The senior from Winston-Salem, N.C., 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 in CUSA) remained tied with Western Kentucky atop the conference standings.
The outcome wasn’t until cornerback Geimere Lattimer stepped in front of a Liberty pass and returned it to the Flames 2 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 the ground 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 alone. His 190 first-half yards made him only the second player in CUSA history to rush for that many yards in a single half.
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 exactly 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 PAT tied it at seven-all.
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 PJ 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 TD 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.
Jax State travels to Ruston, La., to take on Louisiana Tech (3-5, 2-3) on Saturday, Nov. 9. It will be the Gamecocks’ first game on a Saturday in a 50-day span.
Kickoff at Joe Aillet Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. with television coverage on CBS Sports Network.
Jacksonville State Head Coach
Rich Rodriguez
October 30, 2024
The Liberty Game
Opening Statement:
“We played really hard. I was really disappointed; 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. We didn’t throw the ball particularly well, but Tyler gritted it out. He wasn’t 100%, Tre Stewart was phenomenal, and it’s a great win on the road against pretty good team.”
On the Run Game:
“Our line did a good job of pressing up front. We continue to block on the perimeter really well. I mean, our tight ends and wide outs take a lot of pride in that. That was probably the key to it. And then again, we had some penalties on defense to allow some drives and continue and some other stuff. But they played hard and they made up their play when they had to on defense.”
On the Importance of the Win:
“This is big, just because, one, they haven’t got beat here in a long time. And two, they were the they were the favorites coming into the league to win the championship. We’ll enjoy it for a day, and then we got out in front of us. We won’t look too far ahead. We’ll look forward to the next one and try to get better.
Jax State Postgame Notes – Liberty
October 30, 2024 Williams Stadium Lynchburg, Va.
• JSU Captains: Redshirt senior wide receiver PJ Wells, redshirt senior linebacker Laletia Hall and senior punter Jack Dawson.
• Liberty won the opening coin toss and elect to defer.
• Jax State is the only CUSA team to have rushed for 300+ yards in a game this season; the Gamecocks have now accomplished the feat in four straight games.
• Jax State needs one win in its final four games to become bowl-eligible for a second year in a row.
• The victory over Liberty in its next game gives Jax State its first five-game win streak in a calendar year since 2018. The Gamecocks won three straight to end the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, then four in a row to start the Spring 2021 schedule.
• Jax State is 3-0 all-time at Williams Stadium and now leads the all-time series
• Tre Stewart was the first CUSA player to rush for at least 210 yards in back-to-back games since Old Dominion’s Ray Lawry did so in 2015.
• Stewart’s 75-yard TD run in the first quarter was Jax State’s longest rushing play of the season, surpassing Logan Smothers’ 72-yard run vs. New Mexico State on Oct. 9.
• With his 232-yard performance against Liberty, Stewart became the first Jax State back since Washaun Ealey in 2011 to rush for 100 or more yards in four consecutive games.
• Stewart is the second CUSA player since 2016 to rush for 190 yards in a half; Marquis Crosby of Louisiana Tech had 190 yards against Stephen F. Austin in a half in 2022.
• Stewart, who had 210 yards vs. Middle Tennessee a week earlier, joins Troymaine Pope (2015) as the only Gamecocks to run for better than 200 yards in back-to-back games.
• Hall of Famer Boyce Callahan (three times in 1970), Pope and Stewart are the only Gamecock backs with multiple 200-yard games in their careers.
• Jack Dawson punted five times for a 44.2-yard average. His 54-yard kick to Liberty’s 5 set up Lattimer’s game-clinching interception.
• Geimere Lattimer’s interception in the fourth quarter was the third of his career and second of 2024.
• Jax State joins Oregon in the 2024 Fiesta Bowl as the only teams to have a 100-yard rusher against the Flames since the start of 2023.
• Jax State snapped the Flames’ 12-game home win streak.
• The Gamecocks improve to 7-1 all-time in “Weekday CUSA” games, including 4-0 in 2024. Jax State is now 5-0 in games played on Wednesday since joining CUSA.
• Head coach Rich Rodriguez is 20-1 when the Gamecocks score 30 points or more. The only blemish came in a 37-34 double-OT loss at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 14.
• Rodriguez upped his record in October games to 10-2 during his Jax State tenure.
