Jacksonville State runs over Sam Houston 62-10 in FCS semis

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Troymaine Pope ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns to punch Jacksonville State's ticket to the FCS Championship game, leading the Gamecocks in a 62-10 drubbing of Sam Houston State on Saturday afternoon in front of a record 23,692 fans at Burgess-Snow Field.

Eli Jenkins completed 17 of 23 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, and added 43 rushing yards and another score for the top-seeded Gamecocks (13-1). Josh Barge led in receiving with six receptions for 121 yards.

Jacksonville State will play in the FCS Championship January 9 in Frisco, Texas against four-time defending champion North Dakota State.

After unseeded Sam Houston State (9-4) fumbled the opening kickoff, Jenkins connected with Barge on a 28-yard toss to get Jacksonville State to the Bearkat 3-yard-line. Three plays later, Jenkins kept the ball on a read option and scored on a 1-yard run to put the Gamecocks up 7-0.

The Bearkats quickly ventured into Gamecock territory on the ensuing possession following a 27-yard pass from Briscoe to Yedidiah Louis, but a Briscoe fumble abruptly ended the series. Pope broke free for a 62-yard touchdown romp four plays later to double Jacksonville State's lead.

Sam Houston State lost three fumbles in the first quarter and trailed 17-0 by the end of the period.

Jacksonville State's lead ballooned in the second quarter thanks to touchdown runs from Pope and Miles Jones as well as a 12-yard pass from Jenkins to Ruben Gonzalez. Sam Houston State scored its only points of the game in the second quarter after Ladarius Brown recovered a Corey Avery fumble in the end zone. Tre Honshtein also booted a 51-yard field goal for the Bearkats in the closing seconds of the half.

Bearkats quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe had a dismal passing day, completing 13-of-42 for 130 yards and an interception. Corey Avery had 81 yards on 14 carries.