Jacksonville State Gamecocks football

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Jacksonville State Gamecocks football
2021 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team
Jacksonville State Gamecocks wordmark.svg
First season1904 (1904)
Athletic directorGreg Seitz
Head coachJohn Grass
8th season, 68–21 (.764)
StadiumBurgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium (Capacity: 24,000)
Field surfaceTurf
LocationJacksonville, Alabama
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceASUN Conference
All-time record534–392–40 (.573)
Claimed national titles1 (1992)(D-II)
Conference titles20
RivalriesSamford (rivalry)
Troy (rivalry)
ColorsRed and white[1]
   
Marching bandMarching Southerners
WebsiteJSUGamecockSports.com
For information on all Jacksonville State University sports, see Jacksonville State Gamecocks.

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Jacksonville State University (JSU) located in the U.S. state of Alabama. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the ASUN Conference. Jacksonville State's first football team was fielded in 1904. The team plays its home games at the 24,000-seat Burgess–Snow Field at JSU Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama. The Gamecocks are coached by John Grass.[2]

JSU will leave the OVC for the ASUN Conference in July 2021. While the ASUN does not currently sponsor football, it has committed to launching an FCS football league in the near future.[3] Until ASUN football is established, JSU will become a de facto associate member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), competing in a football partnership between the two leagues officially branded as the "ASUN–WAC Challenge".[4]

History[]

See also: List of Jacksonville State Gamecocks football seasons

Jacksonville State University's first football team, the Eagle Owls, was formed in the late 19th century. During the first half century of play, Troy University and Samford University became their rivals. Before the start of the 1947 season, not only did the team change their colors from blue and gold to red and white but the mascot changed to the Fighting Gamecocks.[5]

Classifications[]

  • NAIA (1966–1969)
  • NAIA Division I (1970–1981)
  • NCAA Division II (1973–1994)
  • NCAA Division I–AA/FCS (1995–present)

Conference affiliations[]

Championships[]

National championships[]

Jacksonville State has made four appearances in the NCAA Division II National Championship Game. The Gamecocks were defeated in their first three championship game appearances, losing 33–0 to Lehigh in 1977, 3–0 to Mississippi College in 1989 (later vacated), and 23–6 to Pittsburg State in 1991. The next year, the Gamecocks defeated Pittsburg State 17–13 in 1992, reversing the results in a rematch of their 1991 championship game.

Season Coach Selector Record
Bill Burgess NCAA Division II 12–1–1

Conference championships[]

Jacksonville State has won 22 conference championships, 17 outright and four shared.

Season Conference Coach Overall Record Conference Record
† Alabama Collegiate Conference Don Salls 4–3–2 ?
† Alabama Collegiate Conference Don Salls 4–4–1 ?
Alabama Collegiate Conference Don Salls 4–4–1 ?
Alabama Collegiate Conference 7–2 ?
Alabama Collegiate Conference Jim Blevins 8–2 ?
Mid-South Conference Charley Pell 10–0 5–0
Gulf South Conference Clarkie Mayfield 7–4 ?
Gulf South Conference Jim Fuller 11–3 ?
Gulf South Conference Jim Fuller 7–3 ?
Gulf South Conference Jim Fuller 8–3 6–0
Gulf South Conference Jim Fuller 10–2 7–0
† Gulf South Conference Bill Burgess 10–2 7–1
Gulf South Conference Bill Burgess 13–1 8–0
Gulf South Conference Bill Burgess 12–1 6–0
Gulf South Conference Bill Burgess 12–1–1 5–0–1
Ohio Valley Conference Jack Crowe 8–4 7–1
Ohio Valley Conference Jack Crowe 9–2 7–1
2011† Ohio Valley Conference Jack Crowe 7–4 6–2
2014 Ohio Valley Conference John Grass 10–2 8–0
2015 Ohio Valley Conference John Grass 13–2 8–0
2016 Ohio Valley Conference John Grass 10–2 7–0
2017 Ohio Valley Conference John Grass 10–2 8–0

† Co-championship

Division I-AA/FCS Playoffs results[]

The Gamecocks have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs nine times with an overall record of 6–9.

Year Round Opponent Result
2003 First Round Western Kentucky L 7–45
2004 First Round Furman L 7–49
2010 Second Round Wofford L 14–17
2013 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals		 Samford
McNeese State
Eastern Washington		 W 55–14
W 31–10
L 24–35
2014 Second Round Sam Houston State L 26–37
2015 Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Chattanooga
Charleston Southern
Sam Houston State
North Dakota State		 W 41–35 OT
W 58–38
W 62–10
L 10–37
2016 Second Round Youngstown State L 24–40
2017 Second Round Kennesaw State L 7–17
2018 First Round
Second Round		 East Tennessee State
Maine		 W 34–27
L 27–55

Division II Playoffs results[]

The Gamecocks have appeared in the Division II playoffs ten times with an overall record of 15–9. They were National Champions in 1992.

Year Round Opponent Result
1977 Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Northern Arizona
North Dakota State
Lehigh		 W 35–0
W 31–7
L 0–33
1978 Quarterfinals Delaware L 21–42
1980 Quarterfinals Cal Poly–SLO L 0–15
1981 Quarterfinals Southwest Texas State L 22–38
1982 Quarterfinals
Semifinals		 Northwest Missouri State
Southwest Texas State		 W 34–21
L 14–19
1988 First Round
Quarterfinals		 West Chester
Portland State		 W 63–24
L 13–20
1989 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Alabama A&M
North Dakota State
Angelo State
Mississippi College		 W 33–9
W 21–17
W 34–16
L 0–3
1990 First Round
Quarterfinals		 North Alabama
Mississippi College		 W 38–14
L 7–14
1991 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Winston–Salem State
Mississippi College
Indiana (PA)
Pittsburg State		 W 49–24
W 35–7
W 27–20
L 6–23
1992 First Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals
National Championship Game		 Savannah State
North Alabama
New Haven
Pittsburg State		 W 41–16
W 14–12
W 46–35
W 17–13

Rivalries[]

Samford[]

Main article: Jacksonville State–Samford football rivalry

This unnamed rivalry started in 1904[6] back when Jacksonville wore blue and gold as the Eagle Owls and Samford University was still named Howard College. Jacksonville State leads the series 23–21–2.[citation needed][when?]

Troy[]

Main article: Battle for the Ol' School Bell

Jacksonville State used to play Troy in the annual Battle for the Ol' School Bell. The schools first played in 1924 and was one of the fiercest rivalries for both schools. The game hasn't been played since 2001 after Troy joined the FBS. Jacksonville State leads the series 32–29–2.[citation needed][when?]

Notable former players[]

Notable alumni include:

Future non-conference opponents[]

Announced schedules as of April 11, 2020.[7] "Non-conference" reflects the present status of each game. Kennesaw State and North Alabama, already full ASUN members, will become part of the ASUN football league once it begins play.

2020 2021 2022 2023
at Florida International at Florida State at Tulsa vs Kennesaw State
at North Alabama vs North Alabama at North Alabama
vs Southeastern Louisiana at Eastern Washington

References[]

  1. ^ Jacksonville State University Style Guide & Identification Standards Manual (PDF). Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  2. ^ "Jacksonville State Historical Data". College Football Data Warehouse. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2014-02-11.
  3. ^ "ASUN Conference Announces Three New Institutions; Adds Football as 20th Sport" (Press release). ASUN Conference. January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  4. ^ "ASUN, WAC Conferences Announce Football Partnership for 2021" (Press release). ASUN Conference. February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  5. ^ http://www.jsu.edu/news/goodies/traditions/gamecocks.html
  6. ^ McCann, Stu (November 25, 2013). "JSU will host Samford in first round of FCS playoffs". WBMA.
  7. ^ "Jacksonville State Gamecocks Football Schedules and Future Schedules". fbschedules.com. Retrieved 2020-04-11.

External links[]

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