JSU v. Tennessee State: Post-Game Thoughts

A dramatic win for the Gamecocks today.  Here are a few observations:

*Down goes Frazier:  The Gamecocks beat a very good 7-0 football team today.  Need to look up to see when the last time JSU beat an undefeated team this late in the season.

*Nice to have a visiting crowd:  TSU bought a large contingent of fans and a great band.  It would be great if other teams in the league did the same.

*Redemption.  Last week was not a great week for M. Ivory and G. Thomas. There was no hangover.  Ivory completed 11-17 with no interceptions or fumbles against a very good defense.  G. Thomas hit his second game winner of the season!

*Great 2nd Half by the Defense:  The defense played an outstanding second half.  After giving up 21 in the first half, JSU only surrendered 7 in the second half.  The pressure on TSU's quarterback in the second part of the game was remarkable.  Mike Whittier, Dimetrio Tyson and Jordan Jackson among others were applying the pressure.

*Gamecocks overcome back to back turnovers:  In the 4th quarter the Gamecocks were driving to take the lead 2 times. Both drives ended in turnovers, one a Washaun Ealey fumble and the second a Coty Blanchard pick.  Washaun said that he saw a hole, got excited and momentarily took his eyes off of the ball. Coty said that he misread the coverage and if he would have checked down he would have hit a wide open receiver. Despite the int., Coty was tough all day and was really hurting TSU with his legs.

*Miles Jones loses his shirt.  With the game on the line and Coot and Buster injured, the Gamecocks elected to play freshman running back Miles Jones for the first time this season.  Coach Crowe is confident that they can get Jones enough work for the remainder of the season to justify the decision.

*Pick City.   After not getting any interceptions in the first half of the season, they seem to be coming in droves.  Spiderman had one and the freshman phenom, Junior Hough, had another.

*31-28.  For the second straight week, JSU played to a 31-28 game.  It's nice to be on the winning end of it.

*He's Back.  For the 2nd straight week, Washaun Ealey eclipsed 100 yards rushing with a workman like performance.  Ealey is also showing NFL Scouts that he can catch, totalling 82 receiving yards on the day. The Voice said in pre-game that Ealey had been banged up all year and was finally healthy.

*What Can Brown do for you.  TSU had so much respect for kick return Telvin "Downtown" Brown (his nickname at Carrollton high school) that they twice went with a high short kick to an up man.  I wish JSU would put another returner at that up spot to make teams think twice about that strategy.

*Ben Endress.  That's all I've got to say about that.

*Gamecocks overcome injuries.  This win was all the more impressive considering the number of players out with injuries.  Pope and Ivory were injured during the game.  JSU was also missing dynamic wide receivers, Gabriel Chambers and Markis Merrill, DL Martez House and  cornerback Francis Duncan.