Sam Houston State wins 37-26 in FCS playoffs

By foxsports
Published

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) Jared Johnson threw three touchdown passes and ran for another to lead Sam Houston State to a 37-26 victory over Jacksonville State in a second-round FCS playoff game Saturday.

Johnson connected on a 49-yard score with LaDarius Brown with 8:03 left in the third quarter for a 30-26 lead. Jalen Overstreet added an insurance score with a 33-yard run four minutes later.

Johnson completed 13 of 19 passes for 161 yards, also throwing another touchdown pass to Brown plus one to Keshawn Hill. Johnson also rushed for 85 yards and had a 10-yard scoring run for the Bearkats (10-4).

Connor Rouleau's 42-yard field goal as time ran out in the first half gave the Gamecocks (10-2) a 26-24 lead.

Eli Jenkins was 12-of-24 passing for JSU for 253 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. DeMarcus James rushed for 128 yards and a score. JSU had won 10 straight games.

With its victory over the third-seeded Gamecocks, Sam Houston State will now take on sixth-seeded Villanova in the quarterfinals. Villanova defeated Liberty 29-22 on Saturday.