Near-miss
- Updated: August 28, 2025
Jacksonville State leads Big 12 opponent UCF in fourth quarter, but Golden Knights come back to spoil Kelly’s debut as Gamecocks’ coach.
Editor’s note: Final stats from Jax State’s 17-10 loss at UCF can be found on this link.
By East Alabama Sports Today
ORLANDO, Fla. — Jacksonville State threatened to add the Big 12 Conference to its history of Power 4 conquests Thursday, but the Gamecocks were left to find the positives in Charles Kelly’s debut as their head coach.
Trayven Jackson’s 33-yard touchdown pass to D.J. Black with 1:03 to play proved to be the difference maker as Central Florida downed visiting Jax State 17-10 on Thursday in a game that saw a two-hour weather delay in the second quater.
The go-ahead score completed UCF’s comeback from a 10-3 deficit in the fourth quarter.
Andrew Paul’s 10-yard touchdown run put Jax State up 10-3 with 12:01 to play, but UCF responded with Jackson’s 39-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dylan Jackson to tie the game with 9:30 to play.
Jax State couldn’t convert on fourth down and one from UCF’s 36-yard line at 1:35, and UCF scored on Jackson’s pass to Black 32 seconds later.
The game marked Kelly’s first as a head coach. He was hired after Rich Rodrguez guided Jax State into FBS football over a successful three-season run.
Rodriguez left at the chance for his second stay as West Virginia’s head coach.
“We can build if we improve,” Kelly said. “Make no bones about it. We can in to win the game. That was our goal, to win the game, and these kids in this locker room are disappointed because that’s what they came here to do, and they prepared to do that.
“We just didn’t do the things that we had to do to win the game.”
The game saw Jax State safety Trequon Fegans lost to a targeting call in the second quarter. He sacked UCF quarterback Cam Fancher, forcing a fumble that on a play where he caused a fumble that Emmanuel Oyebadejo returned 28 yards for a touchdown, but the penalty negated the play.
Fegans sat out the rest of the game. Kelly called the targeting call a “good call,” since replays showed Fegans led with the crown of the helmet.
Trevor Woods drew a targeting call in the fourth quarter and will miss the first half of Jax State’s home opener against Liberty on Sept. 6.
A targeting call also ended the night for UCF’s Lewis Carter in the fourth quarter.
Kelly vehemently protested after Jackson’s go-ahead touchdown pass to Black but declined to elaborate in a postgame interview.
“I really can’t comment on it, because I don’t want to get us fined,” he said. “I didn’t agree with what went on, on the field.”
Jackson, who came on for Fancher after the hit from Fegans, completed 17 of 24 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns.
Jax State’s Gavin Whimsatt hit on 15 of 29 passes for 139 yards and one interception. He also rushed for 28 yards.
Running back Cam Cook had the biggest night for the Gamecocks, rushing for 75 yards on 17 carries and catching four passes for 43 yards.
Jax State entered the game as a 20.5-point underdog, according to betting lines.
“We put ourselves in some bad situations,” Kelly said. “We had too many presnap penalties that put us behind the chains. We had the targeting call early in the game, which cost us a touchdown. …
“The biggest thing about it is, you come in here and play a team with their quality and their coaching, you can’t give up explosive plays. You can’t have penalties. You’ve got to take care of the football, and we just didn’t do the things it took to win. What our focus is right now is improving on those things.”
Game updates
–Kickoff, 6 p.m.
–Jax State wins toss, defers.
FIRST QUARTER
–UCF starts at its 19-yard line.
UCF holds the ball 13 plays, but Jax State forces a punt from the JSU 49. O’Steen and Walker with a big stop on third down for a 7-yard loss.
–Jax State takes over on its 20.
Whimsatt converts fourth down and 8 with a pass to Baret Jr. to the UCF 39. … Jax State holds the ball 11 plays, punts UCF down to its 3.
–UCF takes over on its 3.
Fumble, and Jax State recovers at the 49.
SECOND QUARTER
–Jax State starts at its 49.
Jax State goes 3 and out, punts.
–UCF takes over at its 11.
Blitz, strip sack, fumble, and Prater recovers for a Jax State TD. Fegans with the sack and forced fumble. Play under review. Fegans called for targeting, disqualified for tackling with crown of helmet. No TD for Jax State, 15 yards and a UCF first down.
–Game is in weather delay.
–Play resumes at 8:55 p.m. Delay about two hours.
—UCF continues drive that started at its 11
A 17-play drive that started before 7 p.m. ends in a UCF punt at 9:05 p.m.
–Touchback, Jax State starts on its 20.
Gamecocks go 3 and out.
–UCF takes over on Jax State’s 46.
UCF goes 3 and out, punts.
–Jax State takes over on its 6.
Jax State drives 77 yards in 10 plays over 1:40, but Garrison Rippa’s FG attempt on the half’s final play is blocked.
HALFTIME: Jax State 0, UCF 0
THIRD QUARTER
–Jax State starts on its 16.
Cam Cook runs a fake punt 26 yards to the UCF 49. … A sack and a false start dooms the drive, and Jax State punts from its 37.
–UCF starts on its 21.
Tayven Jackson’a 64-yard completion to Myles Montgomery helps get UCF to Jax State’s 1, but a false start and incomplete pass relegates the Golden Knights to a 24-yard field goal from Venneri at 8:03: UCF 3, JAX STATE 0
–Jax State starts on its 25.
Backup QB Caden Creel throws a halfback pass to Cam Cook, who advances the ball to UCF’s 31. … Rippa on for a 42-yard FG attempt, and it’s good at 5:28: JAX STATE 3, UCF 3
–UCF starts on its 25.
UCF to punt from midfield.
–Jax State starts from its 16.
Cook runs for 24 yards to the Jax State 45. … Gavin Whimsatt completes to Brock Rechsteiner for 20 yards to the UCF 46, sets up fourth down and 1 as 3Q ends.
FOURTH QUARTER
–Jax State resumes on fourth and 1 at UCF’s 46.
Andrew Paul runs for a yard and a first down. … A Creel 14-yard run and Whimsatt’s 17-yard completion to Paul helps Jax State get to UCF 10, and Paul runs it in from there at 12:01 for Jax State’s first TD of the Charles Kelly era. Rippa kick is good. JAX STATE 10, UCF 3
–UCF starts on its 24.
Jackson passes to TE Dylan Wade for a 39-yard TD pass. PAT is good at 9:30. JAX STATE 10, UCF 10
–Jax State takes over on its 22.
Gamecocks go 3 and out, punt.
–UCF will start on its 30.
Ruellas attempts a 43-yard field goal, and its wide right with 4:08 to play.
–Jax State starts at its 25.
On third and 6 from Jax State 29, Whimsatt hits 26-yard pass ot Deondre Johnson. … UCF stops Jax State on fourth and 1 at the UCF 36.
–UCF starts on its 36.
Jackson rush up the middle for 15 yards to the JSU 49, and Trevor Woods called for targeting. First down at Jax State’s 34. … On third and 9 at the Jax State 33, Jackson throws a 33-yard TD pass to Black. PAT good at 1:03. UCF 17, JAX STATE 10
–Jax State starts on its 25.
Whimsatt throws an interception on fourth and 10.
FINAL: UCF WINS, 17-10.
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