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RICHMOND, Ky. – The Eastern Kentucky University football team beat No. 2 Jacksonville State University, 49-37, on a cold Saturday night at Roy Kidd Stadium. The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak for the visiting Gamecocks.

The win was the first for EKU over a top-five FCS team since the No. 2 ranked Colonels beat No. 1 Middle Tennessee State on Oct. 7, 1990, 10-7.

EKU sophomore quarterback #T.J. Pryor threw for two touchdowns and ran for one while fellow sophomore Orlandus Harris# totaled 205 receiving yards on four catches and scored twice.

Eastern (4-5, 3-2 OVC) out-gained Jacksonville State (8-1, 5-1 OVC) 178 to 28 on the ground. JSU totaled 465 yards through the air including 328 in the second half after falling behind by 18 points. EKU compiled 244 passing yards.

Jacksonville State’s Marques Ivory completed 30-of-49 passes for 444 yards and three touchdowns. The completions, pass attempts and passing yardage are all school records for the Gamecocks. Jeffrey Cameron caught 10 passes for 190 yards and one touchdown.

The first half ended with a flurry of scoring as the two teams combined for 21 points in the final four minutes before intermission. With Jacksonville State leading 10-7, Harris caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Pryor on 3rd-and-7 with 3:57 remaining in the second quarter. After forcing JSU to punt, the Colonels went to the air on 3rd-and-7 again, this time with 50 seconds on the clock. On a reverse pass, wide receiver Justin Williams connected with Harris down the right sideline for a 76-yard scoring pass. The extra point gave EKU a 21-10 lead.

The Gamecocks drove 76 yards in 46 seconds to close the gap back to four points. Ivory completed passes of 36 and 24 yards on the drive. He then capped the drive with a one-yard scoring run.

The high rate of scoring continued into the third quarter as the two teams combined for 35 more points. A three-yard touchdown run by junior #H.B. Banjoman and a 34-yard fumble return for a touchdown by sophomore Robert Knowles in a span of 17 seconds allowed Eastern to build a 35-17 lead. The Gamecocks added seven to their side of the scoreboard but junior Jeremy Caldwell# answered with an 86-yard kick-off return for a 42-24 Colonel advantage. JSU scored with 5:21 left in the third to cut the deficit back to 11 points.

Pryor put the game away with a two-yard rushing score with 7:09 left in the game. Jacksonville State added a touchdown with just over five minutes to go but would get no closer.

EKU junior linebacker Tyson Patrick finished with a career-high nine tackles and 2.5 sacks for the Colonels.

After playing two straight at home, the Colonels hit the road next Saturday, Nov. 6 to face Tennessee Tech. Kickoff in Cookeville, Tenn., is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. ET.

NOTES
--The two teams combined for 915 yards of total offense.

--The top three teams in the Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS poll lost on Saturday. Georgia Southern beat No. 1 Appalachian State, EKU knocked off No. 2 Jacksonville State and Rhode Island beat third ranked Villanova.

--Eastern Kentucky has held four of its five OVC opponents to less than 100 yards rushing this season. JSU had a season-low 28 yards rushing.

--Jacksonville State had allowed only three points combined in its last two games. EKU’s 49 points were the most allowed by the Gamecocks this season. JSU allowed 48 points in a double-overtime win at Ole Miss.

--Jacksonville State entered the game having allowed just four sacks all season. The Colonels sacked the Gamecocks four times on Saturday.

--Justin Williams’ second quarter 76-yard touchdown pass was his first collegiate pass attempt.

--Robert Knowles’ fumble return for a touchdown in the third quarter marked the first fumble return for a touchdown since Steven Cassell accomplished the feat at N.C. State on Sept. 17, 2005.

--Jeremy Caldwell had his second kick-off return for a touchdown of the season in the third quarter.

--Orlandus Harris recorded his third career 100-yard receiving game, finishing with 205 yards. He is the first Colonel to finish with 200 or more receiving yards in a game since Andre Ralston had 211 yards against Southeast Missouri on Oct. 18, 2003.

--EKU needs two more league victories to reach the 300 milestone. The Colonels are now 298-116-7 all-time in the Ohio Valley Conference.

-- Jacksonville State had the longest active winning streak in the FCS at 12 straight. JSU also had the longest active road winning streak in the FCS at nine straight.

--Tyrone Goard's first quarter touchdown catch was the No. 1 play on ESPN's SportsCenter Saturday night.