Jacksonville State Gamecocks football

For information on all Jacksonville State University sports, see Jacksonville State Gamecocks.

Not to be confused with Jackson State Tigers football.

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 Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Conference USA. Jacksonville State's first football team was fielded in 1904. The team plays its home games at the 24,000-seat AmFirst Stadium in Jacksonville, Alabama.^[3]

Jacksonville State Gamecocks football
2025 Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team
First season	1904; 121 years ago
Athletic director	Greg Seitz
Head coach	Charles Kelly 1st season, 0–0 (–)
Stadium	AmFirst Stadium (capacity: 22,500)
Field surface	Turf
Location	Jacksonville, Alabama
NCAA division	Division I FBS
Conference	Conference USA
All-time record	621–423–39 [1] (.591)
Bowl record	1–1 (.500)
Claimed national titles	1 NCAA Division II (1992)
Conference titles	25
Rivalries	Troy (rivalry) Kennesaw State
Colors	Red and white[2]
Marching band	Marching Southerners
Website	JaxStateSports.com

On November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join Conference USA (C-USA) of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) beginning with the 2023 season.^[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 their nickname changed to the Fighting Gamecocks.

Jacksonville State joined the NCAA in 1973, and played at the NCAA Division II level from 1973 to 1994. In 1995, the team moved up to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and competed in the Southland Conference from 1996 to 2002 before moving to the Ohio Valley Conference from 2003 to 2020. Jacksonville State University planned to leave the Ohio Valley Conference for the ASUN Conference in July 2021, with the team temporarily competing in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC)'s "ASUN–WAC Challenge" partnership league.^[5] However, a few months later on November 5, 2021, the school accepted an invitation to join FBS Conference USA (C-USA) beginning with the 2023 season.^[4]

Classifications

• NAIA (1966–1969)
• NAIA Division I (1970–1981)
• NCAA Division II (1973–1994)
• NCAA Division I FCS (1995–2022)
• NCAA Division I FBS (2023–)

Conference affiliations

• Independent (1904–1937)
• Alabama Intercollegiate Conference (1938–1949)
• Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (1938–1940)
• Independent (1950–1959)
• Alabama Collegiate Conference (1960–1969)
• Mid-South Athletic Conference (1970–1971)
• Gulf South Conference (1972–1992)
• Division II Independent (1993–1995)
• Southland Conference (1996–2002)
• Ohio Valley Conference (2003–2020)
• ASUN–WAC Challenge (2021)
• ASUN Conference (2022)
• Conference USA (2023 and beyond)

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. In 1992, the Gamecocks defeated Pittsburg State 17–13, reversing the results in a rematch of their 1991 championship game.

Season	Coach	Selector	Record
1992	Bill Burgess	NCAA Division II	12–1–1

Conference championships

Jacksonville State has won 25 conference championships, 18 outright and four shared.

Season	Conference	Coach	Overall record	Conference record
1962†	Alabama Collegiate Conference	Don Salls	4–3–2	3–0–1
1963†			4–4–1	3–0–1
1964			4–4–1	3–0
1965		Jim Blevins	7–2	3–0
1966			8–2	3–0
1970	Mid-South Conference	Charley Pell	10–0	5–0
1974	Gulf South Conference	Clarkie Mayfield	7–4	7–1
1977		Jim Fuller	11–3	7–1
1978			7–3	6–1
1981			8–3	6–0
1982			10–2	7–0
1988†		Bill Burgess	10–2	7–1
1989			13–1	8–0
1991			12–1	6–0
1992			12–1–1	5–0–1
2003	Ohio Valley Conference	Jack Crowe	8–4	7–1
2004			9–2	7–1
2011†			7–4	6–2
2014		John Grass	10–2	8–0
2015			13–2	8–0
2016			10–2	7–0
2017			10–2	8–0
2018			9–4	7–1
2020			10–3	6–1
2022	ASUN Conference	Rich Rodriguez	9–2	5–0
2024	Conference USA		9-4	7-1

† Co-championship

Bowl games

Jacksonville State has participated in ten bowl games, and has a record of 7–3. However, most of them are not Division I bowl games.^[6] Consequently, after joining Division I FBS, they participated in two bowl games, and have a record of 1–1.

Season	Coach	Bowl	Opponent	Result
1948	Don Salls	Paper Bowl†	Troy	W 19–0
1949	Don Salls	Paper Bowl†	West Alabama	W 12–7
1950	Don Salls	Paper Bowl†	Pensacola Naval Alumni	L 6–7
1955	Don Salls	Refrigerator Bowl†	Rhode Island	W 12–10
1966	Jim Blevins	Space City Classic†	Arkansas–Monticello	W 41–30
1970	Charley Pell	Orange Blossom Classic†	Florida A&M	W 21–7
1977	Jim Fuller	Grantland Rice Bowl†	North Dakota State	W 31–7
	Jim Fuller	Pioneer Bowl†	Lehigh	L 0–33
2023	Rich Rodriguez	New Orleans Bowl	Louisiana	W 34–31 OT
2024	Rod Smith	Cure Bowl	Ohio	L 27–30

† non-Division I bowl game

Playoff history

Division I-AA/FCS playoffs results

The Gamecocks have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs ten times, with an overall record of 7–10.

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
2020	First round Quarterfinals	Davidson Delaware	W 49–14 L 14–20

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,^[7] 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 this was one of the fiercest rivalries for both schools. The game has not been played since 2001, after Troy moved up to the FBS. Jacksonville State leads the series 32–29–2.^{[citation needed][when?]}

Notable former players

Notable alumni include:

• Orlando Adams (drafted by Philadelphia Eagles)
• Jesse Baker (drafted by Houston Oilers)
• Alan Bonner (drafted by Houston Texans)
• Dieter Brock (signed by Los Angeles Rams)
• A.J. Davis (signed by New Orleans Saints)
• Eric Davis (drafted by San Francisco 49ers)
• Casey Dunn (signed by Washington Redskins)
• Riley Green (country music singer, played quarterback)
• David Gulledge (drafted by Washington Redskins)
• Jaylen Hill (signed by Baltimore Ravens)
• Peter Little Horn (signed by Detroit Lions)
• Delvin Hughley (signed by Denver Broncos)
• Chris Landrum (signed by San Diego Chargers)
• Darrell Malone (drafted by Kansas City Chiefs)
• Keith McKeller (drafted by Buffalo Bills)
• Siran Neal (drafted by Buffalo Bills)
• Ryan Perrilloux (signed by New York Giants)
• Troymaine Pope (signed by Seattle Seahawks)
• Taureen Rhetta (signed by Kansas City Chiefs)
• David Robinson (drafted by Kansas City Chiefs)
• James Shaw (signed by Pittsburgh Steelers)
• Roc Thomas (signed by Minnesota Vikings)
• Mike Wallace (drafted by Cleveland Browns)
• Pierre Warren (signed by New Orleans Saints)
• Mark Word (signed by Cleveland Browns)
• Alvin Wright (signed by Los Angeles Rams)

Future non-conference opponents

Future non-conference opponents announced as of July 7, 2025.^[8]

2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031
at UCF	Eastern Kentucky	at UAB	UAB			Buffalo
at Georgia Southern	Georgia Southern		at Buffalo
Murray State	at Auburn
at Southern Miss