Box Score Game Book (pdf)
Postgame Video
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – On a cold and overcast day, the Wofford football team defeated Jacksonville State 17-14 in a defensive battle at Burgess-Snow Field. The Terriers advance in the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the second time in the last four years. Eric Breitenstein scored twice for Wofford and set the school single-season rushing record with 1537 yards.
The Terriers, ranked sixth in the nation, are 10-2 on the season. The Gamecocks finish at 9-3 overall and were ranked eighth in the nation. The Terriers were led by Eric Breitenstein with 178 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Brenton Bersin added 70 receiving yards. Mike Niam was the leading tackler with 13. The Gamecocks were led by Darius Barksdale with 67 rushing yards and Alan Bonner with 58 receiving yards and a touchdown.
“We knew this was going to be a tough game,” said head coach Mike Ayers. “They have some outstanding athletes and are extremely well coached. The physicality of the team was very impressive. We have a group of kids that we knew would get after it and play hard. I felt like the game was one of those that everyone had a piece of the victory. We had some mistakes and we had some situations where we got beat. But the great thing is we were able to fight the fight and play the whole game. Our kids did a great job.”
Each team gained two first downs and the punted on the opening drives on the game. With the ball back, the Gamecocks drove down the field, but the 37-yard field goal attempt by James Esco was wide left with 3:28 on the clock in the first quarter.
Wofford was able to put together a six-play drive that went 80 yards as Eric Breitenstein went the final 36-yards up the middle for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 33 seconds left in the first half. The Gamecocks then got on the scoreboard after an eleven-play drive with a 40-yard field goal by Griffin Thomas for a 7-3 score at 10:30 in the second quarter.
After trading punts late in the second quarter, Wofford got the ball back with 2:14 left on the clock. Eric Breitenstein ran for a 48-yard gain to get the Terriers deep into Gamecock territory. With five seconds left in the half, Christian Reed hit a 28-yard field goal to take a 10-3 lead at the break.
To open the second half, Wofford failed to convert a fourth-and-one and the Gamecocks took over on the Terriers’ 35-yard line. After Jacksonville State picked up a fourth-and-one, Preston Roseboro intercepted Marques Ivory at the goal line. The Terriers missed a pitch and the ball went out the back of the end zone for a safety with 9:58 on the clock in the third quarter.
Following the kickoff by Wofford, the Gamecocks gained two first downs. On fourth-and-one from the 18-yard line, they were stopped by the Wofford defense. The Terriers picked up a first down on a pass to Brenton Bersin, but were forced to punt with 2:21 in the third quarter.
On the next drive by Jacksonville State, the team picked up two first downs and chipped away at the lead with a 35-yard field goal by Griffin Thomas with 13:14 left in the fourth quarter. With the ball back, Wofford picked up several key third downs as they drove to the end zone with a three-yard touchdown run by Eric Breitenstein with 9:14 on the clock.
Jacksonville State picked up a first down and three deep, but the ball hit off of Blake Wylie and bounced up to Jamar Reaves for an interception at the two-yard line. Wofford was punting on fourth down, but an offsides call gave the Terriers a first down. After a punt by Wofford, the Gamecocks were able to cap a drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Alan Bonner with 3:51 on the clock. The point after was missed, giving Wofford a 17-14 lead.
On the final drive of the game, Wofford ran the ball five straight times, gaining a key third-and-three as they ran out the clock for the win.
Wofford had 355 total yards, with 269 on the ground. Jacksonville State had 325 yards, 170 of which were passing. Wofford had the time of possession advantage and was +2 on turnovers. Wofford was 7-of-16 on third downs. Jacksonville State was 5-of-13 on third down.
The Terriers will play Georiga Southern in the quarterfinals after they defeated William and Mary 31-15.The game will be held at Gibbs Stadium, with the time and date announced on Sunday by the NCAA. Tickets will go on sale Monday.
Wofford vs. Jacksonville State Post-Game Notes
Eric Breitenstein scored two rushing touchdowns to give him 22 on the season. The 22 touchdowns are the third most in a single season in school history. He also has seven 100-yard rushing games this season, tied for second most in school history.
Breitenstein has 1537 total rushing yards this season, the most in a single season in school history. The school record was previously 1483 yards in 1989 by Shawn Graves.
Wofford reached ten wins on the season, marking only the fifth time in school history with double-digit wins.
The Terriers reached the NCAA FCS Quarterfinals for the second time in the last four seasons.
Game captains were Mike Rucker, Jeremy Marshall and Tommy Irvin.
Jacksonville State holds a 2-1 lead in the series.
Attendance was 11,817 at Burgess-Snow Field at JSU Stadium
