HUNTSVILLE, Texas — Sam Houston scored 42 unanswered points to run over Jacksonville State for a 42-7 victory at Bowers Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Running back Ramon Jefferson rushed for 110 yards and two scores, and quarterback Eric Schmid threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns as the top-ranked Bearkats improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the WAC/ASUN challenge. Wide receivers Jequez Ezzard and Ife Adeyi each caught touchdown passes and finished with 84 and 88 yards receiving, respectively.
Sam Houston didn't take long to get on the board in the third quarter after JSU missed a 28-yard field goal attempt on the opening possession. Schmid connected with Adeyi for a 66-yard catch and run for the touchdown three plays later to increase the lead to 28-7.
Sam Houston put the game away a few minutes later when defensive back Darrell Hawkins-Williams forced a fumble that linebacker Trevor Williams recovered at the JSU 32. After an eight-yard run by Smith, Schmid hit Ezzard at the 5, and he spun to his left to shake a defender and darted to the end zone to make it 35-7 with seven minutes to go in the third.
The Kats also scored on a four-yard run by Jefferson in the second half. He has now rushed for over 100 yards in four games this season.
Cornerback Zyon McCollum set up the Bearkats' third touchdown of the first half when he snatched a pass out of the air by JSU quarterback Zerrick Cooper near midfield and returned it to the 9. Schmid scored from three yards out on a keeper as SHSU took a 21-7 lead into the break.
Sam Houston put together an impressive drive to take a 14-7 lead in with 6:52 to go in the second quarter.
Schmid hit three consecutive passes of 15 yards to Brennon Tibbs and 18 and 24 to Ezzard to get to the red zone. Adeyi took a toss 18 yards to the 2 where running back Noah Smith capped the 87-yard drive with a two-yard plunge into the end zone.
The Bearkats tied the game at 7 right before the end of the first quarter when a Matt McRoberts' punt pinned the Gamecocks at their own 3-yard line to set up great field position.
Ezzard returned the ensuing punt 17 yards to the Jacksonville State 33, and Jefferson broke free on the next play down the left sideline and found the end zone thanks a solid block by wide receiver Chandler Harvin.
Jacksonville State used a momentum change to take a 7-0 lead. After Seth Morgan missed a 40-yard field goal, the Gamecocks got a big pass play by Cooper for 47 yards down to the 3 where he later punched it in for the touchdown with 7:44 to go in the first quarter.
