SportsDirect Inc. staff
Sep 6, 2014
South Alabama 23, Kent State 13: Jay Jones rushed 21 times for 102 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the visiting Jaguars opened their season with a victory over the Golden Flashes.
Jones ran 23 yards for his second score with 1:12 remaining to seal the game after Kent State had pulled within 16-13 in the fourth quarter. Brandon Bridge completed 15-of-25 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown in his first career start for the Jaguars (1-0), who have won four straight contests dating back to last season.
Colin Reardon completed 17-of-40 passes for 213 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Kent State (0-2), which lost to Ohio 17-14 in its opener last week. Tight end Casey Pierce had four receptions for 80 yards and a score for the Golden Flashes, who managed only 64 yards rushing.
Reardon was called for intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety and the Jaguars drove 54 yards in 11 plays to go ahead 9-0 on Bridge’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Shavarez Smith. Jones’ 1-yard run extended the lead midway through the second quarter, but Reardon’s 8-yard strike to Nick Holley pulled Kent State within 16-6 at halftime.
The Golden Flashes settled down defensively and Reardon hit Pierce for a 5-yard touchdown 11 seconds into the fourth quarter to make it a three-point deficit. Kent State drove inside the South Alabama 20 with eight minutes left before Anthony Melchiori missed a 32-yard field goal that would have tied it.