Ohio’s magical 2024 season isn’t over just yet, as the new Mid-American Conference champions will play one more game against Conference-USA champions Jacksonville State.
Newly dawned Ohio coach Brian Smith will take the reigns for Ohio in his first game as head coach for Ohio. Ohio’s title-winning coach, Tim Albin, left Ohio to become the head coach at Charlotte prior to the bowl game.
Here is everything you need to know about the Gamecocks before the Cure Bowl in Orlando, Florida, between two conference champions.
Head coach
Jacksonville State is in a very similar situation to Ohio. Like the Bobcats, the Gamecocks saw their conference-winning head coach jump ship following the conference championship game.
Rich Rodriguez, the former West Virginia, Michigan and Arizona head coach, left Jacksonville State to go back to Morgantown to become the West Virginia head coach for the second time in his career.
Rod Smith, the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, will serve as the interim head coach for the bowl game. Smith has long been associated with Rodriguez, as he played under Rodriguez at Glenville State before following him to West Virginia, Michigan and Arizona.
Quarterback
Tyler Huff has been a star this season for Jacksonville State, using his arm and his legs to lead the Gamecocks to a C-USA title and earn C-USA Newcomer of the Year and Player of the Year.
Huff was electric this season, rushing for 1,343 yards and 14 touchdowns while throwing for 2,179 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. He totaled 3,522 yards and 27 touchdowns in total on the season, establishing himself as a true dual-threat weapon after transferring from Furman this offseason.
Running backs
To go along with Tyler Huff in the rushing game is star running back Tre Stewart, making for a scary rushing duo who dominated the C-USA this season.
Stewart would’ve had a good chance at C-USA Player of the Year if Huff didn’t win it, as the senior back went for 1,604 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground en route to being named first-team C-USA.
In the passing game, Stewart also added value, hauling in 15 catches for 200 yards and a touchdown, bringing his season totals to 1,804 yards with 24 touchdowns.
Wide receivers
With the transfer portal open for players to enter before their bowl game, many players have entered, and the entry that most affects Jacksonville State is the departure of number one receiver Cam Vaughn.
Vaughn, a redshirt freshman, had a solid year, going for 620 yards and four touchdowns. Without him, Huff will target weapons like Michael Pettway and Brock Rechsteiner, the number two and three receivers on the season.
Defense
The Gamecocks defense is led by the dangerous safety duo of Antonio Carter II and Fred Perry. Perry was named to first-team all C-USA while combining with Carter for 200 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and five pass breakups.
The other defensive member of the First-Team All-C-USA is linebacker Reginald Hughes. The redshirt junior put up 83 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks on the season. Unfortunately for Jacksonville State, Hughes has entered the transfer portal and will miss the Cure Bowl.
