In a game that lived up to—and somehow exceeded—the hype, Jacksonville State outlasted Louisiana Tech 52-49 in the CUSA Championship to claim their first conference title in NDL history. The final score? Exactly the same as their regular season meeting. Different setting. Same fireworks.
Jax State, led by Coach znicol, started slow, punting on their opening drive, but quickly found rhythm after a La Tech interception. Tight end Sean Brown opened the scoring with a 5-yard TD and never looked back, finishing with 9 catches, 148 yards, and 3 touchdowns in a career performance.
Louisiana Tech’s Donerio Davenport answered with back-to-back electrifying touchdown runs—one a 78-yard burst—to give the Bulldogs a 14-7 edge after the first quarter. But Jacksonville State exploded for 28 second-quarter points behind the steady arm and legs of quarterback Tyler Huff. Huff accounted for six total touchdowns—four passing and two rushing—while putting up 415 passing yards and a season high 107 on the ground.
The half ended on a brutal pick-six thrown by La Tech QB Evan Bullock, intercepted by Derek Carter who took it to the house to give Jax State a 35-21 lead. Some may think it was a knockout blow, and anyone who thought that has not seen a Jacksonville State game this year.
La Tech came out of the locker room and immediately dropped an 82-yard bomb to Shadeed Ahmed, who later added another touchdown in a third-quarter flurry. A Huff-to-Brown 80-yard strike momentarily gave Jax State the lead again, but a pick-six by La Tech's Michael Richard tied things up at 41 after three quarters. It was a full-on shootout, and the NDL Live Chat was melting down.
With the pressure mounting—wife chirping "when are you going to be done", toddler waking up, sweat pouring—Coach znicol stayed composed. A 48-yard field goal followed by a methodical, clutch drive capped with a Sean Brown TD put Jax State up 52-49 with under a minute left. The question loomed: Did they score too early?
The answer? No shot. The Jax State defense shut the door emphatically—two sacks and a prayer of a 4th-and-33 that came up short later, the celebration was on. Jax State took the CUSA Championship trophy, once again defeating Louisiana Tech by the same ridiculous scoreline: 52-49.
Call it coincidence. Call it fate. Just don’t call Jax State anything but CUSA Champs!
And yet, while the confetti falls, there’s already a shadow over the future. Coach znicol confirmed shortly before the game that he’ll be leaving Jacksonville State for a new, unknown, opportunity after the postseason. Still, he and the university agreed he’ll coach the team through their bowl game and the upcoming NIT tournament.
Will it be awkward? Maybe. It already was with him coaching this game. But it could also be the perfect curtain call. In a year where Jax State shattered expectations and captured their first NDL CUSA title, maybe the final act is just a celebration of everything that’s gone right. One last ride—with the guy who got them here.
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