Jacksonville State did everything in its 49-22 win over Eastern on Saturday that teams in the Ohio Valley Conference have grown to expect from the Gamecocks during their now 36-game conference winning streak. 

Eastern now falls to 1-6 this season with the loss and Jacksonville State improved to 6-1 as the game showed a meeting between two teams trending in very different directions in the OVC.

For the sixth week in a row the Eastern defense gave up over 500 yards of offense and for the sixth time this season allowed over 40 points, this time allowing Jacksonville State’s high-powered offense to rack up 592 yards on its way to 49 points, the second-most Eastern has surrendered this season. 

The Gamecock’s offensive attack was one of the most balanced Eastern’s struggling defense has seen all season, with 364 of Jacksonville State’s yards coming in the passing game and 228 coming on the ground. 

Eastern knew coming into the game that slowing down Jacksonville State’s offense was a tall task, so the yards put up, especially by the Gamecocks quarterback duo probably came as little surprise to the Panthers. 

Gamecock’s quarterback Zerrick Cooper threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, adding 50 yards and one more touchdown rushing. 

He and Zion Webb, who outside of Eastern’s own Johnathan Brantley and Harry Woodbery arguably form the best duo in the OVC, gave Eastern a lot to keep an eye on. 

Webb added to Cooper’s numbers with 124 yards passing of his own, one touchdown and another 55 yards rushing with one touchdown coming there as well. 

Both Webb and Cooper threw interceptions too however, both coming to Eastern’s starting cornerbacks. 

Mark Williams picked off Webb in the first quarter when Jacksonville State was driving down the field threatening to increase its already 14-0 lead at the time. 

DySaun Smith capitalized on a mistake from Cooper in early in the second quarter. Eastern turned both interceptions into field goals made by kicker Nick Bruno, who finished the game with three made field goals of 27, 40 and 36 yards. 

Although the defense gave up over 50 yards and 40 points once again, the turnovers are something of a positive note for Eastern as the team struggled early in the season to force turnovers. 

The two-interceptions are a season-high for Eastern, which now has five total.

Another trait of Jacksonville State that the Gamecocks displayed mightily on Saturday was their run defense. 

Jacksonville State held Eastern to just 15 yards rushing. 

Yes, the entire Eastern team, five different ball carriers, were held to just 15 yards. 

Eastern’s 15-yard performance came just a week after Jacksonville State held Eastern Kentucky to just 20 yards on the ground. Once again, something that can be chalked up more to Jacksonville State’s dominance more than anything Eastern did wrong. 

While Jacksonville State did what they have done all season long on both sides of the ball, shocking no one with little that happened in the game, one large bright spot does loom over this game for Eastern; the passing game. 

Earlier this season Panther tight end James Sheehan said that Eastern could pass the ball on any team it wanted to, and this Jacksonville State game all but cemented that comment as truth.

 Eastern put up 350 yards passing and two touchdowns through the air on Jacksonville State’s top-ranked OVC defense. 

The 22-points, although relatively low for Eastern’s standards, is the second-highest total any team has managed to put up on Jacksonville State this season.

Brantley had 243 yards passing and two touchdowns and Woodbery added 107 yards through the air with one interception. 

Brantley’s performance came in the face of a lot of pressure, he was sacked four times and was hurried nine times.

Wide receiver Aaron Gooch had seven receptions for 90 yards and one touchdown and Alexander Hollins had 81 yards and one touchdown, adding to his FCS high of 12.

Hollins sits one touchdown ahead of Jacksonville State’s Josh Pearson, who had three against Eastern, for the FCS lead.

Eastern will host Tennessee-Martin next week for the Panthers homecoming game at 2 p.m. 

JJ Bullock can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]