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Jacksonville State posted its highest ranking in the school's Division I history by moving to No. 5 and No. 6 in the FCS Football Polls after claiming a thrilling 49-48 double-overtime road win at Ole Miss on Saturday.
The Gamecocks jumped 12 spots to No. 5 in The Sports Network/Fathead.com poll after receiving nine first-place votes, and moved up 11 spots to No. 6 in the FCS Coaches Poll with two first-place votes.
It marks the highest ranking for an Ohio Valley Conference school since Western Kentucky was ranked No. 5 during the 2000 season.
Jacksonville State outscored the Rebels 21-3 in the fourth quarter to force the overtime, and the Gamecocks opted for the two-point conversion in the second overtime to capture the win.
It was the first time the Gamecocks have defeated a Football Bowl Subdivision since beating Arkansas State in 2001 and the 21-point comeback was also the largest come-from-behind victory for Jacksonville State in school history.
Jax State also has been ranked for 16 straight weeks in the Top 25 polls, which is the longest such stretch in the school's Division I history. It also marks the highest ranking for JSU since moving to Division I in 1995. The previous high was a No. 12 ranking during the 2009 season.
Jacksonville State will host Chattanooga at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Burgess-Snow Field. Tickets can be purchased by calling the JSU Athletic Ticket Office at 256-782-8499 or order online at JSUGamecockSports.com.
THE SPORTS NETWORK POLL
(Sept. 6, 2010)
Team (1st Votes) Record Points PR
1. Montana (57) 1-0 3,052 2
2. Villanova (46) 0-1 2,886 1
3. Appalachian State (8) 1-0 2,774 3
4. Southern Illinois (3) 1-0 2,716 5
5. Jacksonville State (9) 1-0 2,337 17
6. New Hampshire (2) 1-0 2,202 10
7. Richmond 0-1 2,093 6
8. Elon 0-1 2,080 7
9. South Dakota State 0-0 1,926 9
10. Stephen F. Austin 0-1 1,729 8
11. William & Mary (1) 0-1 1,691 4
12. James Madison 1-0 1,585 15
13. McNeese State 1-0 1,531 12
14. Northern Iowa 0-0 1,298 14
15. South Carolina State 0-1 1,275 11
16. Delaware Blue 1-0 1,249 16
17. Eastern Washington 0-1 1,144 13
18. Massachusetts 1-0 955 NR
19. Liberty 1-0 771 21
20. Weber State 0-1 686 19
21. North Dakota State 1-0 635 NR
22. Prairie View A&M 1-0 631 20
23. Eastern Illinois 0-1 606 18
24. Montana State 1-0 566 24
25. Colgate 1-0 447 22
Others receiving votes: Holy Cross 439, Penn 358, Northern Arizona 184, Illinois State 158, Chattanooga 130, Cal Poly 106, Wofford 100, Furman 98, Missouri State 60, Harvard 56, Florida A&M 55, Southeastern Louisiana 55, Georgia Southern 54, Jackson State 37, Lehigh 22, Lafayette 21, Texas State 16, Hampton 14, Albany 14, Western Illinois 13, Samford 13, South Dakota 11, Stony Brook 8, Central Arkansas 8, Jacksonville 8, Southern Utah 7, Norfolk State 7, UC Davis 5, Eastern Kentucky 5, Butler 4, Dayton 4, Indiana State 3, Lamar 3, Youngstown State 3, Monmouth 2, The Citadel 2, Brown 2.
FCS COACHES POLL
(Sept. 6, 2010)
Team (1st Votes) Record Points PR
1. Montana (16) 1-0 662 2
2. Southern Illinois 1-0 598 5
3. Appalachian State (1) 1-0 585 3
4. Villanova (8) 0-1 579 1
5. New Hampshire 1-0 518 9
6. Jacksonville State (2) 1-0 516 17
7. Richmond 0-1 478 6
8. Elon 0-1 443 7
9. South Dakota State 0-0 426 10
10. McNeese State 1-0 378 11
11. James Madison 1-0 357 15
12. Stephen F. Austin 0-1 353 8
13. Northern Iowa 0-0 336 13
14. William & Mary 0-1 285 4
15. Eastern Washington 0-1 273 14
16. South Carolina State 0-1 264 12
17. Delaware 1-0 234 19
18. Liberty 1-0 216 20
19. Weber State 0-1 184 18
20. Massachusetts 1-0 163 NR
21. North Dakota State 1-0 138 NR
22. Eastern Illinois 0-1 134 16
23. Montana State 1-0 115 24
24. Northern Arizona 1-0 107 23
25. Colgate 1-0 81 22
Others receiving votes (points in parentheses): Prairie View A&M (79), Holy Cross (67), Cal-Poly (47), Illinois State (28), Penn (23), Missouri State (17), Georgia Southern (12), Harvard (11), Albany (9), Furman (9), Texas State (8), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (6), Bethune-Cookman (5), Southern Utah (5), Tennessee State (5), Southeastern Louisiana (4), Alabama State (3), Florida A&M (3), Gardner-Webb (3), Austin Peay (2), Dayton (2), Bucknell (1), Butler (1), UC Davis (1), Youngstown State (1)
