BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Jacksonville State's Jason Horton, James Esco and Darius Barksdale have all three been honored by the Ohio Valley Conference as Players of the Week, the league office announced on Sunday.

Horton earned Defensive honors, Esco earned Specialist and Barksdale was named co-Newcomer of the Week following the Gamecocks 29-27 come-from-behind win over No. 7 Southeast Missouri State.

Horton led Jacksonville State with 11 tackles as the No. 6-ranked Gamecocks snapped the nine-game winning streak of the Redhawks, which had been the longest among FCS teams, and gave JSU a chance to share the OVC Championship with a win in the final week of the season. With the win Jax State improved to 9-1 on the season and won for the 16th time in its last 17 games dating back to last season. 

Esco scored 11 points in the first meeting between Top 10 OVC teams since 1995. The sophomore set a career-high by making all three of his field goal attempts including a 34-yarder in the second quarter, a 42-yarder in the third quarter and a 25-yarder with 6:43 to play in the game. Esco also made both of his extra attempts on the night.

After senior Jamal Young left the game with a knee injury, Barksdale entered the contest on Jacksonville State's third possession and carried the ball 20 times for a career-high 113 yards. The Batesville, Miss., native became Jax State's first 100-yard freshman rusher in nine years (2001) and became the fourth Gamecock runner to reach the century mark on the ground this season. 

Jacksonville State (9-1, 6-1 OVC) travels to face Tennessee Tech and try and clinch a share of the Ohio Valley Conference Championship on Saturday. Game time is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on the OVC Television Network and also on the Gamecock Sports Radio Network.