In the only bowl game featuring two conference champions, the Ohio Bobcats win the 2024 Cure Bowl 30-27 over the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. The win gives the Bobcats an 11-win season and the first win for newly named head coach Brian Smith. The Gamecocks end the season with a 9-5 record with the loss in Orlando, Florida. The Bobcats had to hold on to victory after taking a 27-7 lead into the locker room at halftime. Ohio was led in the game by quarterback Parker Navarro who threw for 256 yards and one touchdown. Navarro also rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns. The Bobcats defense did a good job putting pressure on Gamecocks quarterback Tyler Huff. He was sacked four times in the game. Huff did throw for 362 yards and one touchdown.
Ohio Bobcats Win 2024 Cure Bowl
Exciting First Quarter
The Jacksonville State defense did not have an answer for Navarro in the first half of the 2024 Cure Bowl. He opened the first quarter with 51 yards passing and 59 yards rushing with two touchdowns. The two teams traded punts on their first two possessions before Ohio scored the first touchdown. On first and ten from their own 21, Navarro found receiver Coleman Owen to open the drive. After reaching the red zone, Navarro scored on a 17-yard run with 5:09 remaining in the first quarter to go up 7-0.
After another Gamecocks punt the Bobcats went 64 yards in six plays to go up 14-0. With 1:22 left in the first quarter, Navarro scored on an eight-yard run. Earlier in the possession, he rushed for 29 yards to get Ohio to the Jacksonville State side of the field. The Gamecocks would respond to the early 14-0 deficit. Huff would connect with receiver Cam Vaughn on the next play for 75 yards to make it 14-7 with 1:12 remaining in the first quarter.
Bobcats Own the Second
The second quarter belonged to the Ohio Bobcats. Navarro scored his third rushing touchdown with a seven-yard touchdown with 4:59 left until halftime. Kicker Gianni Spetic missed the extra point, and the Bobcats now led 20-7. Running back Anthony Tyus III was key on the drive. He rushed for 25 yards but had a 17-yard run to put the Bobcats in the red zone. For the game, Tyus rushed for 102 yards on 26 carries.
Jacksonville State had success on the following drive, but a missed field goal by Garrison Rippa left them scoreless. Huff was sacked on the prior by when he was met by Blake Leake and Bradley Weaver for a five-yard loss. Ohio added another score before halftime, but this time it was through the air. Navarro found Tyus for an 11-yard touchdown pass when he channeled Patrick Mahomes with a flip pass. Navarro and Owen connected three times on the drive for 49 yards. Owen finished the game with 11 receptions for 141 yards. The Bobcats took a 27-7 lead into halftime.
Gamecocks Win Third
Jacksonville State was gifted with a bad punt by Ohio punter Jack Wilson of just 13 yards with 10:19 in the third. The Gamecocks started on the Ohio 20, and Huff found the endzone in three plays on a seven-yard run. Jacksonville State looked to have stolen momentum with the score to make it 27-14.
Bobcats Hold On
The Gamecocks had opportunities in the fourth quarter, but some costly mistakes plagued them. Tyus fumbled after a three-yard run at the Gamecocks’ 19, but six plays later Huff was intercepted by Leake at the Ohio 17. The Bobcats then went on a 12-play, 66-yard drive that took 7:32 off the clock. The drive only resulted in a 38-yard field goal by Spetic, but valuable time was taken from the Gamecocks.
Jacksonville State cut the Ohio lead to 30-20 with 9:52 remaining when Tre Stewart scored on a three-yard. It was a struggle for the Jacksonville State rushing attack on Friday. As a team, they only rushed for 43 yards. Stewart totaled 35 yards and two touchdowns. The Bobcats were on the move to put the game away when Ky’won McCray tipped and intercepted a pass to give Jacksonville State some final hope. Stewart capped off a 10-play drive with a one-yard touchdown to make the score 27-20 with 3:35 left in the game. The Gamecocks could not get the ball back though. The Bobcats picked up two first downs to run out the clock to win the 2024 Cure Bowl.
New Jacksonville State Head Coach
As the 2024 Cure Bowl was playing out, multiple media outlets reported that Auburn co-defensive coordinator Charles Kelly would be the next head coach for the Gamecocks. Kelly has spent many years as an assistant in college football. Before his only season at Auburn, he spent time with Alabama, Tennessee, Colorado, and other stops around the country. Kelly has never been a head coach at any level, but he spent time as an assistant for Jacksonville State from 1994-1998. He served in different roles during that time. He will be replacing Rich Rodriquez who is returning to West Virginia as head coach.
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