Rippa’s late field goal lifts Jacksonville State over FIU, 27-24

Garrison Rippa kicked a 26-yard field goal with 44 seconds remaining, and Jacksonville State held on for a 27-24 win over FIU on Tuesday when Robert Czeremcha missed from 49 yards on the final play.

The Gamecocks drove 82 yards in 13 plays for the deciding score at AmFirst Stadium. FIU answered by moving into field-goal range, but its final attempt did not force overtime. Jacksonville State improved to 5-2 overall and 3-0 in Conference USA; the Panthers fell to 3-3 and 1-1.

Rippa's winner came a week after his late field goal helped Jacksonville State beat Kennesaw State by one point. Tuesday required another finish after FIU erased deficits in both halves.

Early touchdowns, then a tied game

Caden Creel opened Jacksonville State's scoring with a 38-yard touchdown pass to Luke Gilbert. Conference USA shared that opening-drive score as the Gamecocks established an early lead.

JJ Kohl answered with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Maguire Anderson. Creel then found Deondre Johnson for a 36-yard score, and Rippa's 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter stretched Jacksonville State's lead to 17-7.

FIU came back with a 33-yard Czeremcha field goal and another Kohl touchdown pass to Anderson, this time from 30 yards. The teams reached halftime tied at 17 after Czeremcha missed a 38-yard attempt following Josiah Taylor's interception of Creel.

Justus Savage's 4-yard touchdown run restored Jacksonville State's lead in the third quarter. Devonte Lyons answered from 8 yards out for FIU, leaving the score at 24-24 entering the fourth.

The last two possessions

Jacksonville State took over at its own 9 with 5:17 left for the eventual winning drive. Creel's offense moved into the red zone, and Rippa converted from 26 yards. FIU's running-into-the-kicker penalty on the play was declined.

The Panthers still had 44 seconds. Kohl completed passes to James Resar and Anderson, with the latter gaining 24 yards to Jacksonville State's 32. A spike and an incompletion left Czeremcha the 49-yard attempt that missed as time expired.

Maxwell Donaldson's Gadsden Times reporting also described an apparent FIU fumble-return touchdown earlier in the fourth quarter that was overturned on review. It did not become a Panthers score; the official game record lists Jacksonville State with one turnover, Creel's first-half interception.

Creel finished 16-for-22 for 214 yards and two touchdowns and led the Gamecocks with 95 rushing yards on 19 carries. Johnson caught four passes for 93 yards, while Gilbert had three catches for 55 yards.

Kohl threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Anderson caught eight passes for 133 yards and both receiving scores. FIU outgained Jacksonville State 404-387, but the Gamecocks produced the only fourth-quarter points.

FIU hosts Middle Tennessee next Tuesday. Jacksonville State has a break before visiting New Mexico State on October 28.

Sources

ESPN: FIU–Jacksonville State final box score and play-by-play · Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times: Jacksonville State’s finish against FIU · Rippa’s field goal helps Jacksonville State edge FIU