The Game:

• Southeast Missouri defeated North Alabama 37-15 in the 2024 FCS Kickoff
• The Redhawks scored the game’s final 30 points to secure the win
• Southeast Missouri (1-0) became the 16^th different team to play in the FCS Kickoff
• North Alabama (0-1) has lost to Mercer and SEMO in the last two years at the FCS Kickoff
• SEMO won the toss and deferred to the second half
• Pregame Weather: Sunny skies, 89 degrees; 8 mph SE wind
• The kickoff time was 6:05 p.m.

Most Valuable Player:

• Southeast Missouri freshman running back Payton Brown was named MVP
• Brown was true freshman from Festus, Mo., was making his collegiate debut
• He had 19 carries for 97 yards and three touchdowns in the win
• The three rushing TDs tied the FCS Kickoff single-game game record
• He scored on runs of 1, 25 and 1 yard in the win over the Lions
• He averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the game
• The 19 rushing attempts are third-most in FCS Kickoff

FCS Kickoff Records:

• Southeast Missouri freshman running back Payton Brown had three rushing TDs in the win
• The three rushing TDs tied the FCS Kickoff single-game record
• Jacksonville State’s Zion Webb had three rushing TDs against Stephen F. Ausitn in 2022
• Southeast Missouri forced an FCS Kickoff record four turnovers in the win
• Junior defensive backs Adrian Patterson and Justus Johnson both recorded interceptions for the Redhawks
• Junior defensive end Casey McCoy and senior linebacker Jared Pedraza both recovered fumbles
• Youngstown State also forced four turnovers in the win over Samford in 2019.

Game Notes:

• Southeast Missouri scored 37 points in the win over North Alabama
• The 37 points are the fourth-most by a team in the FCS Kickoff
• SEMO scored 16 points in the fourth quarter; the third-most by a team in FCS Kickoff
• UNA RB Jayvian Allen became the seventh player at the FCS Kickoff to rush for 100 yards
• Allen had 13 carries for 100 yards and one TDs for the Lions
• He had a 62-yard run in the first quarter and averaged 7.7 yards per carry
• SEMO senior ILB Mali Walton was ejected for targeting in the first quarter
• SEMO senior ILB Jared Padraza replaced Walton and had a monster game
• Pedraza had seven tackles, two TFLs, two pressures, one sack and one fumble recovery
• SEMO senior SS Khalani Riddick led the Redhawks with eight tackles
• UNA senior linebacker Jackson Bratton tied the FCS Kickoff record with 2.5 TFLs
• Bratton finished with 10 tackles, 2.5 TFLs and one sack
• Youngstown State’s Justus Reed also had 2.5 TFLs in 2019
• UNA senior rover Gregroy Riddick recorded a game-high 12 tackles
• UNA and SEMO combined for an FCS Kickoff record four 2-point conversions
• SEMO was 1-for-3 on 2-point tires; setting the FCS Kickoff record for attempts
• SEMO had a successful 2-point conversion in the third quarter (Brandon Epton run)
• The Redhawks missed on 2-point attempts in second and fourth quarter
• UNA had a successful 2-point conversion in the first quarter (Ari Patu pass to Takana Scott)
• There have been five successful 2-point plays in FCS Kickoff history
• Montana (2015), Samford (2018) and Central Arkansas (2020) also had successful 2-point plays

 

FCS Kickoff History

• The FCS Kickoff was created by ESPN to showcase the top programs at the NCAA football championship series level
• The game is owned and operated by ESPN Events and is the official kickoff of the college football season
• North Alabama is making its second straight appearance in the FCS Kickoff
• The Lions fell to Mercer 17-7 in last year’s game
• Southeast Missouri is making its first appearance in the FCS Kickoff
• No. 1 Eastern Washington outscored No. 17 Sam Houston State 56-35 in the inaugural FCS Kickoff in 2014
• The two high-powered offenses combined for 91 points and 1,164 total yards in the game.
• Vernon Adams, Jr., threw four TDs passes in the win
• The teams combined for 35 points in the second quarter and topped that mark with a 42-point fourth quarter
• Cooper Kupp (now with LA Rams) caught seven passes for 62 yards and one TD
• Jacksonville State defeated UT Chattanooga 27-13 in the 2017 FCS Kickoff; the first to be played in Montgomery
• JSU running back Roc Thomas finished with 190 total yards and one touchdown in the win
• He ran the ball 19 times for 122 yards, including an FCS Kickoff record 76-yard TD jaunt in the first quarter
• Senior linebacker Jonathan Hagler iced the game with a 58-yard interception return in the third quarter

FCS KICKOFF RESULTS:

 

Date                    Result of Game                                                                                        Location

Aug. 23, 2014   Eastern Washington 56, Sam Houston State 35                            Cheney, Washington

Aug. 29, 2015   Montana 36, North Dakota State 35                                                   Missoula, Montana

Aug. 27, 2016   North Dakota State 24, Charleston Southern 17                           Fargo, North Dakota

Aug. 26, 2017   Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 13                                             Montgomery

Aug. 25, 2018   North Carolina A&T 20, Jacksonville State 17                                 Montgomery

Aug. 24, 2019   Youngstown State 45, Samford 22                                                      Montgomery

Aug. 29, 2020   Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 21                                                 Montgomery

Aug. 27, 2022   Jacksonville State 42, Stephen F. Austin 17                                     Montgomery

Aug. 00, 2023   Mercer 17, North Alabama 7                                                                 Montgomery

Aug. 24, 2024   Southeast Missouri 37, North Alabama 15                                      Montgomery

Future Games:

• Johnson C. Smith and Tuskegee will meet in the 2024 Red Tails Classic
• The game will be played Sunday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. (CT); the game will be televised by ESPNU
• The 2024 Camellia Bowl will be played on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. (CT); the game will be televised by EPSN
• Nine of the previous 10 Camellia Bowl game have been decided by eight points or less

By Tim Gayle

Southeast Missouri State coach Tom Matukewicz had an inkling that Payton Brown was special, but you never really know until you put him on the field for the first time.

After watching one of the top FCS quarterbacks leave the field with an injury, the Redhawks needed a powerful runner that could take charge in the game and Brown was that guy, rushing for 97 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries to help SEMO pull away for a 37-15 victory in the 10^th FCS Kickoff at Cramton Bowl on Saturday night.

The two teams fought evenly through the first half but a shoulder injury to starting quarterback Paxton DeLaurent put more of a focus on the running game and Brown was happy to deliver, earning Most Valuable Player honors in the process.

“I’m always mentally preparing like that’s going to happen, like that’s the case,” he said. “I’m always putting myself in game situations, even from last night, just getting prepared and whatever happens, happens.”

His three touchdowns tied an FCS Kickoff record set by Jacksonville State’s Zion Webb in 2022. Not bad for a freshman barely mentioned in the school’s media guide.

“He’s not a normal freshman,” Matukewicz said. “He was raised very, very different from most kids. Both parents are college athletes, kind of like coaches. They do a great job. He also came in in January so he got that experience in spring ball.

“We thought he was good when we signed him but we were a little surprised how sudden (he emerged). He just processed really quick. A kid that size, you just assume it might take him a little bit to build that Division I-A quickness but, really, he’s off and running.”

The 6-foot-1, 216-pound freshman from Festus, Mo., earned all-state honors after rushing for 1,605 yards and 26 touchdowns as a senior at Hillsboro High, but it was Brandon Epton, a transfer from SMU, that finished preseason camp as the starting tailback. The Redhawks’ first drive of the season resulted in a touchdown, using four passes from DeLaurent to Epton and two runs by Epton that helped SEMO take a 7-0 lead.

Epton would touch the ball, either rushing or receiving, 10 times before Brown finally caught a pass out of the backfield. But as the game evolved, in part because of DeLaurent’s injury, in part because of Brown’s emergence, the freshman ended up as the Redhawks’ leading rusher as the power running game emerged in the second half.

“It was pretty nice,” Brown said. “It was just something I’ve been working on. I feel like, with my size, it comes natural so I work on also the movement part of things and I’ve gotten better at that since I’ve gotten to SEMO, for sure.”

North Alabama senior rover Gregory Reddick said the Redhawks’ physical attitude made the difference in the second half.

“They didn’t do nothing special, they just ran it down our throats,” Reddick said. “I’m going to be honest, all we did was miss tackles. They didn’t do nothing to shock us. They came out and told us what they were going to do every play. We just couldn’t stop it.”

Brown gave “all credit to God, all credit to the (offensive) line” after earning MVP honors, then was asked what message was sent with the Redhawks’ first-ever appearance on ESPN.

“I think it just shows us how we’re here to play this season,” he said. “If they didn’t know that SEMO was ready to go, they do now.”

MONTGOMERY – First impressions are usually lasting ones.

That was the case Saturday night for Southeast Missouri State freshman running back Payton Brown and redshirt freshman quarterback Carter Hensley.

Brown tied the FCS Kickoff record with three rushing touchdowns, and Hensley, who replaced injured senior quarter Paxton DeLaurent, engineered five scoring drives, in the Redhawks to an impressive 37-15 comeback win over the North Alabama Lions in the 10^th FCS Kickoff at the historic Cramton Bowl.

SEMO (1-0) scored on four straight second half possessions to take total control of the game.

“it was a great team,” SEMO head coach Tom Matukewicz said. “The defense took the ball away. We ran the ball. We made plays on special teams. I love how we responded when (DeLaurent) went down. I am happy and proud of my football team.”

Brown had 19 carries for 97 yards and three rushing touchdowns for the Redhawks. He averaged 5.7 yards per carry against the Lions defense.

Hensley, who got off too slow, completed his last six passes to finish 10-for-14 for 100 yards in the air. He also added a 47-yard run that set up a fourth quarter touchdown.

“Carter is a very similar player,” Matukewicz said. “I don’t think he’s ever made a B in his life. At the end of last year, I asked everyone to do a self-evaluation and he typed his up and in pamphlets. I knew he was going to be prepared and smart, and ready for the opportunity.”

After spotting UNA a 15-13 halftime lead, SEMO outscored the Lions 30-0 in the second half with a methodical ground attack led by Brown and Hensley.

“It was a tale of two halves,” UNA Coach Brent Dearmon said. “In the first half we are up 15-13. In the second half, they outscored us 30-0. We have to do a better job after halftime.

SEMO took the lead for good in the final 15 seconds of the third quarter. Brown capped a 9-play drive with a 25-yard TD run and junior tailback Brandon Epton ran for the 2-point conversion to put the Redhawks in front 21-15.

Brown scored his record-tying third touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run to cap a 78-yard drive with 7:13 left in the game. The two-point conversion failed leading SEMO with a 27-15 lead.

Hensley scored the final touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run with 5:32 left on the clock. Senior DC Pippin added the extra point to extend the lead to 34-13.

Pippin capped the scoring with 41-yard field goal with just under three minutes to play to give SEMO a 37-13 lead.

“We lost our energy in the second half,” senior rover Gregory Riddick, who had a game-high 12 tackles said. “Then it was missed tackle after missed tackle after missed tackle.”

While the offense was firing on all cylinders in the second half, the defense forced four turnovers and two fourth-down stops.

Senior strong safety Khalani Riddick led the with eight tackles. Senior inside linebacker Jared Padraza had seven tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery and two pressures.

Junior defensive backs Adrian Patterson and Justus Johnson both recorded interceptions for the Redhawks.  Junior defensive end Casey McCoy and Pedraza both recovered fumbles.

The four takeaways tied for the most in FCS Kickoff game. Youngstown State also forced four turnovers in the win over Samford in 2019.

Southeast Missouri used a 12-play, 57-yard drive to score on its opening possession of the season.

DeLaurent capped the drive with a 4-yard TD pass to sophomore wide receiver Cam Pedro to give the Redhawks a 7-0 lead. He completed eight of 10 passes for 53 yards on the drive.

After a punt and turnover on its first two possessions, North Alabama’s offense got on track on its third possession with an impressive 87-yard drive, highlighted redshirt junior running back Jayvian Allen’s 62-yard run. Three plays later, Allen scored on a 3-yard run.  UNA quarterback Ari Patu, a transfer from Stanford, hooked up with Takana Scott on the 2-point conversion to give the Lions an 8-7 lead.

Allen finished with 13 carries for 100 yards and one touchdown. He became the seventh player in FCS Kickoff history to rush for 100 yards in a game. He averaged 7.7 yards per carry.

UNA stretched the lead to 15-7 when Patu scored on an 11-yard run with four minutes left in the first half. Patu’s touchdown run came on play after SEMO senior inside linebacker Mali Walton put a hit on Patu and was ejected for targeting after a lengthy review.

SEMO punted twice and lost a fumble on its next three possessions and had to replace DeLaurent, who left the game with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.

Hensley took over the offense and engineered a 10-play, 46-yard drive in the final two minutes to put the Redhawks in the endzone. Freshman tailback Payton Brown capped the scoring drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. The Redhawks went for two after the touchdown, but Hensley’s pass was incomplete to leave the score 15-13 at halftime.

FINAL STATS>

MONTGOMERY – The 2024 college football season begins in 85 days and the first prime time game of the season will take place at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.

The 10th FCS Kickoff will be played on Saturday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. (ET) and will be televised by ESPN.

Southeast Missouri State and North Alabama will meet in this year’s game.

In addition, the fourth annual Red Tails Classic will be played on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. (ET) and will be televised on ESPNU.

Johnson C. Smith will face Tuskegee in this year’s game.

The FCS Kickoff dates back to the 2014 season. The first three games were played at campus sites.

ESPN Events brought the game to Montgomery in 2017, where Jacksonville Stare defeated Chattanooga 27-13.

This is the seventh FCS Kickoff played at the Cramton Bowl.

North Alabama will be making its second straight appearance in the FCS Kickoff. The Lions dropped a 17-7 decision to Mercer last year.

Southeast Missouri State is making its debut in the event, and will be the 16th different team to play in the FCS Kickoff.

Tuskegee will be the home team in the Red Tails Classic for the fourth straight year. The Tigers faced Fort Valley State in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Johnson C. Smith will be making its inaugural appearance in the Red Tails Classic.

For ticket information log on to www.Montgomerykickoffgames.com

About ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2024, the 34-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premier regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. Follow ESPN Events on Facebook, Twitter/X and YouTube.

Montgomery – The North Alabama Lions and Southeast Missouri State Redhawks will meet in the 10^th annual FCS Kickoff at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday, Aug. 24 to kick off the 2024 college football season. The game time, ESPN platform designation and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

“The FCS Kickoff has become an opening weekend tradition in the City of Montgomery,” Johnny Williams, Executive Director of the FCS Kickoff and Camellia Bowl, said. “This is the 10^th year of the FCS Kickoff and the seventh time we have hosted at the Cramton Bowl. We are excited about this year’s matchup between UNA and Southeast Missouri.”

North Alabama will be playing the FCS Kickoff for the second straight year. The Lions fell to the Mercer Bears 17-7 in last year’s game.

“The Lions are thrilled to return to ESPN’s Week 0 programming and open the 2024 college football season in the FCS Kickoff Game,” said UNA Director of Athletics Dr. Josh Looney. “This is a showcase opportunity for the University of North Alabama in our home state and throughout the country. The City of Montgomery produces a first-class event and I know that our fans, student-athletes, and alumni will enjoy the premier hospitality that surrounds this game.”

Southeast Missouri State will be making its first appearance in the FCS Kickoff.

“We are thrilled to help kick off FCS Football as we showcase Southeast Missouri Football and our institution to a national television audience,” said SEMO Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Brady Barke. “This game has historically featured tradition-rich programs and we’re excited for our program to be a part of it this year.”

Owned and operated by ESPN Events, the FCS Kickoff made its debut on Aug. 23, 2014 when No. 1 Eastern Washington defeated No. 17 Sam Houston State 56-35 in Cheney, Washington. The 2023 FCS Kickoff will be the sixth played at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Jacksonville State, which defeated Chattanooga 27-13 in the first game on Aug. 26, 2017, earned a 42-10 win over Stephen F. Austin in 2022, which marked the JSU head coaching debut for Rich Rodriguez.

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2024, the 34-event schedule includes four early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events, the premier regular season college softball and gymnastics events, as well as the Band of the Year National Championship. Collectively, these events account for over 400 hours of live programming on ESPN platforms, reaching 60 million viewers and attracting more than 650,000 annual attendees. Each year, the portfolio of events features more than 20 Division I conferences and hosts over 4,000 participating student-athletes. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. Follow ESPN Events on Facebook, Twitter/X and YouTube

FCS KICKOFF ALL-TIME RESULTS:

Date                     Result 

Aug. 23, 2014      Eastern Washington 56, Sam Houston State 35 (Cheney, Washington)

Aug, 29, 2015      Montana State 38, North Dakota State 35 (Missoula, Montana)

Aug. 27, 2016      North Dakota State 24, Charleston Southern 17 (Fargo, ND)

Aug, 26, 2017      Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 13 (Montgomery)

Aug. 25, 2018      North Carolina A&T 20, Jacksonville State 17 (Montgomery)

Aug. 26, 2019      Youngstown State 45, Samford 20 (Montgomery)

Aug. 29, 2020      Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 17 (Montgomery)

Aug. 27, 2022      Jacksonville State 42, Stephen F. Austin 10 (Montgomery)
Aug. 26, 2023      Mercer 17, North Alabama 7 (Montgomery)

* The 2021 FCS Kickoff was cancelled due to COVID

Mercer linebacker Isaac Dowling led a defense that held North Alabama in check for much of the 2023 FCS Kickoff Classic, recording a team-high 10 tackles to earn Most Valuable Player honors in the Bears’ 17-7 win on Saturday at Cramton Bowl.

Having an outstanding game on national television to open the season would be quite an accomplishment for most players, but Dowling certainly isn’t like most players.
“For me personally, I definitely could’ve been better,” he said in rating his performance. “I felt like I made a lot of mistakes, missed a couple of tackles as well. I’d definitely say this is one of my lower games.”

The 5-foot-9, 225-pound junior from Snellville, Ga., anchored a Mercer defense that put the brakes on North Alabama, but that type of performance is one head coach Drew Cronic was expecting despite the array of unknowns his team was facing in Brent Dearmon’s coaching debut at North Alabama.
“Coach (Joel) Taylor, our defensive coordinator, (did a) phenomenal job,” Cronic said. “You’ve got a new coach, a new situation, so you’re really having to get ready for everything. I thought we adjusted. I think Isaac had a few blitzes there where we were able to make some plays. You saw him on some very well timed blitzes. And I think we’re pretty dang good on defense.”

The game had that early-season feel for both offenses as neither could sustain any success in the blazing August temperatures. But a lightning strike seven miles away halted play for 76 minutes in the third quarter and the North Alabama offense was never a threat once play resumed, managing just 15 yards on its final three possessions over the final 17 minutes of the game.

“We just settled in,” Dowling said. “Coming from the (weather) break, we had a lot of time to think about it. As time went on, we’re confident in what we can do and picking up what they were doing as well. Just playing faster.”

And the faster Mercer’s defense got, the more difficult it became for North Alabama to find any traction on offense. A lot of that can be attributed to Dowling, who earned the respect of his teammates by being selected as a team captain as a freshman in 2021 and again as a sophomore in 2022.

“Isaac’s a good football player,” Cronic said. “And he has been since the day he showed up on our campus. He’s started since the day he showed up. We signed him in our first signing class. That kid is a coach’s dream. He does everything right. Everything. His name has never come across my desk for one negative thing. I mean, he’s got a 3.7 GPA in public health, he has a sister who graduated from Mercer, his parents are awesome. When you tell him to do something, it’s going to get done. And he is a kid that prepares for everything.

“So he’s a good player, but he’s an even better player because of the time he spends, how important it is to him, his attitude, his approach. He was being honest with you up here. He expects to play better. Even though he had whatever it was, 12 tackles, 13 tackles and made some huge plays, I promise you he’s going to be critical of himself in that film and he’s going to get better. That’s just who he is. There’s no one more deserving to win that MVP award for the game than he is.”

Dowling might not agree with his coach.

“I’m hard on myself,” he admitted. “I want to do everything right. I felt like I made a lot of mistakes, but those can be fixed.”

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2022, the 32-event schedule included three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events, and a college softball event, which account for approximately 400 hours of live programming, while reaching nearly 64 million viewers and attracting over 800,000 annual attendees. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.

MONTGOMERY – The Mercer defense set the tone in a 17-7 victory over North Alabama in the ninth annual FCS Kickoff at the historic Cramton Bowl.

The Bears limited the Lions to seven points and 248 total yards in the lowest-scoring FCS Kickoff game in history.

Isaac Dowling led the Bears with 10 tackles to earn Most Valuable Player honors. He added 1.5 tackles for loss, one-half sack and one quarterback pressure.

Myles Redding had nine tackles and broke up one pass.

The Mercer defense forced four three-and-outs and thwarted three fourth-down attempts, including two deep in Bears territory.

Defensive tackle Jordan Swain added a blocked field goal to contribute to the win.

“Our defense came up big in some critical situations,” Mercer head coach Drew Cronic said. “They stopped them on fourth down, they blocked a field goal. We knew the strength of our team was our defense. A lot of experience there.”

Mercer returned the opening kickoff to the UNA 49-yard line then scored nine plays later to take a 7-0 lead.

Carter Peevey’s 14-yard touchdown pass to Ty James gave the Bears points on their first possession of the new season.

After the defense forced a three-and-out, Mercer muffed a punt that gave UNA the ball at the Bears 27-yard line.

The Bears defense held the Lions to five yards on the next three plays and North Alabama missed a 39-yard field goal attempt.

As the Mercer offense struggled, North Alabama tied the game at 7-7 when quarterback TJ Smith scampered three yards late in the first quarter.

North Alabama got a solid effort from its defense too, holding the Bears to 17 points and 285 total yards.

Safety Edwin White Schultz finished with a game-high 14 tackles, tying the FCS Kickoff record for most tackles in a game.

White Schultz had nine solo tackles, a tackle for loss and one forced fumble that prevented a touchdown inside the five-yard line.

The 14 tackles tied the previous record set by Chattanooga’s Tavon Lawson in 2017 and North Dakota State’s Jordan Champion in 2015.

Mercer regained the lead 10-7 on Reice Griffith’s 24-yard field goal with 4:40 left in the first half.

The game was interrupted at the 11:39 mark of the third quarter due to a weather delay. The game was resumed at 5:58 p.m., after a 76-minute delay.

The 2022 FCS Kickoff also had an extensive weather delay and after a 2-plus hour delay the game was finally called giving Jacksonville State a 42-17 win over Stephen F. Austin.

Mercer’s defense seemed to be re-energized after the delay and held the Lions to 23 total yards on the final four possessions.

Mercer stretched the lead to 17-7 on Micah Bell’s three-yard touchdown run with 11:44 left in the game.

Bell led all rushers with 20 carries for 75 yards and one touchdown.

The Bears offense ran out the final 5:42 with the help of a fourth-down conversion early in its final possession.

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2022, the 32-event schedule included three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events, and a college softball event, which account for approximately 400 hours of live programming, while reaching nearly 64 million viewers and attracting over 800,000 annual attendees. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.

Ninth annual FCS Kickoff to be played Saturday, Aug. 26 at historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery

MONTGOMERY – Mercer University and the University of North Alabama will meet in the ninth annual FCS Kickoff at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama on Saturday, Aug. 26 to kick off the 2023 college football season. The game time, ESPN network designation and ticket information will be announced at a later date. It will be the first appearance in the FCS Kickoff for both programs.

Mercer, the home team, had one of the nation’s most high-powered offenses in 2022. The Bears set numerous team and individual records while leading the Southern Conference with 38.2 points per game and placing 12 players on the all-conference team.

Mercer was ranked in the AFCA Top 25 the entire season for the first time in program history. The Bears earned their highest ranking ever (No. 11) and finished the season ranked No. 21 in the poll.

“We’re excited to be playing in the first college football game of the season,” said Mercer head coach Drew Cronic. “This is a great opportunity to showcase our football program and the entire FCS.”

North Alabama will begin a new era in the FCS Kickoff as head coach Brent Dearmon will make his head coaching debut for the Lions.

“Our staff and players are excited about the opportunity to play on a national stage in Montgomery for the FCS Kickoff game,” said Dearmon. “This will help us in so many ways as a program for years to come. Playing a first-class opponent will be a great challenge for us as well.”

A native of Saraland, Ala., Dearmon served as offensive coordinator at Kansas, Middle Tennessee and Florida Atlantic the last three seasons. Previously the head coach at B.C. Rain High School (2011-12) and Bethel College (2018), his alma mater, Bethel went 10-0 in his lone season and ranked second in NAIA, scoring 55 points per game.

Mercer reinstated football in 2013 after a 72-year absence.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Mercer University and our football program,” said Mercer director of athletics Jim Cole. “To work with ESPN and the city of Montgomery to kick off the college football season on a national stage is something we couldn’t pass up.”

UNA recently made the transition to FCS after a successful stint at the Division II level. The Lions won three straight national championships from 1993-95.

“Participating in the FCS Kickoff is a showcase opportunity for North Alabama athletics and the university as a whole,” said UNA director of athletics Dr. Josh Looney. “Bringing the new-look Lion football program to Alabama’s capital city, while participating in a nationally-televised game, offers an incredible platform to display the newest Division I football team and fastest-growing university in the state. We are thankful to Johnny Williams and ESPN for the invitation to kick off our 2023 season in Week 0 and join this outstanding event.”

Owned and operated by ESPN Events, the FCS Kickoff made its debut on Aug. 23, 2014 when No. 1 Eastern Washington defeated No. 17 Sam Houston State 56-35 in Cheney, Washington. The 2023 FCS Kickoff will be the sixth played at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Jacksonville State, which defeated Chattanooga 27-13 in the first game on Aug. 26, 2017, earned a 42-10 win over Stephen F. Austin in last year, which marked the JSU head coaching debut for Rich Rodriguez.

ESPN Events

ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a portfolio of collegiate sporting events nationwide. In 2022, the 32-event schedule included three early-season college football kickoff games, 17 college bowl games, 11 college basketball events, and a college softball event, which account for approximately 400 hours of live programming, while reaching nearly 64 million viewers and attracting over 800,000 annual attendees. With satellite offices in more than 10 cities across the country, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans. For more information, visit the official website, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.

FCS KICKOFF ALL-TIME RESULTS:

Date                     Result 

Aug. 23, 2014      Eastern Washington 56, Sam Houston State 35 (Cheney, Washington)

Aug, 29, 2015      Montana State 38, North Dakota State 35 (Missoula, Montana)

Aug. 27, 2016      North Dakota State 24, Charleston Southern 17 (Fargo, ND)

Aug, 26, 2017      Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 13 (Montgomery)

Aug. 25, 2018      North Carolina A&T 20, Jacksonville State 17 (Montgomery)

Aug. 26, 2019      Youngstown State 45, Samford 20 (Montgomery)

Aug. 29, 2020      Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 17 (Montgomery)

Aug. 27, 2022      Jacksonville State 42, Stephen F. Austin 10 (Montgomery)

* The 2021 FCS Kickoff was cancelled due to COVID

MONTGOMERY – It’s not how you start, but how you finish.

Jacksonville State senior quarterback Zion Webb overcame a slow start and then orchestrated a second half comeback to lead the Gamecocks to a 42-17 win over Stephen F. Austin the eighth FCS Kickoff at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery.

JSU (1-0) scored 35 unanswered points to give head coach Rich Rodriguez the win in his Gamecocks coaching debut.

Webb finished with 219 total yards and three rushing touchdowns in the win. He completed his final eight passes and finished 9-for-16 for 160 yards through the air. He ran the ball 11 times for 54 yards and career-high three TDs.

The game was stopped by a weather delay with 13:16 left in the fourth quarter, when rain and lightning hit the area at 5:33 p.m. (CT). The game was officially called at 7:19 p.m. (CT).

“After suspending play because of lightning with 13:18 in the fourth quarter with Jacksonville State leading 42-17 over Stephen F Austin, it was determined that the game could not be resumed without significant risk to the health and safety of the student athletes,” according to the A-Sun Conference. “Per NCAA rules 3-3-3c(2) and with both institutions in complete agreement, the game was ended with the final score 42-17.

Trailing 17-7 with 1:56 left in the first half, JSU scored two quick touchdowns to take 21-17 halftime lead.

Senior running back Matt LaRoche scored on an 8-yard run to close the gap to 17-14. Webb set up the score with a 73-yard pass to junior wide receiver Sterling Galban to give the Gamecocks a first-and-goal at the SFA 8-yard line.

The JSU defense forced a three-and-out on the next possession putting the ball back in the hands of Webb, who marched the team 49 yards for the go-ahead score. Webb capped the with a 4-yard TD run to give the Gamecocks their first lead of the game at 21-17.

The Gamecocks scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter to increase the lead to 35-17.

Webb capped an 82-yard drive with a 2-yard run on fourth-and-goal to give JSU a 28-17 lead with 8:10 left in the third quarter.

Senior safety Deco Wilson recorded his first career interception to set the up the next score.

Webb capped the 52-yard drive with a 4-yard quarterback keeper to push the lead to 35-17.

After setting up a pair of touchdowns with turnovers, the JSU defense got a touchdown of its own when linebacker Cole Fuller recovered a fumble in the end zone with 3:16 left in the third quarter to extend the lead to 42-17.

Stephen F. Austin (0-1) took advantage of a pair of early JSU turnovers to take a 17-7 lead.

Webb struggled early on for the Gamecocks with two turnovers in the first four possessions.

The Lumberjacks took advantage of the miscues.

SFA senior quarterback Trae Self completed a 1-yard TD pass to junior wide receiver Darryle Simmons on a fourth-and-goal to give the Lumberjacks a 7-0 lead with 6:33 left in the first quarter.

JSU answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive, capped by running back Pat Jackson’s 1-yard to tie the game at 7-7.

Self hooked up with senior wide receiver Xavier Gipson on a 50-yard scoring strike to give SFA a 14-7 lead early in the second quarter.

Chris Campos’ 36-yard field goal pushed the lead to 17-7 with 6:33 left in the first half.

2022 FCS Kickoff Final Stats >

 

 

Bowl Game to be Part of 100^th Season of Historic Cramton Bowl

MONTGOMERY – The ninth annual Camellia Bowl will be played on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 11 a.m. CT (noon ET) at the historic Cramton Bowl, which will celebrate its 100th birthday during the 2022 college football season. The Camellia Bowl and City of Montgomery have multiple events planned to celebrate the bowl and iconic stadium’s centennial anniversary,

“We are thrilled to host the Camellia Bowl in Montgomery for the ninth year,” executive director Johnny Williams said. “We have had some very exciting games and we hope this year will continue that tradition as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Cramton Bowl, which will be a historic event itself.”

The Camellia Bowl will air on ESPN and match up teams from the Sun Belt Conference, the Mid-American Conference and Conference USA.

Seven of the first eight games have been decided by eight points or less, including the inaugural Camellia Bowl in 2014 when Bowling Green defeated South Alabama 33-28. Last year, Georgia State defeated Ball State as the two teams combined for 71 points in the highest-scoring Camellia Bowl to date.

In addition to the postseason Camellia Bowl, Montgomery will host two preseason kickoff games this season.Jacksonville State will meet Stephen F. Austin in the 9th FCS Kickoff on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN – the fifth FCS Kickoff game played at historic Cramton Bowl. Also, Tuskegee and Fort Valley State will square off in the second annual Boeing Red Tails Classic on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU. Fort Valley State defeated Tuskegee in last year’s inaugural game, which was created with ESPN Events to honor the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

 

CAMELLIA BOWL ALL-TIME RESULTS:

Date                       Result                                                 

Dec. 20, 2014      Bowling Green 33, South Alabama 28

Dec. 19, 2015      Appalachian State 31, Ohio 29

Dec. 17, 2016      Appalachian State 31, Toledo 28

Dec. 16, 2017      Middle Tennessee 35, Arkansas St. 30

Dec. 15, 2018      Georgia Southern 23, E. Michigan 21

Dec. 21, 2019      Arkansas St. 34, FIU 26

Dec. 25, 2020      Buffalo 17, Marshall 10

Dec. 25, 2021      Georgia State 51, Ball State 20

 

FCS KICKOFF ALL-TIME RESULTS:

Date                       Result 

Aug. 23, 2014      Eastern Washington 56, Sam Houston State 35 (Cheney, Washington)

Aug, 29, 2015      Montana State 38, North Dakota State 35 (Missoula, Montana)

Aug. 27, 2016      North Dakota State 24, Charleston Southern 17 (Fargo, ND)

Aug, 26, 2017      Jacksonville State 27, Chattanooga 13 (Montgomery)

Aug. 25, 2018      North Carolina A&T 20, Jacksonville State 17 (Montgomery)

Aug. 26, 2019      Youngstown State 45, Samford 20 (Montgomery)

Aug. 29, 2020      Central Arkansas 24, Austin Peay 17 (Montgomery)