Davidson falls short in FCS playoff matchup against Jacksonville State
That Davidson made it into the modified FCS playoffs in this shortened spring season was a true accomplishment, given the depth of the conference and restrictions on everything from travel to practices.
A win Saturday against fourth-overall seed Jacksonville State would have been a cherry on top of it all, but it wasn’t meant to be for the Wildcats.
Jacksonville State scored early — with 7:47 to play the first quarter — and often, including a pair of scores within seven seconds near the end of the first half, and ran away with the game at Davidson’s expense, putting a 49-14 beating on the Wildcats in the first round of the FCS playoffs.
Jacksonville State had its way with Davidson through the air, with a focus on efficiency. Quarterback Zion Webb threw just 15 times in the game, completing nine of those passes. But two of those nine completions went for touchdowns, and he racked up 239 yards through the air to lead the Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks were efficient on the ground, too. Uriah West rumbled for 76 yards and two touchdowns, Webb scampered for 68 yards and a score on just two rushes, and Josh Samuel added 66 more rush yards and another TD in the win.
Davidson spread the ball out in the rushing game, with eight different players getting a touch. Coy Williams led the way for the Wildcats with 62 yards on 16 carries and the team’s lone rushing touchdown.
Tyler Phelps was the Davidson QB Saturday, completing 7-of-15 passes for 59 yards and touchdown to Jackson Sherrard.
The Wildcats finish the season at 4-3 overall, having won the Pioneer League’s automatic bid into the playoffs with a 4-1 conference record. Davidson’s signature win this season came on April 3 at San Diego, where the Wildcats held off their division rivals and perennial powerhouse for a 31-25 win and the inside track at the league’s automatic bid.
Davidson’s lone conference loss came in the final game of the shortened regular season, a 29-24 setback at Presbyterian in South Carolina.
This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 5:31 PM.
