Jenkins leads Jacksonville St. past Eastern Kentucky, 34-0

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) Eli Jenkins completed 23 of 32 passes for a career-high 324 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Josh Barge to help Jacksonville State

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) Eli Jenkins completed 23 of 32 passes for a career-high 324 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Josh Barge to help Jacksonville State beat Eastern Kentucky 34-0 Saturday.

Jenkins became the first Jacksonville State player to pass for at least 300 yards since Nov. 3, 2012.

Barge finished with nine catches for a career-high 158 yards while Markis Merrill added 101 yards receiving on five receptions.

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On its first possession, Jacksonville State (7-1, 5-0 Ohio Valley Conference) used an 11-play, 96-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass from Jenkins to Barge. A 48-yard pick-6 by Dawson Wells, a 1-yard scoring run by Torymaine Pope and a 41-yard field goal by Connor Rouleau made it 24-0 at halftime.

Eastern Kentucky (5-3, 4-1), which came into the game having allowed five sacks this season, had just 175 total yards and gave up four sacks.

Jacksonville State's Miles Jones had 110 yards rushing.