Jacksonville State beats Eastern Illinois 24-3

CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) Eli Jenkins passed for 149 yards and a score and added 93 yards rushing, Troymaine Pope ran for 114 yards and a touchdown and

CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) Eli Jenkins passed for 149 yards and a score and added 93 yards rushing, Troymaine Pope ran for 114 yards and a touchdown and Jacksonville State scored three second-half touchdowns to beat Eastern Illinois 24-3 Saturday.

Dawson Wells intercepted a Jalen Whitlow pass and returned it 35 yards for a TD for the Gamecocks' final score. It was Wells' second-straight game with a pick-6.

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Jenkins was 12-of-24 passing, with a 43-yard TD strike to Dalton Screws in the third quarter to break a 3-3 tie. The Gamecocks (8-1, 6-0 Ohio Valley Conference) outgained the Panthers 385 total yards to 239.

Pope scored on a 10-yard run around the right end with 11:20 to play. Wells intercepted Whitlow on the next possession.

Nick Bruno kicked a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter for Eastern Illinois (5-4, 5-1).