Jacksonville State beats Western Kentucky 37-34 to reach CUSA championship game

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JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Garrison Rippa kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired to send Jacksonville State to the Conference USA championship game with a 37-34 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday.

The Gamecocks (8-4, 7-1) will host Kennesaw State in the championship game on Friday.

Caden Creel led the Gamecocks from the JSU 39 to the WKU 11 over the final 4:18 to set up the winning kick.

Creel completed 12 of 19 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns and had 143 rushing yards including a score. Cam Cook added 137 yards rushing and a TD. Cook entered the game with the second-most rushing yards in the FBS with 1,444.

Cook scored the first touchdown for Jacksonville, a 14-yard rush in the first quarter. Western Kentucky (8-4, 6-2) responded with three straight scores to go up 21-7 early in the second quarter. A kick from Rippa and a 2-yard reception by Pearson Baldwin made it 21-17. Both teams scored another touchdown before halftime.

Creel rushed for a 70-yard score in the third quarter to take the lead for the Gamecocks.

Rodney Tisdale Jr. completed 17 of 24 passes for 180 yards for Western Kentucky. La'Vell Wright ran for 116 yards and scored two touchdowns.

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