Jenkins leads Jacksonville State past Eastern Kentucky

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- 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.

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 OVC), 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.

Arkansas 63, UT Martin 28

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Alex Collins ran for a career-high five touchdowns and Brandon Allen threw for 265 yards to help Arkansas overcome shoddy defense in a win over FCS foe UT Martin.

Collins finished with 173 yards on 16 carries, while his five rushing touchdowns in a single game ties for second most in program history. Allen was sharp in three quarters of work, completing 14 of 19 passes and throwing two touchdown passes as the Razorbacks (4-4) racked up 591 yards of offense in their final nonconference outing of the season.

The outcome was never in doubt after Arkansas built a 21-0 lead, but the Razorbacks' defense struggled mightily as UT Martin gouged the Hogs for 519 yards of offense, including 263 in the first half. UT Martin quarterback Jarod Neal threw for 380 yards against a pass defense ranked No. 100 in the nation.

Eastern Illinois 34, Murray State 20

MURRAY, Ky. -- Shephard Little ran for 109 yards and two touchdowns to help lead Eastern Illinois to a victory over Murray State.

The Panthers (5-3, 4-0 OVC) have won five consecutive games following a three game losing skid to open the season.

Jalen Whitlow added 236 yards passing and one touchdown for Eastern Illinois, an 80-yard strike to Ben Odugbesan in the third quarter. Tray Mitchell also returned a kick 94 yards for a TD for the first Panthers points of the game.

Murray State (2-6, 1-4 OVC) held a 13-10 first quarter lead after a 26-yard interception return by Marquez Sanford six seconds into the game and a KD Humphries 27-yard scoring strike to Jesse Blackburn.

Eastern Illinois took the lead for good 26 seconds into the second quarter on a 1-yard Little TD run.

Humphries had 346 yards passing and two touchdowns for the Racers.

Tennessee State 20, Austin Peay 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Erick Evans ran for 83 yards and a touchdown to lift Tennessee State past Austin Peay.

The Governors have lost 36-straight road games, the longest in the nation, dating back to 2010 when they beat the Tigers.

Austin Peay got its only lead when Logan Birchfield made a 35-yard field goal after an 11-play, 66-yard drive. Tennessee State (4-4, 1-4 OVC) tied it with a 47 yarder from Lane Clark.

Oshay Ackerman-Carter threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Joe Bowens to put the Tigers up for good early in the second quarter.

Ackerman-Carter finished 13 for 26 for 76 yards and an interception. Telvin Hooks had 18 carries for 83 for Tennessee State.

For Austin Peay (0-9, 0-6 OVC), the Governors' Trey Taylor was 10-for-25 passing for 75 yards. Kendall Morris led Austin Peay on the ground with 76 yards on 18 carries.

-- Associated Press