Jacksonville State will play the final home game of what has been an overwhelmingly successful first season of FBS football on Saturday.

After an open date last week, the Gamecocks (7-3 overall, 5-1 Conference USA) host Louisiana Tech (3-8, 2-5) on Senior Day at Burgess-Snow Field. Jax State is ineligible for the CUSA championship game, but still has opens of landing in a bowl game if there are not enough 6-win FBS teams.

“I think in a lot of ways, not only with the transition, but these guys have been in a temporary home now for two years now, so they won’t get to use the new (football) building,” Jax State coach Rich Rodriguez said. “They can always come back and work out in it , but they have been in a temporary home.

“They were in a transition and not able to go to the (FCS) playoffs last year. We are still hopeful that we will be able to get to a bowl game for this year and they can be proud of the fact that they were the first Jax State football players to be in a bowl game. So that is our hope as well. They have certainly have helped and made an impact in this transition from FCS to FBS.”

Among the Jax State seniors are two seventh-year seniors, quarterback Zion Webb and defensive back Jeremiah Harris. Webb joined the Gamecocks program out of Central Phenix City High School in 2017, redshirting his first year, then backing up Zerrick Cooper for two seasons before becoming the primary starter during the spring 2021 season.

Webb missed the 2021 fall season due to injury, but has been the primary starter the last two years. Despite missing parts of three games with injuries, Webb has passed for 927 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 525 yards and four more scores.

“There are a couple (of seventh-year seniors) throughout the country and we have two — one on each side of the ball,” Rodriguez said. “They have played great football, but more than anything, they have been really good leaders. I have always said when practice is going on and when we have meetings, I am not worried about leadership because that is what the coaches are there for. It is during the games, in the locker room, off the field is when your leadership really needs to take hold.”

Harris, a former Abbeville High School star, has been one of the leaders of a Jax State defense that is first or second in CUSA in nearly every major category. The Gamecocks allow just 20.7 points and 361.5 yards per game, and lead the conference in sacks (33) and takeaways (19).

Harris also redshirted as a true freshman, then worked as a back-up and special teams performer before earning a starting job in the spring of 2021. He missed all but one game that due to injury, but has come back to start every game the last two seasons, totaling 115 tackles and intercepting a pass to secure JSU’s first FBS win in the 2023 season-opener vs. UTEP.

“It is an exciting feeling and it is a sad feeling knowing this is my last home game in Jacksonville,” Harris said. “I am ready to see how it goes on Saturday.

“… It is a blessing to come here and see how far the program has come and making the move to FBS. A lot of people didn’t see us dominating in the FBS, so I feel like it’s a great feeling to go out and show them that we are a great team and can compete on any level.”

Louisiana Tech has traditionally been one of the contenders in CUSA, but has fallen on hard times the last two seasons under coach Sonny Cumbie. The Bulldogs have won a total of nine games since the beginning of the 2021 season, and carry a five-game losing streak into the season-finale against the Gamecocks.

Louisiana Tech is the worst scoring defense in CUSA and struggles against the run, allowing nearly 200 yards per game. The Bulldogs are dangerous on offense, however, with receiver Smoke Harris leading the conference with 74 receptions.

“This is a really talented team,” Rodriguez said. “Louisiana Tech has recruited very well and I have coached in that state before and I know the kind of talent that they get and they can pull from different parts of the state. We have friends that have called us and said they might have the best group of skill guys in our league and we have seen that on film. It will be a challenge and I am hoping for a great crowd and we play great football.”

Kickoff Saturday is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Burgess-Snow Field. The game will stream live via ESPN+.