SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Jackson State football team battled tough but were defeated at Texas State 77-34 Saturday night at Bobcat Stadium.
 
QB Jason Brown completed 16 of 26 passes for 209 yards, while QB Zy McDonald completed seven of 10 passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns as the Jackson State (2-2) gained 400 yards total offense.
 
RB Ahmad Miller rushed 13 times for 98 yards to lead the ground attack, and Irv Mulligan rushed 12 times for 44 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Trailing 14-0, Jackson State scored on its next three possessions. An 11-play, 75-yard drive on the Tigers' second drive ended with a Brown seven-yard touchdown run to cut the deficit to 14-6 with 4:35 to play in the first quarter as the extra point attempt was blocked.
 
The sequence was the beginning of seven straight touchdown drives between the teams. After Texas State scored, the Tigers responded with another 11-play drive, this time 85 yards in length which ended with an Irv Mulligan nine-yard scoring run to cut the margin to 21-13 less than two minutes into the second quarter.
 
JSU responded after another Bobcats' touchdown. It took the Tigers only three plays to drive 65 yards, as Mulligan's four-yard run to paydirt cut Jackson State's deficit to 28-20 with 11:11 to play until halftime.
 
However, Texas State scored on its remaining four drives of the second quarter to break the game open.
 
A Tim Steward interception set up a Jackson State touchdown in the third quarter. Driving 35 yards in seven plays, McDonald connected with Isaiah Spencer on a nine-yard scoring pass with less than three minutes to play in the period.
 
In the fourth quarter, McDonald directed a 10-play, 64-yard drive ending with a 28-yard scoring pass to Hayden Hagler with just over 10 minutes remaining.
 
Jackson State will return to Southwestern Athletic Conference play next Saturday in the home opener vs. Bethune-Cookman in the W.C. Gorden Classic at 6 p.m. at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
 

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