FULTON – For the third time this season, Jones College went toe-to-toe with an NJCAA Top-10 opponent only to come away empty-handed as No. 8 Itawamba held off the Bobcats 24-21 Thursday night at Eaton Field.
Despite outgaining the Indians 417-368, holding the football for more than 35 minutes and collecting 21 first downs, Jones couldn't overcome three turnovers, seven sacks and 14 penalties in another frustrating three-point defeat.
The Bobcats dropped to 3-4 on the season, while Itawamba improved to 6-1.
Jones has now lost three games by a combined 13 points against nationally ranked Top-10 competition, including a 38-35 setback to No. 3 Northwest Mississippi in the season opener and a 41-34 loss to No. 2 Mississippi Gulf Coast last week.
Sophomore quarterback Jevarion Glover completed 25 of 31 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns while adding 56 yards rushing and another score. He accounted for 348 of Jones' 417 total yards and all three Bobcat touchdowns.
Jones trailed 7-0 after one quarter when Itawamba quarterback Brayden Trusty found BJ Cork II on a 22-yard touchdown pass with 51 seconds remaining in the opening period. The seven-play, 84-yard drive was highlighted by a 42-yard run from Carlos Benjamin Jr.
The Bobcats answered midway through the second quarter after taking over at the Itawamba 41 following a fumble recovery. Glover capped a five-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown run, and Wyatt Jones added the extra point to tie the game at 7-7 with 6:06 remaining.
Neither team scored again before halftime.
Itawamba regained the lead with 9:38 left in the third quarter on a 21-yard touchdown pass from Trusty to Tyreke Darden, finishing a quick three-play, 81-yard possession.
Jones responded with its longest scoring drive of the night, marching 94 yards in five plays to pull even again.
Glover connected with CJ Rush on a 68-yard touchdown pass with 6:12 remaining in the third quarter, and Jones' extra point tied the game at 14-14.
The Indians took advantage of a short field late in the third quarter and moved back in front just five seconds into the fourth when Caiden Holliday scored on a 1-yard run. The touchdown capped a three-play, 37-yard drive and gave Itawamba a 21-14 advantage.
Driving to tie the game on an 11-play, 70-plus yard drive, Glover fumbled a run-pass option at Itawamba's 4-yard line and the Indians took it down to Jones' 42-yard line.
A 40-yard field goal by Wade Hansford with 6:51 remaining extended the Indians' lead to 24-14, forcing Jones to play from behind by two possessions.
Glover directed a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive and found Jaiden Smith for a 29-yard touchdown with 3:11 remaining to trim the deficit to 24-21, but the Bobcats could get no closer.
Glover's 292 passing yards were spread among seven receivers. Rush led the way with four catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, while Jalen Jones hauled in a team-high six receptions for 76 yards. Smith added three catches for 47 yards and a score, and Jet Henderson finished with five receptions for 41 yards.
Jones' defense was led by Dalyn Pierce, who finished with eight tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Delarrius Hayes added seven tackles, while Arterus Moffett had six.
Cortland Battee contributed five tackles and his first career interception as the Bobcats forced three Itawamba turnovers.
Benjamin Jr. powered the Indians' rushing attack with 189 yards on 16 carries, averaging 11.8 yards per attempt. Trusty completed 13 of 18 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns, while Braylon Matthews caught four passes for 75 yards.
Itawamba finished with 223 rushing yards compared to 125 for Jones.
The Bobcats converted 6 of 13 third-down opportunities and controlled possession for 35:38, but the Indians' defense recorded seven sacks for 47 yards in losses and forced three turnovers. Jones was also penalized 14 times for 92 yards compared to seven penalties for 45 yards against Itawamba.
Jones travels to Southwest (1-6) Thursday, Oct. 15 for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
