Ohio (0-1 overall) will walk into Peden Stadium for the first time in 2026 to take on Jacksonville State University (1-1 overall). After a strong first half last weekend in Lincoln, Ohio struggled to finish well and lost to Nebraska 49-21.
There is more on the line than just getting back in the win column for Ohio. It currently holds the second-longest home winning streak in the FBS with 12 consecutive wins at Peden Stadium.
A lot of Ohio’s roster has never taken a loss at home, including graduate student quarterback Nick Poulos. Poulos had 164 yards and a touchdown pass Saturday against Nebraska, plus another 70 yards and a rushing score. Poulos needs to continue using both his legs and arm to help Ohio take care of business at home.
Jacksonville State has two games under its belt, a dominating win and a big loss. Its year opened in week zero against FBS newcomer North Dakota State and was dominated. North Dakota State’s defensive pressure forced three sacks, an interception and a scoop-and-score. Jacksonville State returned home in week one and looked to get back on track, doing so with a 49-7 win against FCS program Eastern Kentucky.
It all goes down at 6 p.m. Saturday. Now let’s break down Jacksonville State.
Head Coach
Charles Kelly brought over 35 years of coaching experience in 2025. Throughout his career, Kelly has spent time with top programs in the nation, including Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee, Auburn and Georgia Tech.
He has been on two staffs that went on to win national championships. Now, he’s using his veteran pedigree and experience to help Jacksonville State. After a 9-5 year last year, this program looked to reload this offseason. Kelly was at the forefront of an effort to go back to the Conference USA title game this year.
Quarterback
Jacksonville State quarterback Caden Creel helped unlock the big play ability that they hope to utilize again on Saturday. He threw for 327 yards and five touchdowns, while also running for over 50. Creel will be the engine of this offense, and his legs will be the key to beating Ohio. In 2025, he ran for over 1,000 yards and seven scores, and he will look to use his abilities to take advantage of the Ohio defense.
Running back
On top of the elusive play under center, look to running back Jalen Likely to carry the load. Likely, a junior, is in his second season at Jacksonville State. Last season, he saw limited opportunity but has already surpassed 100 yards and found the end zone through games in 2026.
Wide receivers
Ohio will have its hands full with the running game Saturday but can’t forget about the back end on defense. Jacksonville State wants to make big plays, and so far this year, that meant finding Jamill Williams. He has nine receptions for 149 yards and four touchdowns already on the campaign. Ohio needs to be wary of Deondre Johnson, who will be the primary target in the red zone thanks to his 6-foot-5-inch size advantage.
Defense
Jacksonville State’s defensive game plan is to make Poulos make quick decisions and put Ohio behind the chains. Poulos having to throw allows Jacksonville State’s leading tackler, JQ Brooks, to make plays on the ball, something he has done well through two weeks.
Jacksonville State has been very balanced up front, with five players being credited with at least half a sack, while on the back end they have also forced three interceptions. Jacksonville State needs to rely on their offense to take the lead and let their defense take advantage of Ohio to play catch up.
