Story Courtesy of the StaffDNA Cure Bowl

ORLANDO, Fla. – ESPN Events and the Orlando Sports Foundation (OSF) announced on Saturday that the 2024 StaffDNA Cure Bowl will be between the CUSA Champion Jacksonville State Gamecocks (Jax State) and Mid-American Conference Champion Ohio Bobcats at Camping World Stadium. Kickoff is noon ET on Friday, Dec. 20, on ESPN.

The StaffDNA Cure Bowl is celebrating its 10th anniversary by matching two conference champions for the second time in the game’s history. The first dual-champ game came in 2022 when No. 24 Troy held off No. 25 UTSA, 18-12. Jax State and Ohio are among seven conference champions that have played in the StaffDNA Cure Bowl.

“On behalf of the Orlando Sports Foundation, we are honored to welcome Ohio and Jacksonville State to the StaffDNA Cure Bowl,” said Alan Gooch, Orlando Sports Foundation CEO and StaffDNA Cure Bowl Executive Director. “Gameday is going to be special as college football fans, cancer survivors and supporters, both team’s bands and the Orlando Community come together for the Owens Corning March 2Cure before entering Camping World Stadium to watch the Bobcats compete against the Gamecocks.”

Ohio is making its 16th bowl appearance, while Jax State heads to its second bowl game in only its second season in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Ohio (10-3, 7-1 MAC) and Jax State (9-4, 7-1 C-USA) will be playing for the first time on the gridiron.

“StaffDNA Cure Bowl’s mission has always been about bringing teams together to find a cure for cancer,” said Orlando Sports Foundation President Jordan Edwards. “Jax State and Ohio will carry on our tradition of raising awareness for cancer research.”

The StaffDNA Cure Bowl is one of many fundraising events hosted by the Orlando Sports Foundation that supports the cancer research. Over $4.14 million has been raised since 2015. Local Orlando researcher Dr. Annette Khaled at the UCF College of Medicine has received $1.63 million from the funds donated.

Tickets start at $39 and are set to go on sale at 4 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets by clicking here.

The Owens Corning® March 2Cure is a free block party that kicks off at 8 am with Fan Fest presented by Tomb Slayer Radio on the fields next to Camping World Stadium. The event will be highlighted by a cancer tribute march featuring the team bands, dignitaries, cancer survivors, cancer supporters and the Orlando community before entering the stadium.

JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS (9-4, 7-1 CUSA)
• Jax State captured its first C-USA Championship with a 52-12 victory over Western Kentucky on Friday. C-USA Championship MVP Quarterback Tyler Huff totaled three touchdowns, including one rushing. He passed for 176 yards and ran for 167.
• The Gamecocks are in just their second season at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level and earned their second-straight berth to a bowl game. In 2023, they earned a 34-31 (OT) victory over Louisiana in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
• Jax State features a high-powered Jax State offense, averaging a play every 22.9 seconds, the eight-fastest in the nation.
• Jax State boasts the second-ranked rushing offense, averaging 267.3 yards on the ground. It scores 35.4 points per game, 18th nationally. Running back Tre Stewart is in the Top 10th in rushing TDs (20), rushing yards (1,403) and total touchdowns (21).
• The dynamic duo of Stewart (1,604) and quarterback Tyler Huff (1,343) have each accumulated 1,000 yards on the ground. Stewart has found the endzone 23 times, while Huff has 14 rushing touchdowns.
• Quarterback Tyler Huff has tallied 2,179 yards through the air and 13 touchdowns.
• Top pass catchers Cam Vaughn and Michael Pettway have recorded 620 and 454 yards, respectively, along with three touchdowns.
• The Gamecocks defense has totaled 22 turnovers, 30th nationally. Fred Perry has forced a team-best three fumbles, while Zechariah Poyser and Geimere Latimer have each grabbed three interceptions.
• Jax State’s leading tacklers are Antonio Carter II and Fred Perry with 103 and 97 tackles, respectively. Reginald Hughes has a team-best 4.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.
• Head Coach Rich Rodriguez is in his third season guiding the Gamecocks, tallying a 27-10 mark, and is seventh among active coaches in career victories (190).

"We are incredibly honored to accept an invitation to the 10th annual Cure Bowl in Orlando. We are excited to compete on a national stage and proud to support the StaffDNA Cure Bowl’s meaningful mission in the fight against cancer. I know our team, fans and alumni will have a great time and create some unforgettable memories in this prestigious event."
– Jacksonville State Vice President for Athletics, Greg Seitz
 
"I’m proud of our players and coaches for earning a spot in a great bowl game in a great venue. We’re very excited about the opportunity to showcase Jax State football in front of a national audience at the StaffDNA Cure Bowl.”
– Jacksonville State Head Football Coach, Rich Rodriguez

OHIO BOBCATS (10-3, 7-1 MAC)
• Ohio captured a 38-3 victory over Miami (Ohio) and won its first MAC Championship since 1968 and sixth in program history. That 1968 undefeated Bobcats’ team also earned a trip to Orlando and bid to the Tangerine Bowl (same venue, Camping World Stadium).
• The Bobcats have notched 10 victories in each of the past three seasons. It has registered double-digit wins six times with the first happening in 1960.
• Ohio became the first MAC team to win five-consecutive bowl games last year at the Myrtle Beach Bowl, since Marshall’s run from 1998-2002.
• The Bobcats have a Top-10 rushing defense that ranks seventh nationally, allowing 97 yards per game, which has aided the No. 13 total defense, yielding just 304.1 yards per contest. Ohio holds opponents to 18.7 points per game (17th).
• Ohio’s rushing offense is 14th nationally, tallying 209.1 yards on the ground and holds the ball for 31:55 per game (20th)
• The ground game is paced by running back Anthony Tyus II with 960 yards and nine touchdowns. He totaled a career-best 203 rushing yards against Syracuse.
• Quarterback Parker Navarro has tallied 1,934 yards and 10 touchdowns through the air, while registering 876 yards on the ground and a team-high 13 touchdowns.
• The Bobcats had two representatives on the All-MAC First Team in Coleman Owen, who is the program’s third receiver to achieve 1,000 yards in a season, and Bradley Weaver, who paces the defense with 12.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks from his defensive end position.
• Five Bobcats – QB Parker Navarro, OL Parker Titsworth, OL, Carson Heidecker, RB Anthony Tyus III and S DJ Walker – were tabbed to the All-MAC Second Team.
• MAC Coach of the Year Tim Albin has guided the Bobcats to two conference championship game appearances in his first four seasons.