5-1 Jacksonville State, in their first year in FBS, have been one of the best teams in CUSA through the first half of the season.
A huge factor has been their scoring defense, the best in CUSA, allowing just 17.5 points per game. This unit has been spurred on, in part, by some monster performances from redshirt junior defensive lineman Chris Hardie.
Hardie’s stat line from the Gamecocks’ win against Middle Tennessee on Wednesday night included six total tackles, 4.5 TFLs, two sacks, and an interception with a 58-yard return.
“For the most part, we just wanted to attack and be physical,” Hardie said of his team’s performance against MTSU.