Welcome to the CUSA Club: Cocky Nation Podcast's Brandon Owens on Jacksonville State
While not the biggest name to enter CUSA this season, Jacksonville State does enter the conference with a face very familiar to WKU fans.
As July nears its end, so too does our get-to-know-you series of newcomers into Conference USA.
Today, we speak with Brandon Owens of Cocky Nation Podcast to give us the intel on JSU. Be sure to check out their Twitter and if you’d like some deeper thoughts on JSU definitely listen to their podcast as well.
Let’s get cocky, shall we?
The Towel Rack: Say you meet someone who doesn’t know anything about Jacksonville State. How would you describe the school to them? What big points of interest or facts about the school would you tell them.
Brandon Owens: Jax State is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and is known as the “Friendliest Campus in the South”. Jax State is the only school in D1 to win an NCAA national title in football, basketball and baseball. One organization on campus that fans and students take pride in is our band, known as the Marching Southerners.
TTR: What would you consider some of JSU’s biggest athletic accomplishments in school history to be?
BO: JSU football went to the D2 National Championship Game in football three out of the four seasons from 1989-1992, winning the 1992 title. JSU football is also proud of our upset victories over Ole Miss and FSU at the FCS level, while also having a FCS title game appearance in 2015. JSU was in the D2 gymnastics championship four of the five years it was held while winning back-to-back titles in 1984 and 1985. JSU men’s basketball won the 1985 D2 National Championship and has also had some success at the D1 level, participating in the NCAA Tournament twice, 2017 and 2022, winning the OVC Tournament in 2017, and participating in the CBI Tournament in 2018. JSU baseball has a pair of D2 national titles at the D2 level, in 1990 and 1991.
TTR: How are JSU fans feeling about moving to Conference USA?
BO: At first we did not like the move, but after some time we actually like this move because of the level of FCS competition not having some parity. We are very excited to have SHSU and Liberty, especially, join with us due to history with them in the FCS and in conference play. We are also excited for KSU to join in 2024 due to our rivalry that has been building since 2017 and excited for the future rivalry in MTSU as we move to CUSA.
TTR: The Gamecocks are about to make the transition from FCS to FBS. How do you see them doing in their first season?
BO: There is a wide range of options that I have heard from 1-11 to 10-2. I personally feel like our floor is 5-7 and our ceiling is 9-3. FBS will be a challenge, but we have been ready and preparing for this move for a while.
TTR: Looking at men’s basketball, how do you see the Gamecocks doing this upcoming season?
BO: Looking at last season, one would think we won’t do well. I think we will do about average. There is potential for a great first run in CUSA, but we shall see. Playing teams like Liberty, SHSU, NMSU, WKU, and MTSU in the same conference will provide a great challenge and add excitement for home games at JSU.
TTR: JSU Coach Ray Harper has a deep history in the state of Kentucky, including his coaching stint at WKU. How are JSU fans feeling about his tenure at the school so far?
BO: JSU loves Coach Ray Harper and we hope he stays here. He brought his success from WKU to JSU and it has been a nice change of pace for men’s basketball, seeing how before we didn’t know what kind of team we would get every year.
TTR: Now that the Gamecocks will be in a new conference, do you see any potential for a new rivalry for the school?
BO: There has been Twitter talk about the “Gravy Bowl” between JSU and SHSU. That rivalry has been brewing for the past couple of years and now it gets to happen every year. JSU people are also thinking that there will be a natural rivalry with MTSU just because of proximity, being three hours apart. Once KSU makes the move, they will be the biggest rival to JSU for many reasons but the biggest being that the schools are separated by 90 miles.
We’re super thankful for Brandon’s time answering our questions! Be sure to go check out Cocky Nation Podcast throughout the season for the JSU perspective.