Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 7-33@ North Dakota State | 11 | 48 | 4.4 | 0 | 17 | Season-high 73 yds |
| Wk 1 | W 49-7vs Eastern Kentucky | 5 | 73 | 14.6 | 1 | 45 | Season-high 73 yds |
| Total | 16 | 121 | 9.5 | 1 | 45 |
#6
Jalen Likely
Sophomore running back for Jacksonville State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
5′8″ · 190 lb · Brewton, AL · W.S. Neal HS
Returning to Jacksonville State for 2026
The numbers
121
rushing yards · 2026
1 TD · 7.6 per carry · 3 catches
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 73 rush yds, 1 TD, 2 rec yds, vs Eastern Kentucky
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
2 running back for Jacksonville State. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
The full story, with sources
In Their Words
176 windows · 2025 fan posts
schools×121.5happen×208.2whether×130.1life×115.7perspective×115.7final×104.1real×74.4important×72.3
Jalen Likely
Second year in the Jacksonville State backfield, same address the whole way. The receipt: 73 rush yds, 2 rec yds against Eastern Kentucky — Week 1, 2026.
121 RUSH YDS · 1 RUSH TD · 16 CARRIES
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- seasons on the roster
- game log
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
Jacksonville State
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Charles Kelly — 10-7 over that span.
2025Jacksonville State9-5HC: Charles Kelly · Run-heavy
2026Jacksonville State1-2HC: Charles Kelly · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the RB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / carry (93rd percentile). Concern: rush yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (8)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 60.5 YDS/g, 9.5 YPC, 0.5 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Charles Kelly
Pass share
43.2%
79 pass / 104 run
Plays / game
61.0
3 games
Team sack rate
4.5%
88 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jacksonville State | 16 | 121 | 7.6 | 1 | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 7 | 52 | 7.4 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 23 | 173 | 7.5 | 1 | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jacksonville State | 3 | 19 | 6.3 | 0 | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 3 | 6 | 2.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 6 | 25 | 4.2 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 49–7
73 rush yds (5 car) · 1 TD
Dominant 42-point win at home against Eastern Kentucky.
With C. Creel — 327 yds · 5 TD · 1 INT · 54 rush yds (10 car) · J. Williams — -4 rush yds (1 car)
Signature plays
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
- Week 1 · Eastern Kentucky · 3&1 · Q2 · EPA +4.23Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush right for 45 yards gain to the EKU00 TOUCHDOWN, clock 05:28, 1ST DOWN #37 G.Rippa kick attempt good (H: #1 C.Nix, LS: #45 D.Musgrove)
- Week 1 · North Dakota State · 4&1 · Q3 · EPA +1.56(12:51) Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush middle for 1 yard gain to the JSU35 (#25 R.James; #1 D.Woolen), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · North Dakota State · 3&5 · Q2 · EPA -1.39(03:46) Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush left for 3 yards loss to the JSU48 (#9 K.McCaslin)
- Week 1 · Eastern Kentucky · 1&10 · Q2 · EPA +1.38Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush left for 9 yards gain to the Jax St43 (#10 D.Taylor; #8 B.Driver)
- Week 1 · North Dakota State · 2&6 · Q4 · EPA +1.15(12:52) No Huddle-Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush right for 8 yards gain to the NDSU45 fumbled by #6 J.Likely at NDSU45 forced by #28 K.Carter recovered by JSU #6 J.Likely at NDSU45, out of bounds at NDSU45, 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · Eastern Kentucky · 1&10 · Q1 · EPA +0.94Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush middle for 10 yards gain to the Jax St40 (#30 J.Kinley), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · North Dakota State · 1&10 · Q3 · EPA +0.91(14:59) Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush right for 8 yards gain to the JSU33 (#29 D.Givance)
- Week 1 · North Dakota State · 1&10 · Q4 · EPA +0.84(02:16) Shotgun #12 C.Creel pass complete short middle to #6 J.Likely caught at JSU25, for 10 yards to the JSU35 (#42 A.Elliott), 1ST DOWN
- Week 1 · North Dakota State · 2&10 · Q3 · EPA -0.79(04:35) Shotgun #6 J.Likely rush middle for 1 yard gain to the JSU48, End Of Play
- Week 1 · Eastern Kentucky · 2&10 · Q1 · EPA -0.62No Huddle-Shotgun #12 C.Creel pass complete short right to #6 J.Likely caught at Jax St49, for 2 yards to the EKU48 (#1 K.Smith), out of bounds
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Jacksonville State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Running back · Jacksonville State
Returning around him
- 50% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
- Transfer portal: +7 net (21 in / 14 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Jacksonville State · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #93 · 2026 recruiting class #86
Background
2025: Saw action in eight games...Recorded 52 yards rushing on seven carries...Caught three passes for six yards...Had three carries against Murray State (9/20) for 11 yards...Had 42 yards on three carries with a long rush of 34 against Delaware (10/15)...Had a catch for seven yards at FIU (11/22...
The backfield · Jacksonville State
- #7Khristian Lando201 rushing yards · 2025
- Andrew Paul127 rushing yards · 2025
- #21Justus Savage58 rushing yards · 2025
- #6Jalen Likely52 rushing yards · 2025
- #22Lucas Farrington14 rushing yards · 2025
4 more on the roster · Jacksonville State team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology