2026 Madison Bowl: James Clemens Defeats Bob Jones 49-20 in Fourth-Quarter Surge

MADISON, AL – James Clemens turned a tight rivalry game into a runaway, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 49-20 victory over Bob Jones in the 2026 Madison Bowl on Friday, Sept. 4, in Madison, Alabama. The win carried extra weight for the Jets, who avenged a lopsided 54-7 loss to the Patriots a season ago and moved to 2-1 on the year.

For three quarters, this looked like a battle. Then the Jets found their rhythm, scoring three unanswered touchdowns down the stretch to leave no doubt about who owned the rivalry this time around.

First Half: Bob Jones Sets the Pace

Bob Jones came in with a clear plan and stuck to it early. The Patriots slowed the tempo, kept the ball on the ground and forced the Jets to grind for everything in the opening two quarters.

Quarterback Alex Randolph managed the offense, throwing for 71 yards and adding 35 more on the ground. The Patriots’ first breakthrough came when Ethan Gay hauled in a 40-yard reception to set up a scoring chance. Zacchaeus King finished the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run, giving Bob Jones the kind of early spark it had hoped for.

Running back Jaden Rice powered the Patriots’ attack throughout, doing the heavy lifting and keeping the chains moving. The tempo-control strategy worked well enough to keep the game within reach at the break.

Second Half: James Clemens Finds Another Gear

The Jets adjusted after halftime and slowly took control. MJ Gideon delivered the game’s signature run, breaking free for a 59-yard touchdown that shifted momentum toward James Clemens.

The defense joined the party when defensive back Myles Yarbrough jumped a route and returned an interception for a pick-6, swinging both the scoreboard and the energy in the Jets’ favor.

Quarterback Matthew Evers stretched the field through the air, connecting with Aaron Gonzalez on touchdown passes of 56 and 45 yards in the second half. Evers capped his night with a 7-yard touchdown run to help close out the win.

The Fourth-Quarter Turning Point

Bob Jones refused to fold. Rice scored with 6:48 remaining to trim the deficit to 27-20 and give the Patriots a fighting chance. That was as close as they would get.

From there, James Clemens slammed the door. The Jets rattled off three straight touchdowns to blow the game open, turning a one-score contest into a 29-point final margin.

Standout Performances

Evers led the way for James Clemens, throwing for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns, with scoring strikes of 56, 56 and 45 yards. He added a rushing touchdown to round out a complete performance.

Gideon was the game’s biggest playmaker. He ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns and chipped in 79 receiving yards, including a 56-yard touchdown catch. His mix of speed and power gave Bob Jones fits all night.

Gonzalez was a reliable target downfield, finishing with 118 yards and two touchdowns on his 56- and 45-yard grabs. Elijah Moten added three catches for 42 yards.

For Bob Jones, Rice stood out in the loss with 175 yards and two touchdowns. King added his 3-yard scoring run, and Gay’s 40-yard catch was among the Patriots’ bigger plays.

Cross Town Rivalry

The Madison Bowl remains one of the state’s closest series. Bob Jones still holds an 8-7 all-time edge, but James Clemens has flipped the recent script, winning seven of the last nine meetings. Friday’s result continued that trend and gave the Jets a measure of payback after last year’s blowout.

Looking Ahead

James Clemens (2-1) returns home to host Gadsden City on Friday, carrying momentum and a 1-0 region start into the matchup.

Bob Jones (1-2) will look to bounce back against Grissom at Milton Frank Stadium. With plenty of football left on the schedule, the Patriots have time to regroup and climb back into the region race.