While Steve Smith is now the latest to try and turn those fortunes around, it's something Jones couldn't do. Jones returned to Jefferson City 10 days short of a year that he was fired by Lincoln, but this time, he was across the street from Reed Stadium as head coach of the St. Louis University Junior Billikens.

It was a Happy Homecoming.

The Junior Bills scored an unlikely touchdown on third-and-goal from the 21 late in the first half to break a 14-14 tie and they never looked back in a 38-20 win over the Jefferson City Jays on Friday night at Adkins Stadium.

It was the third win for Jones in his debut season at SLUH, matching his win total from his final 30 games at the helm of the Blue Tigers. And besides being a homecoming, this night was also a reunion --- Jones and Jays head coach Ted LePage were teammates at Mizzou in the late 1980s. They were even stretching partners.

"I've got to coach against ex-teammates before," LePage told Rod Smith prior to Friday night's game, "and before the game, it's all good. But during the game, it's just like playing your brother, you want to beat him. Then after the game, we'll hug it up and move forward."

It's SLUH that will move forward with a win. While the Jays (2-3) had beaten the Bills (3-2) nine of the last 10 in the series, they never had the lead in this one.

The Bills took the opening kickofff and moved it 65 yards in seven plays, a drive capped on a 31-yard run around left end by Jared Scott with 7:19 left in the first quarter to make it 7-0.

It didn't take long for the Jays to respond, as junior Maleek Jackson returned the ensuing kickoff --- and doing his best impersonation of Dennis Barnes --- 90 yards for a touchdown. But the PAT was blocked, leaving it 7-6.

With 9:24 left in the half, it was Scott again. The speedy senior, who rushed for 207 yards on 26 carries, darted 27 yards for a score to make it 14-6.

The Jays had another quick answer, however, as they went 65 yards in eight plays and scored on a 21-yard swing pass from Devin Roberson to Jackson, who broke a tackle near the line of scrimmage and went 21 yards for the score. The two-point conversion run by K.D. Rosser pulled the Jays even with 7:06 left in the half.

But then came the backbreaker and game-changer, as the Bills went 84 yards in six plays, converting a third-and-goal from the 21 into a touchdown pass from Austin Hannah to A.J. Hardin with just 15 seconds left in the half to take a 21-14 lead at the break.

The Bills, who outgained the Jays 518-267, then rattled off the first 17 points of the second half to put it away.

After a field goal made it 24-14, the lead grew to 31-14 midway through the third quarter on a four-yard run by Daniel Terry. Early in the fourth, Hannah --- who finished a razor-sharp 14-of-18 for 264 yards --- found Daniel McMurran on a 68-yard pass and run to make it 40-14.

The Jays finished the scoring on Jackson's third touchdown of the night, this one an 8-yard reception from Roberson, who completed 12-of-21 for 152 yards.

The outcome breaks the win-lose-win-lose trend for the Jays, as they dropped their second straight. And with none of their remaining four opponents having a losing record --- both of the Jays' wins this season have come against winless teams entering Friday night --- it won't be an easy stretch to end the regular season.

The trail starts next week at 10th-ranked Rock Bridge (4-1), which beat Hickman 41-9 Friday night.