The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Carolina Panthers 26-10 on September 7, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. Both teams entered the Week 1 matchup with 0-0 records and significant questions surrounding their rebuilt rosters. Jacksonville began a new coaching era under Liam Coen. Carolina opened its second season under head coach Dave Canales.
Carolina played without starting left tackle Ikem Ekwonu, who was recovering from an appendectomy. His absence changed the offensive line before kickoff. Defensive tackle Turk Wharton and linebacker Patrick Jones II later left the game with injuries.
Jacksonville controlled the game through its rushing attack, turnover margin, and second-quarter scoring. The Jaguars rushed for 200 yards and forced three Carolina turnovers. They built a 20-3 halftime advantage before managing the lead during the second half.
Match Overview
Jacksonville won its season opener and moved to 1-0. Carolina dropped to 0-1 after scoring only three points through the opening three quarters.
The game included a weather interruption lasting more than one hour. Jacksonville led 10-3 when nearby lightning forced both teams into their locker rooms.
| Match detail | Information |
| Date | September 7, 2025 |
| Venue | EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida |
| Competition | 2025 NFL regular season, Week 1 |
| Final score | Jaguars 26, Panthers 10 |
| Carolina record | 0-1 |
| Jacksonville record | 1-0 |
| Broadcast | FOX |
Pre-Match Context
Carolina entered 2025 seeking further development from Bryce Young after finishing the previous season with a 5-12 record. The Panthers added rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan and veteran Hunter Renfrow to support their passing attack.
The offensive line entered Jacksonville without Ekwonu at left tackle. Carolina therefore needed its remaining blockers to protect Young against Jacksonville’s experienced defensive front.
Jacksonville started the season under Coen, who was hired after the Jaguars finished 4-13 in 2024. The team expected Coen’s offense to support Trevor Lawrence with improved spacing, protection, and rushing efficiency.
The Jaguars also introduced rookie Travis Hunter within their offensive rotation. Jacksonville listed Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby as co-starters before the game.
Neither team had an established 2025 record before kickoff. The game offered an immediate measure of two teams trying to improve after losing seasons.
Quarter by Quarter Score
Jacksonville scored in three quarters and produced the game’s decisive separation before halftime. Carolina did not reach the end zone until the fourth quarter.
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 |
| Carolina Panthers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3 | 17 | 0 | 6 |
Final score: Jacksonville Jaguars 26, Carolina Panthers 10
Quarter by Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter
Jacksonville opened with a 13-play drive that covered 55 yards after penalties were included. Trevor Lawrence completed passes to Brenton Strange, Travis Hunter, and LeQuint Allen during the possession.
The drive stalled inside Carolina territory. Cam Little completed a 35-yard field goal with 8:18 remaining. Carolina responded with a possession lasting 7:33. The Panthers moved 41 yards but also settled for a field goal. Ryan Fitzgerald converted from 48 yards with 41 seconds remaining. The opening quarter ended tied at 3-3.
Second Quarter
Jacksonville took control during the second quarter. The Jaguars first finished an eight-play, 35-yard drive with a touchdown. Lawrence found tight end Hunter Long for a six-yard score. Little made the extra point, giving Jacksonville a 10-3 lead.
Nearby lightning then stopped play for one hour and 16 minutes. Jacksonville maintained control after the restart. The Jaguars later started at their own nine-yard line and covered 91 yards in four plays. Etienne produced the drive’s defining gain with a 71-yard run.
Brian Thomas Jr. completed the possession with a nine-yard rushing touchdown. Little’s extra point extended the lead to 17-3. Carolina’s final meaningful possession before halftime ended when Bryce Young fumbled during a scramble. Jourdan Lewis recovered for Jacksonville. Little added a 47-yard field goal with six seconds remaining. Jacksonville entered halftime ahead 20-3.
Third Quarter
Neither team scored during the third quarter. Carolina received the second-half kickoff and advanced to Jacksonville’s five-yard line. The Panthers faced fourth-and-one but failed to convert.
Young later absorbed a 12-yard sack from Dawuane Smoot. Carolina punted after losing field position. Jacksonville also struggled offensively during the quarter. Lawrence attempted a deep pass for Travis Hunter with 2:12 remaining.
Jaycee Horn intercepted the pass and returned it 10 yards. Carolina could not turn the takeaway into points.
Fourth Quarter
Jacksonville opened the quarter with a long possession that reduced Carolina’s remaining opportunities. The drive lasted 8:07 and covered 49 yards. Lawrence completed important passes to Dyami Brown, Travis Hunter, and Brenton Strange. Jacksonville also converted a fourth-and-one rushing attempt.
Little finished the drive with a 36-yard field goal. Jacksonville led 23-3 with 7:12 remaining. Carolina then produced its only touchdown drive. Young completed a 27-yard touchdown pass to Chuba Hubbard with 4:54 left.
Fitzgerald added the extra point, reducing the deficit to 23-10. Jacksonville answered with another field goal drive. Little made a 28-yard attempt with two minutes remaining. Young threw his second interception on Carolina’s final possession. Jacksonville then completed the 26-10 victory.
Team Stats Comparison
Jacksonville’s 123-yard advantage reflected its control of the running game. The Jaguars also completed both fourth-down attempts and protected the football better.
Carolina converted more third downs, but three turnovers prevented those conversions from producing enough points.
| Team statistic | Panthers | Jaguars |
| Total yards | 255 | 378 |
| Passing yards | 142 | 178 |
| Rushing yards | 113 | 200 |
| First downs | 15 | 19 |
| Total plays | 61 | 63 |
| Yards per play | 4.2 | 6.0 |
| Third-down conversions | 8 of 15 | 5 of 12 |
| Fourth-down conversions | 0 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 1 |
| Penalties | 4 for 35 | 11 for 93 |
| Time of possession | 29:00 | 31:00 |
| Red-zone touchdowns | 0 of 1 | 2 of 5 |
Key Numbers That Decided the Game
The team statistics show how Jacksonville combined explosive rushing plays with better ball security and stronger situational execution.
- Jacksonville rushed for 200 yards while averaging 6.3 yards per attempt.
- Carolina committed three turnovers, including two interceptions and one lost fumble.
- Jacksonville converted both fourth-down attempts, while Carolina failed on both attempts.
- The Jaguars generated 378 total yards and averaged six yards per offensive play.
- Jacksonville scored 17 second-quarter points and entered halftime with a 17-point lead.
Full Box Score: Carolina Panthers
Carolina gained 255 yards but failed to maintain drives inside scoring territory. Young threw one touchdown and two interceptions.
McMillan led the Panthers in receiving yards during his NFL debut. Hubbard led Carolina’s rushing attack and caught the team’s only touchdown.
Carolina Passing
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT |
| Bryce Young | 18/35 | 154 | 1 | 2 |
Young completed 51.4 percent of his passes. Jacksonville recorded one sack, reducing Carolina’s net passing total to 142 yards.
Carolina Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | TD |
| Chuba Hubbard | 16 | 57 | 3.6 | 0 |
| Bryce Young | 5 | 40 | 8.0 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 |
Etienne’s rushing attempt appeared on a return-related play credited within Carolina’s statistical listing. Hubbard handled most conventional running-back carries.
Carolina Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Average | TD |
| Tetairoa McMillan | 5 | 68 | 13.6 | 0 |
| Chuba Hubbard | 3 | 32 | 10.7 | 1 |
| Ja’Tavion Sanders | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 0 |
| Hunter Renfrow | 2 | 11 | 5.5 | 0 |
| Xavier Legette | 3 | 10 | 3.3 | 0 |
| Rico Dowdle | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 0 |
| Tommy Tremble | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 |
McMillan received nine targets and produced Carolina’s longest consistent receiving output. Hubbard scored on a 27-yard reception during the fourth quarter.
Carolina Kicking
| Player | FG | XP | Total points |
| Ryan Fitzgerald | 1/1 | 1/1 | 4 |
Fitzgerald converted a 48-yard field goal and Carolina’s only extra-point attempt.
Carolina Returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Average |
| Travis Etienne | 2 kickoffs | 43 | 21.5 |
| Travis Etienne | 1 punt | 0 | 0.0 |
| David Moore | 1 punt | 0 | 0.0 |
| Jaycee Horn | 1 interception | 10 | 10.0 |
Carolina’s return units did not create an offensive scoring opportunity. Horn’s interception return gave the Panthers possession late in the third quarter.
Carolina Defensive Leaders
The table uses combined tackles. CBS listed tackles as solo and assisted totals.
| Player | Tackles | Sacks | Key play |
| Tre’von Moehrig | 11 | 0 | None |
| Christian Rozeboom | 8 | 0 | None |
| Trevin Wallace | 5 | 0 | None |
| A’Shawn Robinson | 6 | 0 | None |
| Mike Jackson | 4 | 0 | None |
| Derrick Brown | 4 | 0 | None |
| Nick Scott | 5 | 0 | None |
| Jaycee Horn | 2 | 0 | Interception |
Horn recorded Carolina’s only takeaway. The Panthers did not sack Lawrence during the game.
Full Box Score: Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville produced 378 total yards through a balanced offensive plan. Etienne’s rushing output supplied the game’s largest gains.
Lawrence threw one touchdown and remained unsacked. Strange led Jacksonville’s receivers, while Little scored 14 points through kicking.
Jacksonville Passing
| Player | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT |
| Trevor Lawrence | 19/31 | 178 | 1 | 1 |
Lawrence completed 61.3 percent of his attempts. His touchdown went to Hunter Long during the second quarter.
Jacksonville Rushing
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | TD |
| Travis Etienne Jr. | 16 | 143 | 8.9 | 0 |
| Trevor Lawrence | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 0 |
| Tank Bigsby | 5 | 12 | 2.4 | 0 |
| Bhayshul Tuten | 3 | 11 | 3.7 | 0 |
| Brian Thomas Jr. | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 1 |
| LeQuint Allen | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 |
| Dyami Brown | 2 | 6 | 3.0 | 0 |
Etienne’s 71-yard run created Jacksonville’s second touchdown drive. Thomas scored on a nine-yard rushing play two snaps later.
Jacksonville Receiving
| Player | Receptions | Yards | Average | TD |
| Brenton Strange | 4 | 59 | 14.8 | 0 |
| Dyami Brown | 3 | 52 | 17.3 | 0 |
| Travis Hunter | 6 | 33 | 5.5 | 0 |
| Travis Etienne Jr. | 3 | 13 | 4.3 | 0 |
| Brian Thomas Jr. | 1 | 11 | 11.0 | 0 |
| Hunter Long | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 1 |
| LeQuint Allen | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 |
Strange caught every targeted pass and led Jacksonville with 59 receiving yards. Hunter received eight targets and caught six passes.
Jacksonville Kicking
| Player | FG | XP | Total points |
| Cam Little | 4/4 | 2/2 | 14 |
Little made field goals from 35, 47, 36, and 28 yards. He also converted both extra-point attempts.
Jacksonville Returns
| Player | Returns | Yards | Average |
| Bhayshul Tuten | 1 kickoff | 12 | 12.0 |
| Tank Bigsby | 1 kickoff | 20 | 20.0 |
| Parker Washington | 1 punt | 7 | 7.0 |
| Jourdan Lewis | 1 interception | 0 | 0.0 |
| Foyesade Oluokun | 1 interception | 0 | 0.0 |
Jacksonville recorded 39 return yards. Its greater impact came from two interceptions and one recovered fumble.
Jacksonville Defensive Leaders
Oluokun contributed ten combined tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble. Smoot recorded Jacksonville’s only sack.
| Player | Tackles | Sacks | Key play |
| Foyesade Oluokun | 10 | 0 | INT, forced fumble |
| Andrew Wingard | 8 | 0 | None |
| Tyson Campbell | 6 | 0 | None |
| Eric Murray | 7 | 0 | None |
| Jourdan Lewis | 5 | 0 | INT, fumble recovery |
| Jarrian Jones | 4 | 0 | None |
| Dennis Gardeck | 2 | 0 | None |
| Dawuane Smoot | 2 | 1 | Sack |
Jacksonville’s defense prevented Carolina from scoring on its only third-quarter red-zone possession. The unit also ended Carolina’s final drive with an interception.
Game Leaders and Top Performers
Travis Etienne Jr. led the game with 143 rushing yards on 16 attempts. His 71-yard run moved Jacksonville from its nine-yard line into scoring range. Trevor Lawrence completed 19 passes for 178 yards and one touchdown. Jacksonville did not allow a sack during his 31 passing attempts.
Cam Little supplied 14 points. His four field goals helped Jacksonville score on possessions that stopped outside the end zone. Foyesade Oluokun led Jacksonville with ten combined tackles. He also recorded an interception and forced Young’s second-quarter fumble.
Tetairoa McMillan led Carolina with 68 receiving yards. His five catches included a 21-yard gain, the Panthers’ longest reception by a wide receiver.
| Category | Player | Team | Performance |
| Passing leader | Trevor Lawrence | Jaguars | 178 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing leader | Travis Etienne Jr. | Jaguars | 143 yards |
| Receiving leader | Tetairoa McMillan | Panthers | 68 yards |
| Defensive leader | Foyesade Oluokun | Jaguars | 10 tackles, INT, FF |
| Kicking leader | Cam Little | Jaguars | 4 field goals, 14 points |
Starting Lineups
The following table reflects the primary Week 1 offensive starters and officially listed depth-chart starters. Ekwonu was unavailable, requiring Carolina to adjust at left tackle.
Jacksonville listed Etienne and Bigsby as co-starters at running back. The Jaguars also listed multiple tight ends within their opening depth chart.
| Position | Carolina Panthers | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Quarterback | Bryce Young | Trevor Lawrence |
| Running back | Chuba Hubbard | Travis Etienne Jr. |
| Wide receiver | Tetairoa McMillan | Brian Thomas Jr. |
| Wide receiver | Xavier Legette | Travis Hunter |
| Wide receiver | Hunter Renfrow | Dyami Brown |
| Tight end | Ja’Tavion Sanders | Brenton Strange |
| Left tackle | Yosh Nijman | Walker Little |
| Left guard | Damien Lewis | Ezra Cleveland |
| Center | Austin Corbett | Robert Hainsey |
| Right guard | Robert Hunt | Patrick Mekari |
| Right tackle | Taylor Moton | Anton Harrison |
Complete defensive starting-lineup confirmation was unavailable within the accessible official game data. Unverified defensive starters have therefore been omitted.
Injury Report
Carolina’s most important confirmed pregame absence was Ekwonu. Additional Panthers injuries occurred during the game.
Jacksonville entered without a confirmed major offensive skill-position absence within the reviewed final reports. Harrison sustained a back injury during the fourth quarter.
| Player | Injury | Status |
| Ikem Ekwonu, Panthers | Appendectomy recovery | Out |
| Turk Wharton, Panthers | Knee | Left game, ruled out |
| Patrick Jones II, Panthers | Ankle | Left game |
| Anton Harrison, Jaguars | Back | Left game |
Ekwonu’s absence forced Carolina to modify its offensive line before kickoff. Wharton’s departure reduced the Panthers’ defensive-line rotation during Jacksonville’s rushing success.
Season Series and Head to Head
Jacksonville’s victory moved the Jaguars ahead 5-4 in the regular-season series between the two 1995 expansion franchises.
| Date | Venue | Winner | Score |
| September 29, 1996 | Jacksonville | Jaguars | 24-14 |
| September 19, 1999 | Carolina | Jaguars | 22-20 |
| September 7, 2003 | Carolina | Panthers | 24-23 |
| December 9, 2007 | Jacksonville | Jaguars | 37-6 |
| September 25, 2011 | Carolina | Panthers | 16-10 |
| September 13, 2015 | Jacksonville | Panthers | 20-9 |
| October 6, 2019 | Carolina | Panthers | 34-27 |
| December 31, 2023 | Jacksonville | Jaguars | 26-0 |
| September 7, 2025 | Jacksonville | Jaguars | 26-10 |
Jacksonville has won the last two meetings. Both victories occurred at EverBank Stadium and included strong performances from Etienne.
Conference and League Standings
Because this game occurred in Week 1, neither team had created meaningful separation within its division or conference.
| Team | Conference | Division | Record after game |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | AFC | AFC South | 1-0 |
| Carolina Panthers | NFC | NFC South | 0-1 |
Jacksonville finished Week 1 unbeaten. Carolina began its season one game below .500 before visiting Arizona.
Broadcast and Stream Information
FOX carried the regional television broadcast in the United States. The scheduled kickoff was 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Streaming availability depended on market location and active television subscriptions.
| Category | Information |
| Television network | FOX |
| Scheduled kickoff | 1:00 p.m. ET |
| Venue | EverBank Stadium |
| NFL digital option | NFL+ where available |
| Local streaming | Participating FOX television providers |
| Weather delay | One hour and 16 minutes |
Conclusion
Jacksonville opened its 2025 season by controlling the rushing game, protecting its quarterback, and converting Carolina’s mistakes into scoring opportunities. The Jaguars established their advantage during the second quarter and managed it after halftime. Carolina moved the ball during several possessions but failed on both fourth-down attempts.
Three turnovers further reduced its scoring chances. Jacksonville next travelled to face Cincinnati, while Carolina continued its road schedule against Arizona. The result gave Liam Coen a victory in his first regular-season game as Jacksonville’s head coach. Carolina left Week 1 needing better ball security and stronger red-zone execution.
For more match updates, read: Los Angeles Rams vs Jacksonville Jaguars Match Player Stats
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Carolina Panthers vs Jacksonville Jaguars match player stats game?
The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Carolina Panthers 26-10 at EverBank Stadium on September 7, 2025.
What were Trevor Lawrence’s stats against Carolina?
Lawrence completed 19 of 31 passes for 178 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Carolina did not sack him.
How many rushing yards did Travis Etienne record?
Etienne rushed 16 times for 143 yards. His longest run covered 71 yards and created Jacksonville’s second touchdown drive.
What were Bryce Young’s player stats?
Young completed 18 of 35 passes for 154 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He also rushed for 40 yards.
Who led the game in receiving yards?
Carolina rookie Tetairoa McMillan led both teams with 68 receiving yards. He caught five of nine targets.
How many turnovers did Carolina commit?
Carolina committed three turnovers. Young threw two interceptions and lost one fumble during a second-quarter scramble.
Why was the Panthers versus Jaguars game delayed?
Nearby lightning caused a weather delay lasting one hour and 16 minutes during the second quarter.

