Game 7
 
Jackson State at Mississippi Valley State
 
Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 • 2 p.m. CDT • Rice-Totten Stadium
Itta Bena, Miss.
 
Media Information

Television

ESPN3 
Tiffany Greene (Play-by-Play)
Jay Walker (Analysis)
 
Radio

WHLH 95.5 Hallelujah FM
Rob Jay (Play-by-Play)
Darrell Asberry (Analysis)
 
JACKSON, Miss. – "We are going down the valley one by one."
 
Jackson State travels to Mississippi Valley State for an important SWAC contest, which is slated for a 2 p.m. national broadcast on ESPN3. The game is also scheduled to be on ESPNU tape delay.
 
Freshman Gets the Nod
 
True freshman Quincy Casey will start for the Tigers on Saturday. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound signal-caller started the season-opener at Bethune-Cookman but left after the opening drive due to an injury. Casey is 100 percent healthy and ready to go.
 
Hampton Quarterback of the Defense
 
Only a sophomore, linebacker Keonte Hampton is the leader of the Tigers' defensive unit. The 6-foot-2, 220-pounder leads the team with 57 tackles, which ranks third in the SWAC. Hampton has also recorded 37 solo stops, which also ranks third in the conference. He averages 9.5 stops per game, which ranks second in the conference.
 
Newman Continues to Produce
 
Junior wide receiver Warren Newman has turned into a focal point of the Tigers' offense. A threat to score whenever he touches the ball, the New Orleans native has turned in a team-high 28 receptions for 225 yards and four touchdowns. The 5-foot-8, 170-pounder also has three rush attempts for 24 yards.
 
Offense Turns the Corner
 
When John Hendrick was introduced as head coach last November, he stated that if the Tigers were to compete for SWAC championships, the offense would need to improve. After reshaping the offensive staff and installing a new offensive scheme, the offense is dramatically improved.
 
In JSU's thrilling 49-44 win over Tennessee State in the Southern Heritage Classic, the offense produced 470 yards of offense with 338 yards coming via the ground game.
 
Despite the setback versus Bethune-Cookman, JSU totaled 506 yards in total offense. That was the most since Oct. 24, 2015 when JSU defeated UAPB 37-3 and tallied 469 yards of offense. The last time the Tigers produced 500 yards of total offense was October 26, 2013 when JSU defeated Prairie View A&M 51-38.
 
Running Back Depth
 
JSU has a great problem: a stable of quality running backs. Jordan Johnson, Keshawn Harper, Quitten Brown and Tyson Alexander have all shown the ability to step in and produce. The Tigers will be without Johnson and Alexander on Saturday due to injuries. Harper and freshman Kymani Clarke will see an uptick in playing time.
 
Scouting Mississippi Valley State
 
The Delta Devils enters with a 1-5 overall record and 0-2 mark in SWAC play.
 
On offense, MVSU is led by senior quarterback Dejarric Bryant. Although Bryant is listed at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds, he plays much larger. He has passed for 717 yards and six touchdowns and leads the team in rushing with 394 yards and five touchdowns. John Derrick Smith (163 yards) and Caleb Johnson (131 yards) will see action at running back.
 
Jarius Clay (217 yards) and Johnny Wilson (158 yards) are MVSU's leading receivers.
 
The defensive unit is led by senior defensive back Tracy Thompkins. Thompkins leads the SWAC in several categories: Tackles (61), Solo Tackles (42) and Tackles Per Game (10.6).