Jackson, Miss. - The Jackson State football team will welcome the Braves of Alcorn State University to a place they know very well for the 2023 edition of the Soul Bowl. This Southwestern Conference matchup has also been deemed the SWAC Classic. The Braves come into the game looking for a chance to be in the conversation for a trip to the 2023 SWAC Championship while the Tigers are looking to finish the season on a four game win streak.

Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium has seen the Tigers and Braves play more than any other teams in its iconic history. In 87 meetings, they have played at The VET 43 times, and this weekend will be the 44th time they have met at the historic venue.

GAME INFORMATION:

• Date/Matchup: Saturday, November 18, 2023: Jackson State Tigers (7-3; 5-2 SWAC) vs. Alcorn State Braves (6-4; 5-2 SWAC).
• Game Time/Stadium/Location: 2 p.m. Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium; Jackson, Miss.
• Fan Color: White
• Radio: JSU Sports Network pregame show begins at 1 p.m. on 95.5 WHLH-FM in Jackson, with SWAC Hall of Famer Rob Jay and Former JSU QB Darrell Asberry on the call; Sirius XM 383 and on the SiriusXM App
• Online/TV: Live on ESPN+ and on ESPN App, with Butch Alsandor (PXP) and John Henry Mills (Analyst)

THE SERIES:
First Meetings: 1927 • Alcorn A&M 25–12
Total Meetings: 88th Meeting
All-Time Record: Jackson State leads, 48-37-2
Longest Jackson State Win Streak: 9 (1955–1963)
Longest Alcorn State Win Streak: 4 (2x) (1991-1994 & 2003-2006)
Largest Margin of Victory: 63 (69-6, 1958) | Largest Margin of Defeat: 52 (0-52, 1932)
Note: From 1985 to 2011, the two teams played in Lorman just once; all the other 26 meetings were played in Jackson, Miss., at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
 

YEAR      WINNER     SCORE	YEAR      WINNER     SCORE	YEAR      WINNER     SCORE	YEAR WINNER     SCORE
2022 Jackson State 24-13	2000 Jackson State 30-14	1978 Jackson State 38-8	1956 Jackson State 37-8
2021  Jackson State 24-10	1999 Jackson State 58-6	1977 Jackson State 23-16	1955 Jackson State 14-0
2020 Jackson State  2-0	1998 Jackson State 56-26	1976 Alcorn State 19-7	1954 Alcorn State 19-13
2019  Alcorn State  6-41	1997 Jackson State 54-15	1975 Alcorn State 12-6	1953 Jackson State 19-0
2018 Alcorn State 3-24	1996 Jackson State 27-17	1974 Jackson State 19-13	1952 Alcorn State 13-0
2017 Jackson State 7-3	1995 Jackson State 28-7	1973 Jackson State 21-7	1951 Alcorn State 18-6
2016 Alcorn State 16-35	1994 Alcorn State 52-34	1972 Jackson State 28-14	1950 Alcorn State 19-14
2015 Alcorn State 10-14	1993 Alcorn State 31-22	1971 Jackson State 35-29	1949 Alcorn State 6-0
2014 Jackson State 34-14	1992 Alcorn State 42-35	1970 Alcorn State 30-11	1948 Jackson State 12-0
2013 Alcorn State 33-48	1991 Alcorn State 18-16	1969 Alcorn State 50-8	1947 Alcorn State 13-0
2012 Jackson State 37-11	1990 Jackson State 38-20	1968 Alcorn State 30-6	1946 Jackson State 6-0
2011 Jackson State 51-7	1989 Jackson State 23-20	1967 Jackson State 7-6	1939 Tie 0-0
2010 Jackson State 27-14	1988 Jackson State 7-0	1966 Tie 25-25	1938 Alcorn State 29-0
2009 Alcorn State 14-7	1987 Jackson State 19-10	1965 Jackson State 21-6	1934 Alcorn State 7-6
2008 Jackson State 26-21	1986 Jackson State 23-17	1964 Alcorn State 27-8	1933 Alcorn State 6-0
2007 Jackson State 31-19	1985 Jackson State 31-20	1963 Jackson State 22-13	1932 Alcorn State 19-7
2006 Alcorn State 32-31	1984 Alcorn State 17-13	1962 Jackson State 34-0	1931 Jackson State 19-6
2005 Alcorn State 31-14	1983 Alcorn State 24-17	1961 Jackson State 28-20	1929 Alcorn State 17-12
2004 Alcorn State 16-14	1982 Jackson State 20-16	1960 Jackson State 27-0	1928 Alcorn State 12-0
2003 Alcorn State 49-25	1981 Jackson State 13-10	1959 Jackson State 21-14	1927 Alcorn State 25-1
2002 Jackson State 34-20	1980 Jackson State 37-16	1958 Jackson State 69-6
2001 Jackson State 52-28	1979 Alcorn State 9-7	1957 Jackson State 40-0

TIGERS VERSUS ALCORN STATE BRAVES

• This will be the 88th meeting between Jackson State and Alcorn State dating back to 1927, with the Tigers winning last year's contest 24-13 in Lorman, Miss., at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium. From 1985 to 2011, the two teams played in Lorman just once. All the other 26 meetings were played in Jackson, Miss., at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.

• The Soul Bowl is an American college football rivalry between Jackson State and Alcorn State. The state's two largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities have played over 80 times in the game, dating back to the late 1920s. The game has carried the unofficial moniker "the Soul Bowl" since the late 1970s. Jackson State currently holds a 48-37-2 lead in the series, including some of the greatest names in college football. From 1993 to 2011, the game was dubbed the "Capital City Classic" and held in Jackson annually before it was moved to an alternating schedule between Jackson and Lorman in 2012. During the 2020 season, Alcorn State, after choosing to forgo its season, the SWAC ruled that all their scheduled games would result in forfeits.

ARMENTA MAKES HERSTORY

• Jackson State kicker Leilana Armenta made HERstory in the game against the University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff when she kicked a PAT in the second quarter of the game and became the first female at an HBCU to score in a football game.
• Armenta would go on to make two more PATs in the Tigers' win over UAPB on the road.

LAST GAMES RECAP

• Jackson State starting quarterback Jacobian Morgan accounted for all of his team's scores as the Tigers improved to 7-3 overall and 5-2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) with a 21-19 win over Texas Southern.
• Morgan first got Jackson State on the board with a seven-yard run that capped an eight-play 45-yard drive in just under 3:15 to take a 7-0 lead in the opening quarter.
• Morgan would follow that run up with a short pass right to Seven McGee for a three-yard touchdown to put Jackson State up 14-0 early in the second quarter.
• After Texas Southern scored to make the score 14-7, JSU would add another score right before the half to take a 21-7 lead into the break.

COLLAPSE THE POCKET, TAKE THE ROCK

• The Jackson State defense continues to take the ball away from others. They had two interceptions against Texas Southern, their last outing to bring the total to 16 for the season. The number is good enough to tie all of FCS in interceptions along with Nicholls State. The Tigers are eighth in the FCS in turnovers gained with 21 and second in the SWAC. The defense continues the trend of having at least one take-a-way in each game this season.

A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

• The Tigers' head coach, T.C. Taylor, found a diamond in the rough in Daylan Wasson, who was just taking classes at Jackson State before deciding to try out for the football team during walk-on tryouts. Coach Taylor was in need of a kicker, and that is what he found in Wasson.
• Wasson was a kicker at Gulf Coast Community College and was 10-of-14 on field goals and 34-of-35 on PATs for 64 points in his time there.
• In the game against Alabama State, Wasson made a career-long 46-yard field goal and followed that up with one from 45 yards away. He has accounted for 26 points for the Tigers.

SCOUTING THE BRAVES

• Alcorn State comes into the game following a tough road loss to Texas Southern, which snapped a five-game win streak and placed them in a tie atop the SWAC Western Division with Prairie View A&M.
• Offensively, they are led by Aaron Allen, who has 2098 passing yards, and is averaging 209.8 yards per game, and has accounted for 14 touchdowns.
• Terreance Ellis leads the defense with 82 total tackles. He has 7.5 tackles for a loss of 30 yards, four sacks, two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles.