Jackson State. Southern. Football. Saturday night.
Enough said.
The two long time Southwestern Athletic Conference rivals will meet in Baton Rouge in a rematch of the 2022 SWAC Championship Game.
GAME INFORMATION:
- Date; Matchup: Saturday, September 9, 2023; Two-time SWAC Champion Jackson State Tigers (1-1, 0-1 SWAC) vs. Southern Jaguars (0-1, 0-0)
- Game time; Stadium; Location: 6 p.m; A.W. Mumford Stadium; Baton Rouge, La
- Fan Color: Blue
- Radio: JSU Sports Network pregame show begins at 5 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 384 and on SiriusXM App
- Online/TV: Live on ESPN+ and on ESPN App with Tiffany Greene and Jay Walker; ESPNU Replay at 9:30 p.m.
The game does not count in the SWAC standings, but that's the only thing that doesn't count. With the two campuses approximately 150 miles apart, everything is intensified with Jackson State and Southern. From tailgating to cheerleaders, to the Sonic Boom to the Human Jukebox, to the championship legacy of both programs that has a combined seven Pro Football Hall of Famers, the hunger of the two most passionate fan bases in the league sets this game apart year after year.
Add in the lagniappe of both teams coming in off a loss (JSU 28-10 to Florida A&M; SU 14-10 at Alabama St. in a non-conference game), Saturday's game is must-see TV in this 70
th matchup.
While Southern leads the series 39-32, Jackson State has won the last three matchups, including a 21-17 win in Baton Rouge on Nov. 13, 2021 that clinched the SWAC East Title en route to the first of two back-to-back SWAC Championships. The Tigers won both 2022 matchups, including a 35-0 home win on Oct. 29 in the backdrop of ESPN's College Gameday telecast.
Jackson State QB
Jason Brown leads the SWAC and is third in the FCS in passing yards with 438 with three touchdowns and no interceptions. RB
Irv Mulligan leads the SWAC in rushing with 187 yards on 29 carries (6.4 avg) with one touchdown. WR
Rico Powers scored the Tigers' lone touchdown against Florida A&M, catching a 66-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, as he finished the game with four receptions for 119 yards. Powers leads the SWAC in receiving yards (214) and is second in yards per catch (26.8) on only eight receptions.
Defensively for the Tigers, LB
Isaac Peppers has emerged as the top tackler with 15 stops, including 3.0 tackles for loss, and one sack. CB
Jaheem Hazel has three pass breakups on the season and blocked two field goals last week against Florida A&M.
Southern is led by QB Harold Blood, who passed for 166 yards and one touchdown at Alabama State last week. LB Jalen Campbell led the defense with 15 stops.
#TheeILove #GuardTHEEYard
