JACKSON, Miss. | Defending HBCU national champion Jackson State opens the season on Saturday in the Hope Labor Day Classic against Hampton inside Veterans Memorial Stadium on HBCUGo.

Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. (CT).

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Jackson State (12-2 last season) enters the contest with the nation's current longest winning streak at 10 games that included a victory in the 2024 Cricket Celebration Bowl. The Tigers return a wealth of talent under third-year head coach T.C. Taylor including Celebration Bowl Offensive MVP quarterback JaCobian Morgan. The graduate student was named Preseason All-SWAC and has been named as the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, Preseason All-American, and has been named to the Walter Payton Watch List. Last season, Morgan finished the season with 2,236 yards and 21 touchdowns.

The Tigers also return All-American Travis Terrell Jr. from last season after returning a pair of kicks for touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 459 yards and hauled in 15 receptions, the fourth-highest total among returning players. Joanes Fortilien returns for his junior season after catching 11 touchdowns, and is joined by Ja'Naylon Dupree and Marvin Landy with the three combining for 80 receptions. They also added transfers Shemar Savage and All-American Nate Rembert to an all-ready deep receiver corp.

Defensively last season, Jackson State was one of the best in the nation and return All-American Jeremiah Williams on the defensive line after he finished with 58 tackles on his way to Cricket Celebration Bowl Defensive MVP honors. They also return linebackers Reid Pulliam and Ashton Taylor after the duo combined for 116 tackles, with Pulliam leading the team with 66 total. Senior Shamar Hawkins returns to anchor the defensive backfield along with a pair of sophomore cornerbacks in KJ Chisholm Jr. and Mike Smith III. Hawkins has been named to the Aeneas Williams Preseason Watch List after a 49-tackle 2024.

Jackson State and Hampton have met three times in history, with Hampton winning all three including the last meeting 17-13 in 2008. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in Jackson in school history. 

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