JACKSON, Miss. | Nate Blount IV powered his way to 135 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 17 carries to lead undefeated Jackson State to a 35-17 victory over rival Southern on Saturday night at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
With the victory, Jackson State (4-0, 1-0 SWAC) extended its dominant winning streak against Southern (2-3, 0-1 SWAC) to eight consecutive games.
The Tigers wasted no time making an impact, capitalizing on its opening drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Blount to take a quick 7-0 advantage. After Southern responded with a 27-yard field goal by Chris McMcKenna, the Tigers answered back instantly on the very next play from scrimmage. Quarterback Jared Lockhart uncorked a 70-yard touchdown pass to Nate Rembert, pushing the Tigers' lead to 14-3 late in the first quarter.
The Tigers expanded their lead in the second quarter thanks to explosive dynamic plays. Blount ripped off a 48-yard run to set up his second touchdown of the night, an 8-yard rush that extended the advantage to 21-3. Following a Southern touchdown, Jackson State immediately reclaimed full control as Lockhart capped a 4-play, 43-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge, giving JSU a comfortable 28-9 lead heading into halftime.
Southern trimmed the margin to 28-17 late in the third quarter on a 1-yard run by Mike Franklin. Jackson State's defense clamped down in the fourth, stalling every comeback attempt by shutting out Southern across the final 15 minutes. Lockhart sealed the dominant performance late in the fourth quarter, with the play of the game coming on a tipped pass at the line and caught by center Alex Valbuena for a 4-yard touchdown and the first touchdown of his career with 2:45 remaining to cap off the win.
Lockhart finished the night efficient and productive, completing 12 of 18 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding a rushing touchdown. JSU's dynamic receiving attack was anchored by Rembert, who hauled in five receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Emari Matthews chipped in with 45 yards on seven carries.
Defensively, Jackson State stifled Southern's quarterback, racking up three sacks for 16 lost yards while holding the Jaguars to just 165 total yards passing. Keith Bass Jr. paced the JSU defense with a game-high seven tackles, while linebackers Tymon Wells and Carmello Jones dominated the line of scrimmage with combined sacks and key tackles for loss.
Up Next
Jackson State travels to Mobile (Ala.) for the Gulf Coast Challenge next weekend at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
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