JACKSON, Miss. | Jared Lockhart delivered the best performance of his Jackson State career Saturday night, throwing for career highs of 388 yards and four touchdowns as the Tigers defeated Edward Waters 66-14 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
Lockhart was named the game's offensive MVP, while defensive back Swipe Marshall earned defensive MVP honors for Jackson State (2-0). The Tigers scored 38 unanswered points in the first half and piled up 704 yards of total offense in front of 16,726 fans. The sophomore quarterback completed 17 of 25 passes without an interception, averaging more than 22 yards per completion. His four touchdown passes went to four different receivers as Jackson State built a 38-0 halftime advantage and never allowed Edward Waters to threaten.Â
The Tigers' quarterback wasted little time finding his rhythm.
After Jackson State's defense turned Edward Waters away at the three-yard line on its opening possession, Lockhart directed a 97-yard touchdown march. He connected with Nate Rembert for 53 yards and Nate Blount IV for 18 before finding Jency Riley Jr. for a 12-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. He struck again late in the opening quarter, hitting Joanes Fortilien for a four-yard touchdown to finish a 69-yard drive. He closed the first quarter 7 of 10 for 152 yards and two touchdowns as Jackson State jumped in front 14-0.
The second quarter was much the same.
Blount scored on an 8-yard run before Lockhart connected with Kobe Paul for an 18-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 28-0; Andrew Ivaniciuc added a 41-yard field goal, and Lockhart capped his career night through the air with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Sebastien Saint-Louis with 1:54 remaining before halftime. Jackson State went to the locker room holding a commanding 38-0 advantage.
Lockhart's performance highlighted an offense that was balanced on the night, finishing with 704 total yards - 388 passing and 316 rushing - while averaging nine yards per play. The Tigers converted nine of 11 third downs and scored on all eight of their red-zone opportunities.
Rembert was Lockhart's biggest target, catching four passes for 179 yards, including receptions of 53 and 51 yards. Paul caught two passes for 48 yards and a touchdown, while Saint-Louis and Riley each hauled in touchdown passes. Blount spearheaded a deep Jackson State rushing attack with 67 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Caron Tyler added 56 yards on four attempts as the Tigers had seven players rush for at least 20 yards.
Marshall, the defensive MVP, finished with five tackles, including half a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. The Tigers limited Edward Waters to 231 yards of total offense and just 48 rushing yards on 30 attempts - an average of 1.6 yards per carry. Jackson State also recorded four sacks for 35 yards and 10 tackles for loss totaling 53 yards.
Jackson State set the tone early when Edward Waters drove 90 yards on its first possession but was stopped on fourth-and-goal at the Tigers' three-yard line. From there, Jackson State took control. The Tigers scored on nine of their next 10 possessions, with the only exception coming when the first half expired. Jackson State eventually stretched the lead to 52-0 in the third quarter following touchdown runs by CJ Tolbert III and Blount.
Edward Waters got on the board late when Dylan McCarthy returned an interception 52 yards for a touchdown with 41 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Jackson State answered with two more touchdowns in the fourth - a 2-yard run by Li'Darious Pryor and a 7-yard run by Jartavious Smart - to push the advantage to 66-7. Edward Waters added a late touchdown on Torey Morrison's 29-yard run, but by then Jackson State had long since put the finishing touches on a dominant night.
The Tigers finished with 32 first downs compared with 13 for Edward Waters, held Edward Waters to 231 yards of total offense, and scored nine offensive touchdowns - four through the air and five on the ground.
Up Next
Jackson State returns to action on Sept. 19, following a bye week, facing Tuskegee in the W.C. Gorden Classic.
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