Grambling State athletic director Trayvean Scott had several messages for fans ahead of the Tigers matchup against Jackson State at Eddie Robinson G. Stadium on Saturday night.
He wanted them to wear gold to match the team’s gameday uniform colors. Scott also encouraged patrons to be loud and supportive. Most importantly, Scott suggested everyone planning to attend the non-conference game show up as early as possible to beat the traffic and crowd of what is a rare anticipated sell-out crowd.
“It’s going to be a lot of traffic. It’s going to be a lot of pageantry of what promises to be a special night on the campus of Grambling State University,” said Scott on Tuesday during a media briefing. “We are expecting a larger than usual crowd. We’re looking at being close to if not completely sold out.”
There is renewed enthusiasm for Grambling State, which is coming off consecutive wins, including a 35-28 overtime victory last Saturday at Texas A&M-Commerce.
The hope is that the Tigers’ promising 2-1 start to the season, combined with hosting what Scott described as a “vibrant and rabid” Jackson State fanbase, will create a charged environment.
“The Hole,” the nickname of Eddie Robinson G. Stadium, holds 19,600, according to the school’s website. The largest-ever crowd to attend a Grambling home game was Sept. 3, 1994, when 25,347 watched the Tigers play Alcorn State.
Jackson State hasn’t traveled to Grambling since the Deion Sanders-led group pulled out a dramatic 33-28 win during the truncated 2020 COVID-shortened season in front of 6,340 fans.
“Our guys embrace it. Our staff embraces it,” said Scott about looking ahead to Saturday’s game. “It will be an opportunity to show why we are Grambling.”