Courtesy of Jackson State Athletics
JACKSON, Miss. | The records are thrown out the window when teams reach the first weekend in December with the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship and a bid to the 2024 Celebration Bowl on the line. That is what is at stake on Saturday afternoon when SWAC East Division champion Jackson State hosts West Division champion Southern at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The HBCU football championship matchup is set to kick off at 1 p.m. on ESPN2.
No. 15/18 Jackson State (10-2, 8-0 SWAC), winners of eight consecutive games, faces Southern (8-4, 7-1 SWAC) for the second time this season, having played on Sept. 14 in Jackson in non-conference action. The Tigers won that game 33-15 by jumping out to a 20-point first-half lead behind a balanced offense although Southern was able to pass for 387 yards in the loss.
The two legendary HBCU football programs met two years ago in the championship game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium with the Tigers winning their second consecutive conference championship with the victory. The two teams have met three times in the championship game with Southern leading 2-1 in those meetings.
Game Info – Jackson State vs. Southern
Saturday, Dec. 7 | 1 p.m. | Veterans Memorial Stadium Stadium
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Game Notes
- T.C. Taylor, Irv Mulligan, and Travis Terrell Jr. each won major awards presented by the SWAC this season with Taylor winning Coach of the Year, Mulligan the Offensive Player of the Year, and Terrell the Freshman of the Year. All three are up for major FCS awards – Taylor (Eddie Robinson Award), Irv Mulligan (Walter Payton Award/HBCU+ National Player of the Year), and Terrell (Jerry Rice Award).
- Jackson State is looking for its 20th HBCU conference championship and first since 2022.
- The Tigers are playing in their eighth conference championship game after back-to-back appearances in 2021 and 2022. They are 3-4 all-time in the conference championship game.
- Taylor has won 13 conference games in his first two seasons after winning eight the season. He has a 13-3 record in conference play with losses to Alabama State, Alcorn State, and Florida A&M in 2023. He has an overall record of 17-6 through his first two seasons at the helm.
- Jackson State has dominated the second half during conference play since October 5. They have a streak of six consecutive games of holding their opponents without a point in the final quarter and have allowed just two schools to score in the second half – Alabama State and Alcorn State – since that game in Mobile.
- In eight conference games, the Tigers have outscored their opponents 316-127 (39.5-15.9) this season. They have allowed 17 or fewer points in six of the eight conference games, including 10 or less three times.
Series (since 1956)
Southern leads 36-34
First meeting: Southern def. Jackson State, 30-6 (Oct. 25, 1958)
Last meeting: Jackson State def. Southern, 33-15 (Sept. 14, 2024)
In Jackson: 16-18 | In Baton Rouge: 16-15 | Neutral: 2-3 | Streak: Jackson State, W5