Jackson State 43, Southern 24 JACKSON, MS – West Division champ Southern dug itself a 26-0 first-quarter deficit that was too much to overcome as the Jaguars fell to undefeated East Division champ Jackson State 43-24 in the 24th SWAC Championship Game here Saturday evening.
Southern committed three first-quarter turnovers that Jackson State and quarterback Shedeur Sanders turned into 23 points in build- ing the early lead. Southern kept fighting and came back to outscore JSU 24-17 over the rest of the game but never threatened to overtake the Tigers.
The win for head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders completed a perfect 12-0 season for the nationally-ranked Tigers and was their second straight championship game win. Coach Sanders and son Shedeur led the Tigers to a 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M in last year’s title game.
Shedeur completed 31 of 44 passes for 305 yards and four TDs without an interception to earn the game’s MVP award. He led the JSU hurry-up offense to perfection without an interception. Senior wide receiver Shane Hooks hauled in five receptions for 86 yards and two TDs to lead JSU receivers. Running back Sy’Veon Wilkerson added a TD on 61 rushing yards as JSU rolled up 425 offensive yards.
Despite the early deficit, Southern turned to third-string quarter- back Glendon McDaniel who made things interesting. McDaniel got the Jaguars (7-5) on the board early in the second quarter on a 4-yard TD run and later led a late second quarter drive that ended with a 39- yard Joshua Griffin field goal at the halftime buzzer. The Jags went into the break down 33-10.
He then connected with Chandler Whitfield on a 34-yard TD pass after Southern blocked a JSU punt early in the third quarter. Later in the period, he scored on a 42-yard draw play to pull SU within 36-24. McDaniel finished with 382 total yards, 162 rushing and 220 passing.
JSU, who came in giving up 10 points and 210 yards per game, gave up double those numbers – 412 yards and 24 points – to the McDaniel-led Southern offense.
The win earns JSU a second straight trip representing the SWAC at the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. The Tigers will face 9-2 MEAC champion North Carolina Central at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 17. JSU lost in last year’s Celebration Bowl to MEAC champion South Carolina State, 31-10
