JACKSON, Miss. – Bryant Lee passed for 266 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for another 58 to lead the Southern University Jaguars to a 35-28 win over the Jackson State University Tigers in a SWAC matchup Saturday night at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. With the loss JSU falls to a 1-4 overall record and picked up its first SWAC loss of the season. Southern improves to a 3-2, 2-0 mark.
The Jaguars got on the score board first as Josh Duran capped a six play, 36 yd drive with a 27 yard field goal at the 3;16 mark in the first quarter. At the 12:10 mark in the second quarter JSU took its only lead of the game when backup Rutlan connected with TE Marcel Frost for a 33 yard TD pass. The play capped a 75 yard drive. Eric Perri’s extra point kick gave the Tigers a 7-3 advantage.
Southern quickly responded with two TDs. SU’s first TD was a 37 yard strike, as Lee hooked up with Stewart at the 8:30 mark in the second. The duo followed that with a 22 yard scoring pass play at the 4:04 mark to take a commanding 16-7 lead.
JSU continued to chip away at the lead by recording a safety heading into half time, making the score 16-9. Southern began the third quarter with a safety of its own, increasing the lead to 18-9. For the remainder of the quarter the two teams traded field goals, JSU’s Perri connected on a 36 yarder and SU’s Durran made a 21 yard field goal.
The Jags opened the fourth with a 12 play, 53 yard drive that was capped with a Kedrick Smith two yard run to make the score 28-12 at the 8:48 mark. JSU then marched down the field and capped an eight play, 88 yard drive with its own two yard score by Luther Edwards. JSU converted on a two-point conversion play as Rutland found Frost, making the score 28-20.
With 1:57 remaining in the game Southern put the game out of reach when Silas Gibbs scored on a 26 yard run that capped an eight play, 76 yard drive to make the score 35-20. JSU scored the final TD of the game with 22 seconds left in regulation when Rutland found the endzone on an eight yard run. Edwards scored on the two-point conversion.
This game was no thriller. Southern had this game wrapped up by halftime. Don’t let the score fool you…
I agree,no thriller at all.
I want to say to the people of Jackson,I had a truly wonderful time and y’all made me felt right at home.Two season ago I experienced the same thing.Lets keep up this great family reunion,see ya in Baton Rouge,la home of the mighty Jaguar Nation.
this was my first time to the SU/JSU game in Jackson,and now I know what I’ve been missing.the weather was just perfect for football and tailgating,it was like one big family gathering.We will be back but,for now, we’ll all meet next year in Jaguar country.