Days before his team’s matchup with Louisiana-Monroe, Deion Sanders expressed disenchantment with the dynamic of the FBS-HBCU contests that often pitted undermanned Black colleges against the best the Division I level had to offer in exchange for a paycheck.
But for much of Saturday night, it was Jackson State functioning as the FBS team for nearly four quarters as opposed to the other way around before ULM scored nine second-half points on three field goals to outlast the Tigers 12-7.
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JSU (2-1) seeking its first win against an FBS program since at least 1978, scored its only points of the night on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Shedeur Sanders to Joshua Lanier.
Sanders finished the game 28-of-42 for 228 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The Warhawks (1-2), were able to get four field goals by placekicker Calum Sutherland, including two in the fourth quarter, which were the lone points for either team.
The Jackson State defense was impressive again, holding ULM to 252 yards and 3.2 yards per play. Saturday marked the second time JSU hadn’t allowed a touchdown since this season.
An HBCU program hasn’t won a game against an FBS opponent since 2018, when North Carolina A&T beat East Carolina.
