The long-awaited SWAC Championship Game will take place Saturday between Southern and Jackson State in Jackson, Mississippi.
The Tigers, 11-0, will seek to clinch their second straight appearance in the Celebration Bowl with a win, while the 7-4 Jaguars are looking for the program’s first SWAC title since 2013.
This will be a rematch of the Oct. 29 game, where the Tigers shut out the Jaguars 35-0.
Here are a few interesting storylines going into this game involving both teams.
Coaching future of Deion Sanders looms
Of course, one of the big stories in college football is Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders being considered for several FBS coaching jobs. Sanders himself confirmed that he did receive a job offer from Colorado and that others have reached out to him as well. It will be interesting to see how this cloud could affect the Tigers’ mindset going into the game.
The SWAC’s best will be on display
Neither team is short on talent as Tigers quarterback Shadeur Sanders was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. Defensive Player of the Year, and Kevin Coleman Jr. Freshman of the Year. Meanwhile, the Jaguars had five players make the All-SWAC team, including offensive lineman Dallas Black, an All-SWAC first-team offensive member, and defensive back Carione Harris, an All-SWAC first-team defensive selection.
Southern wants to avenge a blowout loss
The Jaguars are incredibly motivated to avenge this season’s loss. Southern head coach Eric Dooley says he will make adjustments, and defensive lineman Jason Dumas mentioned the difficulty of defeating a team twice in a season.
HBCU football’s largest fan bases take center stage
This game will continue the trend of the growth of HBCU football attendance. Jackson State has averaged 36,143 fans per game, including 42,049 fans per home game. These two teams were involved in five of the ten highest-attended games this season. SWAC Commissioner Charles McClelland believes that the conference can even go up against some FBS conferences in the future in terms of popularity.
When: Saturday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. CST
Where: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, Mississippi
How to watch: ESPN2
