The HBCU football season is officially underway following the conclusion of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.
In the end, it was Jackson State coming out victorious, giving the SWAC its second straight victory and the fourth in the past six games in the series.
Here are five takeaways from the game.
Jackson State isn’t going anywhere
Anyone who thinks that Jackson State was doomed to go into obscurity after its mass exodus during the offseason was met with a rude awakening in this contest.
That Jackson State swagger that fans have grown accustomed to was fully present in this game as the Tigers put all doubters to rest.
The Tigers’ offense was fully in sync, scoring on all but two drives all game. Meanwhile, the defense was just as dominant as in the team’s championship years falling 22 seconds short of the first-ever MEAC/SWAC Challenge shutout.
If this team plays like this consistently this season, a third straight SWAC championship will be well within reach.
The Orange Blossom Classic will again decide the SWAC East
In the last two seasons, Jackson State and Florida A&M have been first and second in the SWAC East, with the Orange Blossom Classic being the decider.
After this game, it’s looking like that will once again be the case but under much different circumstances.
Before the start of the season, Florida A&M was seen as the favorite in this contest due in large part to the uncertainty surrounding Jackson State entering this game.
Now that we have seen what Jackson State looks like, this will be a much more even matchup than anticipated.
The pressure is now on FAMU to beat the only team they haven’t beaten since joining the SWAC thus far.
Do not count South Carolina State out just yet
When longtime South Carolina State head coach Buddy Pough announced this would be his final season after 21 years, many expected the Bulldogs to play inspired ball, not wanting to get out to a hot start.
That did not end up happening, as it was a rough game from start to finish for the Bulldogs. That being said, it was just one game in an 11-game season that the Bulldogs can build on moving forward.
In addition, it was not all bad for the Bulldogs, having some success in the run game particularly.
Jackson State’s quarterback strategy worked
In the days leading up to this game, the biggest question surrounding this game was who would be Jackson State’s starting quarterback.
Tigers coach T.C. Taylor made the decision not to announce who it would be ahead of time to not give South Carolina State a chance to prepare for the person he chose.
That strategy ended up working out as Virginia Tech quarterback transfer Jason Brown got the nod and showed out in his debut with JSU.
Brown put on a dominant display for the Tigers setting MEAC/SWAC Challenge records for passing yards in a game (356) and completion percentage (86%).
T.C. Taylor is the man for the job
T.C. Taylor’s first game as head coach is finally behind him after months of excitement for his long-awaited debut.
All-in-all, it was a success, with the first-year head coach handling his job on and off the field with great poise and confidence.
His great work has not gone unnoticed among the Jackson State community, with the fans in attendance showing him their appreciation with a vocal “T.C.” chant at the game’s conclusion.
After 17 years of serving in various roles on multiple coaching staffs, Taylor is in the right role at the right time and has a bright future ahead of him.
