The defending West Division champion Prairie View Panthers enter the State Fair Classic on Saturday in desperate need of a win to save its season.
Or maybe it can’t be salvaged after SWAC losses to Prairie View and Southern.
The Panthers (1-3 overall, 0-2 SWAC) must beat Grambling State to stay in the division race.
So, what is the message Prairie View is leaning on ahead of the biggest game of the year?
“A lot of people are saying it’s over, and y’all did everything, and you can’t fight anymore,” said offensive line coach Ashton Green. “I’ve been in this conference for a very long time and I’m on the west side.”
Green anticipates that the division—one that doesn’t feature a clear favorite—will beat each other up and allow the Panthers to get back in the hunt as in previous seasons.
If Prairie View is to make a run, the Panthers will have to fix a defense that has allowed 32.3 points per game and an offense that has only scored seven touchdowns through the first four games. But that will be a tough task against Grambling State, which leads the SWAC with 15 defensive takeaways and is the second-ranked offense in the conference.
If the Panthers survive Grambling State, their remaining SWAC schedule will be tough. They have games against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Florida A&M, Mississippi Valley State, Alcorn State, and Alabama State.
“Everybody is starting SWAC play, and that’s the best thing,” said Green. “Those other teams we lost to have to play each other. If we do what we do and control our controllable, we can control our destiny. We just have to win football games.”
