T.C. Taylor had heard enough.
Leading up to the Celebration Bowl against South Carolina State, the second-year Jackson State coach was acutely aware that the Tigers were 0-2 in the de facto HBCU national championship game and that he was personally 0-3 in the bowl.
The young coach was also wary of all the noise and discussion that South Carolina State—simply because it was a representative of the MEAC—was tougher, more physical, and better than Jackson State.
After all, the SWAC was just 6-2 in the Celebration Bowl before Saturday despite Florida A&M breaking a five-game conference losing streak last season.
Jackson State’s 28-7 domination of South Carolina State in Atlanta was the latest notch in the belt for the SWAC against a MEAC opponent.
According to Taylor, that means the tide is starting to turn.
“It looks that way. The things (former Florida A&M coach) Willie Simmons did last year, the things we did in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge last year against this same team, and you look at this year … that was a dominant performance by us today,” said Taylor.
“I gotta say it looks that way.”
You wouldn’t blame Jackson State and everyone carrying the SWAC banner for believing that.
The SWAC has won three consecutive MEAC/SWAC Challenge games and the last two Celebration Bowls.
“We got tired of hearing about them and that it’s a physical brand in the MEAC,” said Taylor. “If you look today, they were the more finesse team. They tried to throw the ball more. We ran the football. But we just got tired of hearing everyone talking and certain people saying they were better than us.”
Jackson State indeed exhibited those traits against the favored Bulldogs, who were ranked No. 15 in the FCS. The Tigers held the ball for 36:11, limited SCSU to 30 yards rushing, and did not physically wear down as the game progressed like the Bulldogs.
“We said we had to play the game. That’s what I told them,” said Taylor. “I told them we are going to win this thing in the trenches and show everybody we’re the best in the country.
Said Irv Mulligan, the physical running back who plowed his way for 2 TDs on 25 carries, about the total team performance: “It started in the trenches first. I just give it up to those guys up front, honestly.”
