Grambling State’s stunning upset of Jackson State in Las Vegas has sent ripples through the SWAC East.
The result not only knocked the Tigers from the ranks of the unbeaten in the conference, but it also opened the window for several teams in the division to stay in the race.
As of Monday, Jackson State — which still controls its destiny to win the SWAC East if it wins out — shares a 3-1 conference record with Alabama State and Bethune-Cookman. Florida A&M, which will host JSU in Tallahassee on Saturday night, is 2-1 in the SWAC play.
But Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr is keeping his focus strictly on the next game, not the shifting championship picture.
The Hornets’ blowout win over Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic gave the Hornets an emotional boost, but Robinson Jr. is preaching a “win today” philosophy.
“We’re in the mindset of win today and controlling what we can control,” Robinson said on Monday. “The kids were excited about the Grambling-Jackson State result, but I reminded them that if we hadn’t won the Magic City Classic, none of that would matter. The biggest thing is you have to win. When you need a few things to go your way, just worry about what’s going on in the building.”
Robinson emphasized that the only thing the Hornets can control is their own preparation and execution. The Hornets, whose only loss was a 38-34 defeat to Jackson State, will play at SWAC West leader Prairie View.
“The only thing we can control is going out there and having a great Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and doing everything we can to win down in Prairie View,” he said. “It makes no sense to look at anything else, because you can’t control anything else.”
Florida A&M coach James Colzie echoed Robinson’s sentiment, acknowledging the impact of the Grambling-Jackson State result but stressing the importance of focusing on the present.
“We’re excited to have the opportunity to host a big game this weekend, one of the toughest places to play in the country,” Colzie said. “But again, that’s not going to mean a whole lot if we don’t go out there and play well.”
Colzie admitted that the Rattlers are playing well, but understands the team must not revert to the inconsistencies that defined early-season struggles.
“We’re grateful to be in this spot, but it’s still the same thing: we have to win,” he said. “Coming off a loss, Jackson State is going to be ripped and ready to go. We’ve got to make sure we put our best game out there. It could be a tough afternoon for us.”
SWAC Championship Game implications undecided
With Grambling’s upset, the SWAC East race is wide open. The winner of the upcoming Alabama State-Prairie View and Florida A&M-Jackson State matchups could very well be the team to represent the East in the SWAC Championship Game.
“Normally, the winner of this (FAMU-JSU) game goes on and represents the East in the SWAC championship,” Colzie said. “And it looks like it could be going in that direction as well.”
“If you had talked about this three weeks ago, and we still had the chance to be a part of the conversation, I don’t know if we would have believed it. But right now, we’re playing really, really well. We’re just grateful to be in this spot.”
Said Jackson State coach TC Taylor about the current stakes: “We are going to take it one game at a time. We control our own destiny as far as trying to the East. And we’re looking forward to the opportunity of rebounding this weekend.”
