Savannah State and Southern will meet for the first time on Saturday, and the Tigers are fired up about the historic matchup.
Savannah State, which hasn’t played a game yet in 2024, had eight players named to the preseason All-SIAC team, will present a challenge for the Jaguars despite their 2-8 record from a year ago.
“We’re not caught up in them being a Division II school. They have a lot of talent. We’re going to respect everybody but fear nobody,” said Southern head coach Terrence Graves on Tuesday. (SSU coach) Aaron Kelton and I are good friends. We’re not going to talk this week because that’s how we are. He’s going to have those guys fired up.”
In the offseason, the Tigers improved their offensive line and added additional talent through the NCAA transfer portal, along with veterans from 2023.
The reshaped roster, says Kelton, will give the Tigers a shot against a Division I school.
“They’re chomping at the bit,” Kelton told WJCL-TV. “But I think it was good for us to be able to get that extra work in.”
Said wide receiver Da’Shun Mitchell about the matchup against Southern:
“Really, it’s just a big stepping stone. I’ll say, really, it’s more exposure to show what we can do and what we got. I feel like it’s going to be a good game.”
Southern (0-1) will be looking to bounce back from a loss to McNeese State in a game the Jaguars had led going into the fourth quarter before falling 21-7.
“We’re disappointed but not dismayed,” Graves said. “We had a great game plan. I felt we’d be victorious versus McNeese, but it came down to missed opportunities.”
Part of getting back on track for the Jaguars is the improved performance of quarterback Noah Bodden. The junior went 12 of 26 for 118 yards and a critical red zone interception and fumble that proved costly.
Bodden was later benched in the fourth quarter for Czavian Teasett, who completed one pass on four attempts for 14 yards. Graves did say that Bodden would be the starter against Savannah State.
“I definitely could have played better,” he told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “There were some good takeaways and some bad. It was a learning experience, in the way I look at it. We’ve still got everything we want in front of us. I look forward to the future and what it holds for us.”
