The Southern Jaguars (2-1, 2-0 away) battle the Jackson State Tigers (3-1, 2-0 home) in a Southwestern Athletic Conference showdown on Saturday in FCS spring football action. Both teams did not play last weekend.
Saturday’s kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss.
This should be quite a game, so make sure to go to BetUS Sportsbook to place your bets on it.
What to Know – Southern Jaguars
Southern returns to the field after a week hiatus and having played just one game in about a month. The Jaguars have notched a pair of victories during the spring, including a 51-23 rout of Texas Southern two weeks ago.
Southern’s lone loss came in its only home game, a 33-30 defeat to Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
After getting benched in the loss to Arkansas-Pine Bluff, quarterback Ladarius Skelton returned to help guide the Jaguars to victory over the Tigers. Skelton completed 11-of-18 passes for 174 yards, a pair of touchdowns, and one interception. The senior dual-threat quarterback led the team in rushing on 14 carries for 71 yards.
Junior running back Rashad Muhammad’s number was called 10 times for 64 yards, and sophomore Jerodd Sims added seven carries for 41 yards and two scores. The Jaguars utilize many ball carriers, with seven players getting at least one carry against Texas Southern.
In the passing game, the Jaguars have five players that have caught five passes or more. Junior wideout Brandon Hinton is the main target, hauling in 10 receptions for 126 yards and one touchdown.
Freshman tight end Ethan Howard caught two passes for 56 yards, both for touchdowns, in the victory over Texas Southern.
Defensively, Southern holds opponents to 25.7 points and 356.0 yards per game. The Jaguars have forced two interceptions and three fumbles.
What to Know – Jackson State Tigers
Jackson State was 4-8 in 2019 but has turned things around by hiring former NFL star Deion Sanders to lead the program. The Tigers won their first three games before falling last week to Alabama State, 35-28. JSU closes out the schedule with a pair of home games.
The Tigers offense revolves around the talented play of quarterback Jalon Jones. The sophomore has completed 62-of-114 passes with nine touchdowns and two interceptions.
Jones is second on the team in rushing, accounting for 214 yards and a team-high five touchdowns on the ground.
If Jones isn’t running the ball, JSU looks to a pair of underclassmen to handle rushing duties. Sophomore Tyson Alexander leads all rushers in carries (54) and yards (339) with one touchdown, while classmate Kymani Clarke adds 45 carries for 189 yards and two scores.
Jones has a trio of skilled players on the outside he primarily likes to focus on in the passing game. Junior wide receiver Dylan Baldwin has caught 18 passes for 314 yards and five touchdowns, and senior wideout Warren Newman leads the Tigers in receptions with 23.
Jackson State surrenders 17.5 points and 315.5 yards per game on defense. The Tigers have created eight turnovers and sacked the quarterback 12 times.
The Pick Is In
Southern got the victory when these two teams last met up at the end of the 2019 season. Jackson State has had many changes since, with the hiring of Sanders and welcoming of numerous transfers.
We’ve received a small sample size, but quarterback play has been key in many of the contests. Jones is the better of the two starters in this matchup, and his decision-making paired with his ability to use his arms and legs is going to be a factor.
We like the Tigers in this one. When making your college football picks, go with Jackson State.
