Jackson Shape and Southern will compete for the SWAC soccer championship for the second one pace in 3 years.
Within the 2022 matchup, Jackson Shape was once led by way of wave Heisman Trophy applicants Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. The Tigers have been additionally coached by way of Deion Sanders. Southern had Eric Dooley on its sideline and Dollar Buchanan Award winner Jordan Lewis.
The Tigers won easily 43-24 in Jackson that moment to exit to its 2nd consecutive Birthday party Bowl.
Each groups are hugely other heading into Saturday’s assembly. The Sanders and Hunter trio from Jackson are long gone, and Dooley has since left the scene from Southern.
However the extra issues alternate, the extra they keep the similar.
Like in 2022, Jackson Shape enters the name match undefeated in SWAC play games underneath convention tutor of the yr T.C. Taylor. It options SWAC Offensive Participant of the Hour Irv Mulligan and Freshman of the Hour Travis Terrell Jr.
Satirically enough quantity, Southern has questions at quarterback, because the Jaguars did within the 2022 match underneath first-year head tutor Terrence Graves.
Like in 2022, each groups met previous within the season, with Jackson Shape successful the former assembly.
The original installment of what has been a one-sided contention since 2021 (Jackson Shape is on a five-game successful streak) will snatch park at 1 p.m. Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson. The sport might be televised on ESPN2.
Jackson Shape (10-2, 8-0 SWAC) has received 8 consecutive video games and beat Southern 33-15 on Sept. 14.
“We played them early on, and they had their way with us,” Southern tutor Terrence Graves said on Monday all the way through the SWAC tutor’s Zoom convention. “We have gotten better every week in the totality of the football team. We’ve been able to identify the guys we have, some new guys, and find out how well they would play in our system in live games, not just practice and scrimmages. They planted their feet on a solid foundation of what we expected and how we wanted them to play.”
Southern has received 4 instantly video games and has advanced incrementally for the reason that Jaguars performed the Tigers. That’s why Taylor expects a different version of the Jaguars to turn up on Saturday.
“We’ve got to figure out a way to beat a good Southern football team a second time,” mentioned Taylor. “It’s all the time tough whilst you play games a crew a 2nd pace. We all know they would like some get-back. We’ve were given to determine tactics to get yet another level.
“Coach Graves is doing a heck of a job with that team since we played them,” Taylor mentioned. “They got a lot of questions answered and are playing at a high level.”
Within the earlier assembly between the groups, Noah Bodden was once the establishing quarterback for Southern. Underneath middle for the Jaguars on Saturday might be freshman Jalen Planks, who has received his closing 3 begins, together with the Bayou Vintage in opposition to Grambling Shape closing Saturday. Then again, he went 9 of 17 passing for 176 yards with one landing and an interception.
Planks must navigate a tricky Jackson Shape protection that ranks No. 2 overall within the SWAC and Incorrect. 3 in cross protection.
“He prepares every day as a starter — all of our quarterbacks do that,” Graves mentioned about Planks. “He’s a cool head, even-keeled. He takes coaching well and understands what we’re trying to do to facilitate the offense.”
