Southern @ Jackson State Preview

Southern @ Jackson State Preview

By: Dustin Nothnagel

Intern, Louisiana Gridiron Football

On Saturday, October 25, the Southern Jaguars travel to Jackson State to match—up in a SWAC conference game. Southern, coming off of a victory against Alabama A&M on the 11th, looks to put up big numbers against the Tigers. Jackson State is also coming off a bye week in which they are trying to recover from their loss against Mississippi Valley State.

It is very rare in football that a game is built up with both teams coming off of a bye week. With extra time to prepare, it can be argued that it is either an advantage or disadvantage to the favorite team which the Jaguars are. Southern brings a 4-3 record into the ball game compared to Jackson State’s 3-4 record. Southern has also been on a roll and bring momentum into the game. The Jaguars have found a groove on offense in which the big plays have come to light for the offense. Led by wide receiver Reggie Travis, the young Jaguars offense has become the main reason they have experienced recent success. With a bend-but-not-break style of defense, forcing turnovers has given the Jaguars a major advantage in most games. Quarterback Austin Howard looks to build on his recent success with another big game. As of now, Howard seems to be the x-factor for the Jaguars; when Howard plays well, the offense rolls and the Jaguars seem to pull out victories. Early-season struggles are an issue for any freshman quarterback, so it is good to see a young quarterback find his way and settle into the game. Applying pressure to Howard will certainly be Jackson State’s main point of emphasis on defense.

With SWAC momentum on the line, Southern looks to build on their offensive success to push the team past the Jackson State Tigers. Behind a shaky offensive line, Austin Howard has found success recently getting the ball out to his playmakers at receiver. After a bye week, the Southern defense hopes to find a rhythm and create turnovers against the Tigers.