GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University football team will hit the road for the second weekend in a row and will seek its first win of the young season against Northwestern State on Saturdaynight under the lights. Kickoff from Turpin Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
Grambling State will broadcast the game on Grambling State Sports Radio Network. The game will broadcasted in Ruston (KPCH 99.3 FM) and Monroe (KJMG – 97.3 FM). The Tigers’ broadcast crew of Santoria Black, Ossie Clark, Nick Harrison and Leon Thomas will call all of the action. The game will be streaming online at www.gsutigers.com.
Grambling State began last season with a loss to Tulane, but bounced back with a win over Northwestern State in Week 2. Both teams enter this week seeking their first win as he Tigers are coming off a 49-17 loss at Louisiana, while Northwestern State dropped a road tilt to SEC member Texas A&M, 59-7.
The matchup with the Demons marks the fifth time these two teams will meet. Last season, the Tigers got 231 yards through the air from Devante Kincade and 138 yards on the ground by Martez Carter in Grambling State’s 23-10 victory against Northwestern State at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
Some things have changed from a year ago for both schools, as Kincade and Carter have moved on and graduated, while Northwestern State has a new head coach.
“Coach (Brad) Laird is a heck of a football coach and he has a great staff,” Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs said. “His team will be extremely disciplined, but then also will bring in a blue collar approach and play extremely hard. That is something coach Laird always instills in his team, even when I worked at Northwestern State. He’s that coach that’s going to make his team play hard and do things the right way.”
> Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Turpin Stadium in Natchitoches, La.
> The game will be broadcasted (live audio) on KPCH 99.3 FM – The Peach (Ruston) and KJMG – 97.3 FM – Magic97 (Monroe).
> Video will be streamed live on the Northwestern State athletic website (nsudemons.com)
> Stadium capacity is 15,971
> A new bag check procedure is in place for Saturday’s game inside Turpin Stadium.
> Any purse or bag brought to the stadium will be searched at gates by trained personnel.
> Fans who don’t bring bags may more quickly enter the stadium at the southwest gate on the press box side, and at the east gate on the opposite side of the stadium, where the NSU student section is located.
What to Watch For
> Grambling State will continue its two-quarterback system for at least one more game as Geremy Hickbottom and Aldon Clark will split time under center.
> GSU will look to complete a two-game, home-and-home sweep of Northwestern State.
> The Demons are looking for their first win in the series since 2008.
> Both teams are seeking their first win of the season.
> Northwestern State had a few extra days to prepare for Grambling State as the Demons played their first game on Aug. 30 (Thursday night).
> The Tigers begin the season 0-1 for the sixth straight year and will look to avoid its first 0-2 mark since 2015.
> Northwestern State is looking to avoid being 0-2 for the fifth consecutive season.
Grambling State-Northwestern State Connections
> This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools, with Grambling State holding a 3-1 lead in the series.
> The Tigers’ lone loss in the series to the Demons came in 2008.
> GSU won the last meeting, which was in 2017, 24-10 at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium
> Grambling State head football coach Broderick Fobbs will be making a return trip to Natchitoches where he spent 2002-2007 in various capacities, including assistant head coach.
> Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs will seeking his 18th victory in the state of Louisiana.
> This will be just the second game under new head coach Brad Laird at Northwestern State.
> The two schools are only separated by 71 miles.
Last Time Out
> Grambling State opened the season last week with a 49-17 loss to Louisiana.
> The Tigers racked up 306 total yards of offense and 15 first downs against the Ragin’ Cajuns.
> Geremy Hickbottom led the way in the air and ground, passing for 112 yards (8-of-18) and rushing for 52 yards on four carries, with one score.
> Defensively, De’Arius Christmas paced the Tigers with nine tackles, including one sack.
> Northwestern State is coming off a 59-7 loss to Texas A&M on Thursday night (Aug. 30).
> Jazz Ferguson finished with 129 yards receiving on four catches, including a 71-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to put Northwestern State on the board.
> NSU recorded 251 total yards of offense and 13 first downs against the Aggies.
Football Facts
> Grambling State comes into the game unranked, but received votes in the STATS FCS Top 25 and FCS Coaches Poll.
> The Tigers are ranked No. 1 in the SBN Black College Football Poll and No. 2 in the HBCU BOXTOROW Coaches Poll.
> Grambling State was picked to win the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship.
> Northwestern State is unranked in all polls.
Up Next
Grambling State will have an extra week to prepare for its 2018 SWAC opener as the Tigers return to action against Alabama State on Sept. 22. The game kicks off at 6 p.m. at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
Tickets Still Available
Season tickets and single-game tickets are on sale at the GSU Ticket office and fan are encouraged to visit www.gsutigers.com or call the ticket office to purchase tickets. For more information on purchasing season tickets, call (318) 274-2625 or (318) 274-2629.
Follow Grambling State Athletics
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gramblingstateathletics (Facebook), @gramblingathletics01 (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.
-www.gsutigers.com-
Brian Howard
Sports Information Director
Grambling State University
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