Few FCS programs hold quite the distinct history and winning tradition that Jackson State (1-0) does. The Tigers don’t always receive the same limelight as some teams out there but they have done almost everything there is to do on the gridiron. They’ve competed in the FCS playoffs 12 times, claimed 19 conference titles, taken home five HBCU national championships and have won 501 games in their 114-year run as a football team. There is one thing, though, that JSU has never done in all that time;
toppled an FBS opponent. However, this year the Tigers could have just the group and right set of circumstances to finally put that feather in their cap too.
T.C. Taylor’s crew is the top dog in HBCU football right now and they really have been for a little while. Deion Sanders revitalized the program but it was Taylor that carried them over the finish line last season with their Celebration Bowl win over SC State. This fall the Tigers are the favorites to win it again and with good reason. They return several key pieces like running back Travis Terrell Jr, signal caller Jacobian Morgan and wideout Jonas Fortilien to name a few.
JSU, though, has some new names making early waves as well. Former Florida defensive end Quincy Ivory has already made noise, picking up 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks in last week’s win over Hampton. Redshirt sophomore running back Ahmad Miller ran for 180 and two touchdowns in that victory as well. Top to bottom, Jackson State is built for sustained success and, as of right now, they look like the clear frontrunner to get back to Atlanta in December.
This Saturday, though, presents a different challenge. A road trip to Hattiesburg will pit the Tigers up against Southern Miss and give them the opportunity to nab that elusive FBS win; one that would be a landmark for the team if they were able to capture it. And, despite entering as underdogs, there is legitimate reason to believe that Jackson State has more than a puncher’s chance in this one.
In year’s past, Southern Miss has beat up on JSU. Back in 2018, the Golden Eagles thumped them 55-7 and in 2002 they won by the exact same score. This year’s teams… on both sides… are different, though. The Tigers are well-equipped with all the aforementioned players and coaches and USM has a ton of question marks.
For one, it is Charles Huff’s first season at the helm after coming over form Marshall. The Thundering Herd experienced great success under Huff, winning the Sun Belt title a season ago. But Southern Miss has had some issues that will not be fixed overnight, even with an influx of new players, many of whom followed Huff over from Huntington. They won just one game in 2024 and got beat by an average of nearly 27 points per contest.
Although it’s just been a one-game sample size this year, USM had some glaring issues last week against Mississippi State as well. They struggled running the ball, gaining just over 100 yards on the day and they were also penalized eight times in the loss.
Does all that necessarily mean that Jackson State has the upper hand? No. It can’t be discounted what JSU does have, though. Experience at QB, a coach who knows nothing but winning and a team that plays with swagger can go a long, long ways, especially for an underdog. This contest could easily be an uncomfortable one for fans in the black and gold on Saturday afternoon. It certainly feels like the best chance Jackson State has had in quite sometime to slay an FBS foe.
The game will kick off at 3:00 PM (ET) on Saturday and can be streamed on ESPN+.
