Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson will get the chance to do something that Eddie Robinson never got a chance to do – go up against LSU.
“We talk about SEC and the SWAC, at the end of the day all these guys have football players you know and obviously LSU carries a big name but so does Grambling so there’s a chance for two programs that have obviously done extremely well in the past,” Jackson said during the SWAC coaches weekly media session.
Both programs are coming off of losses in Week One as Hampton handed Grambling State a loss and LSU was embarrassed by Florida State.
“Believe me, everybody will be watching because everybody wants to see where is Grambling at right now and where is LSU at right now. So it’s a tremendous opportunity for us,” Jackson said. “And obviously, LSU’s coming off a loss, so I’m sure they want to get in the win column as fast as they can as well.”
The matchup between the two schools was solidified back in 2020, prior to Hue Jackson taking over the program as head coach. The game comes one year after LSU played Grambling State’s rival Southern University in Baton Rouge. LSU won that game 65-17 over the eventual SWAC West champions.
Defense was a concern against Hampton as Grambling State was gashed on the ground. That’s something that Jackson acknowledged as a problem.
“Defensively, we got to shore up the stopping a run. I mean, we got to get better at that. I mean, we saw a team that ran the ball extremely well.
Beyond the Xs and Os, the matchup between the two offers a significant payday for Grambling State. LSU is paying Grambling State $760,000 for the game in addition to another $20,000 to the GSU Foundation/Football account as well as 800 complimentary tickets, according to a contract signed last July.
Jackson sees the matchup as a chance to catch the eyes of some recruits that may otherwise overlook Grambling State in addition to helping the program financially.
“I think it’s so important because we’re going to get a chance to showcase our university, our football team, our student-athletes against what people say is the best in the country,” Jackson said. “So any time young other student-athletes or recruits can come to the game and see what we’re doing, you know, at a high level, they get a chance to really see our program in a whole lot different light than maybe they would because some of these guys probably wouldn’t even come visit us that way.”