Another chapter of HBCU football unfolds on Saturday afternoon, when Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Jackson State square off. UAPB is hoping to end a four-game losing streak, while JSU will be aiming to start a winning streak after its recent win against Mississippi Valley State. Jackson State should enter this one with confidence, as they came away with a 21-12 victory when these teams last met in 2019.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-6 Overall, 0-4 in SWAC)
Pine Bluff come into this contest with a 1-6 record on the season. They are scoring an average of 12.9 points per contest, with a total of 12 touchdowns on the year. On the other side of the ball, Pine Bluff’s defense allows 31.0 points per game on average.
Tailback Johness Davis will be leading Arkansas-Pine Bluff in this one. Davis has rushed for 337 yards this season, scoring one touchdown on the ground.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff loves to get their quarterback involved in the ground game, with 32% of their rush attempts coming from their signal caller.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff went 3-9 in 2022. They are 1-2 at home so far this year, averaging 9.3 points per game in those games. Arkansas-Pine Bluff has lost two straight matchups against Jackson State since Oct 6, 2018.
Jackson State (5-3 Overall, 3-2 in SWAC)
Defense has been the Tigers’ main specialty for stretches of this season. They have only conceded an average of 342 yards per game, with opposing offenses having averaged 191 yards in the air and 152 yards on the ground. More specifically, they’ve been holding opposing offenses to 4.6 yards per carry on the ground and 6.6 yards per attempt through the air.
Jacobian Morgan is looking to continue the play he showcased in Jackson State’s last game. Morgan threw for 141 yards and one touchdown in the team’s win.
Jackson State’s offensive play selection split thus far this year has been 47% pass, 53% run.
The Tigers’ record sits at 2-1 for their last three games, averaging 377 offensive yards per game during those games. They are 2-1 on the road so far this year, averaging 27.3 points per game in those games. Jackson State is 5-2 in FCS HBCU games, averaging 25.9 points per game in those games.