Jackson State delivered a second-half surge to turn a tight battle into a decisive 38-13 win over Southern University, keeping its grip on one of the most storied rivalries in HBCU football. The Tigers trailed midway through the second quarter but used explosive plays and relentless defense to seize control in Baton Rouge.
Southern University looked poised to flip the script early. After trading field goals, running back Trey Holly broke loose for a 73-yard touchdown run to give the Jaguars a 13-7 lead in the second quarter. The home crowd of 27,487 roared as the Jags briefly sensed momentum swinging their way. But Jackson State responded in kind. Quarterback Jacobian Morgan engineered a 97-yard drive capped by a 51-yard strike to Ja’Naylon Dupree just before halftime, giving the Tigers a 17-13 edge. They never looked back.
The second half belonged entirely to Jackson State. Running back Donerio Davenport muscled in a pair of short touchdown runs, while Travis Terrell Jr. added another score on the ground. The knockout punch came with 4:09 left, when Morgan hit Nate Rembert for an 82-yard touchdown, silencing the Southern University faithful and cementing the victory.
Jackson State firing on all cylinders
Morgan was efficient and dynamic, finishing 21-of-32 for 337 yards and two touchdowns. Rembert (102 yards, one score) and Dupree (93 yards, one score) provided big-play threats downfield. Ahmad Miller set the tone on the ground with 101 rushing yards as Jackson State piled up 534 yards of total offense compared to Southern’s 300.
Defensively, Jackson State was equally dominant after halftime, holding Southern scoreless over the final 35 minutes. Kam Sallis intercepted Ashton Strother in the red zone, and Quincy Ivory added a sack to help seal the Jaguars’ fate. Southern’s offense managed just 120 passing yards, despite Holly’s 147 yards on the ground.
The win extends Jackson State’s streak to seven straight in the series and underscores why the Tigers remain a standard-bearer in HBCU football. For Southern University, turnovers and missed opportunities once again proved costly, dropping the Jaguars to 1-4 on the season.
Jackson State improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in SWAC play, firmly establishing itself as a contender heading into October. In a rivalry built on history and pride, the Tigers once again found a way to rise when it mattered most.