Jackson State had to hold off Alcorn State and survive three heart-stopping plays in the final moments of the Soul Bowl matchup against Alcorn State. The Tigers built an early lead and leaned on its defense late, defeating Alcorn State 27–21 Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium to clinch its second straight SWAC East Division title. Now JSU has earned the right to host the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 6 against Prairie View A&M.
Jackson State (9–2, 7–1 SWAC) extended its winning streak to four games behind a fast start, racing out to a 17–0 first-quarter lead. Quarterback Jared Lockhart opened the scoring with a one-yard keeper, and running back Travis Terrell Jr. added another short touchdown run as the Tigers controlled the line of scrimmage early. Gerardo Baeza capped the dominant first quarter with a 43-yard field goal.
Alcorn State (5–7, 4–4 SWAC) finally answered in the second quarter when Jaylon Tolbert found Tyran Warren for a 64-yard strike to cut the deficit to 17–7. But Jackson State countered quickly. With 1:43 left in the half, Lockhart connected with Nate Rembert on a 55-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a 24–7 halftime cushion.
The Braves pushed back in the second half. Reggie Davis broke loose for a 44-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, and Warren added another score—a 17-yard reception from Tolbert—with 2:26 remaining in the fourth to pull Alcorn State within 27–21.
Jackson State appeared poised to close it when the unthinkable happened. After securing a first down, JSU lined up in victory formation, ready to take a few knees and run out the clock. But an errant snap under center rolled between Lockhart’s legs and was recovered by Orlandus McLaurin of Alcorn State. The Braves had 1:06 left on the clock with a timeout and 55 yards away from the endzone. Alcorn State had two shots at a Hail Mary in the final ten seconds to win the game but the Tigers’ defense delivered. The secondary broke up both deep attempts, sealing the win and the division crown.
Running back Ahmad Miller became the second Tiger in as many years to surpass 1,000 rushing yards, joining Irv Mulligan (2024). Miller finished with 106 yards on 15 carries, while Donerio Davenport added 52 yards as Jackson State totaled 185 yards on the ground. Lockhart was efficient throughout, completing 15 of 17 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown while spreading completions to eight different targets. Rembert led all receivers with seven catches for 120 yards and a score.
Defensively, Shamar Hawkins paced the Tigers with eight tackles. Ashton Taylor, Reid Pulliam, and KJ Chisholm Jr. each contributed seven tackles, with Pulliam and Chisholm recording tackles for loss. Jackson State finished with six TFLs and limited Alcorn State to 148 rushing yards.
Up Next:
Jackson State will be idle this week before hosting Prairie View A&M in the SWAC Championship Game on Dec. 6.