And the rivalry continues…

Regardless of the highs and lows the football teams of Southern and Grambling State may have endured, very few games are as intense as their annual rivalry, the Bayou Classic. The nationally televised game will be held in Houston’s Reliant Stadium at 1 p.m. on Nov. 26.
The bragging rights rank among the fiercest rivalries in the country, let alone the state of Louisiana. However, thanks to Hurricane Katrina, state bragging rights will have to be made in Texas.
According to Ralph Slaughter, Southern University coordinator for the game, the Southern-Grambling State rivalry is untouched.
“This is event has been donned the best sports entertainment by Jefferson Pilot,” Slaughter said during the Classic’s Kick-off Celebration. “It doesn’t matter if we are in New Orleans or in Houston, we will continue to enjoy the festivities that the Bayou Classic offers.”
Whether Southern’s football team can enjoy their season is another question. The Jaguars (4-4 overall, 4-4 Southwestern Athletic Conference) are coming off their first two-game winning streak of the season, a revealing drop from the 8-2 season they experienced in 2004. The team is in jeopardy of experiencing its first losing season under coach Pete Richardson.
Last season against Grambling State, Southern experienced a 24-13 defeat, despite the absence of standout quarterback Bruce Eugene. Penned as inexperienced and inconsistent, Southern is not the same team it was last year. Their chances of going to Birmingham are out the door, thanks to the Tigers sealing that slot three weeks ago.
“We don’t want no excuses,” Richardson said. “We have young individuals and we expect them to play well. We can’t guarantee the score. We just gonna go out and play hard for 60 minutes.”
One thing the Jaguars may have going for them is a developing pass offense. They are ranked fourth in both passing (26.9 yards per game) and total offense (286.4 ypg). What does not help is that the Tigers, led by Eugene, is first in every offensive category in the SWAC.
“We are going up against a very talented Grambling State team,” said Jags sophomore quarterback J.C. Lewis. “But with all the confidence we have, it should be a good game.
“We are going to go out there and execute well,” he said. “So when the day comes for us to play in the Bayou Classic, it’s going to be a real good game.”
Lewis leads the Southern offense completing 189 of 290 passes with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, while senior wide receiver James Vernon has 39 receptions, 553 yards and seven touchdowns.
Grambling State’s prolific senior quarterback Bruce Eugene has completed 153 of his 264 attempted passes, along with 34 touchdowns and three interceptions. Eugene, a candidate for practically every 2005 collegiate award averages a whopping 395.7 passing yards per game, while senior wide receiver Henry Tolbert and sophomore receiver Clyde Edwards receive the majority of Eugene’s passes, amassing an average of 183.3 ypg, collectively.
“This game is the same every year,” Eugene said. “Both teams are going to give it there best. I expect them (Southern) to do something different, because they want this game a lot.”
Defensively, Southern’s junior linebacker David Brooks leads the Jaguars with 58 tackles, senior DB Joemaine Spears has 56 tackles and senior defensive end Joe Sykes ranks third in the SWAC with 7.5 sacks. On Grambling State’s defense, senior Dimitri Carr has 77 tackles and senior Jason Hatcher has 7.5 sacks this season.
“I think it’s going to be a real good game between the teams,” said senior defensive end Rene Gettridge. “Because they’re riding high (from their) good season and we are riding high because we’re trying to end our season on a good note.”