Forget that the 2002 State Farm Bayou Classic XXIX almost went to Houston. Forget that Southern is on the verge on of its first losing record under the tutelage of head coach Pete Richardson. Forget that Grambling has a perfect Southwestern Athletic Conference record this year and has already taken the western division crown for the third year in a row. Forget all that has transpired this season.
Because nothing matters when it comes to the Bayou Classic; nothing but pride that is. The most intense, fiercest rivalry in all of historically black college history will be taking place in New Orleans 1 p.m. on November 30 in the Louisiana Superdome. A resurgent Southern University Jaguars (5-6 overall, 4-2 SWAC) will be facing the Grambling State University Tigers (10-1 overall, 6-0 SWAC) and the Astroturf will then become the battlefield.
Three years ago, Tigers head coach Doug Williams replaced coaching legend Eddie Robinson. Since then, Williams has defeated the Jaguars once (30-20-’01) in the annual match-up and plans to do it again this year. Williams could very well become a legend in his own right in the years to come, but first he has to go through a very persistant Jags squad that is led by a current coaching legend, Pete Richardson.
In last year’s meeting, Grambling broke the eight-year winning streak that Southern held by defeating the Jaguars 30-20. As a result, the Tigers went on to the SWAC Championships to defeat Alabama State to repeat as conference champs.
Irrelevant to the Jags, they now feel that they have an emotional advantage playing for the pride of the team and to save Coach Richardson from getting his first losing record as head coach of the Jaguars.
“Right now we don’t have anything to lose. We have everything to gain, though,” said secondary coach Henry Miller. “We have a chance to do something that no other team in the SWAC has done this season and that is upset Grambling. These boys also know that they don’t want to give anyone the option of handing Coach Pete a losing season.”
Yards are something that Southern can not help but to gain in next Saturday’s game with a rejuvenating offense led by a healthy offensive line and junior quarterback Quincy Richard.
The connection between Richard and senior wide-outs Michael Hayes and Al’Trevion Joubert is always exciting, but it is the carrying of the ball that will has the Southern offense on a new foot. The offense has practically been carried (literally) by sophomore running back phenomenom Kenneth Peoples. The Jaguars running game has practically been revamped thanks to the locomotive type running of Peoples. Peoples has a total of 699 rushing yards this season with 144 carries.
Special teams has seen a slight pick-up also and will be necessary for a Jags win. Sophomore kicker Colby Miller has been making noise throughout the SWAC. In last week’s game against Texas Southern, Miller connected on two of three field goals and averaged 35.7 yards per punt.
Sophomore punt returner Ezra Landry leads Southern in all purpose yards with 840. As excited as he is about playing in his hometown of New Orleans, he also wants to get 1,000 yards for the season and he wants a win for Richardson.
“Bayou Classic is really the game that made me come to Southern”, said Landry. ” I will be back at home and everyone will be coming to see me play and hopefully get my thousand (yards) and we can beat Grambling”
Beating Grambling would surely make the ending to the Jaguars’ “see-saw” season classic.
