Southern try to capture asecond conference win Saturday at 4 p.m. against the Alabama State Hornets inthe Crampton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.
The Jaguars (2-2 overall, 1-0 Southwestern AthleticConference) are trying to rebound from a 24-31 upset from South Dakota State.Going into halftime, Southern had a 14-point lead on the Jackrabbits. In the third quarter, the Jackrabbitsscored two touchdowns and successfully kicked a field goal to tie the game at 24. With less than five minutes inregulation, Jackrabbits’ senior quarterback Brad Nelson completed a ten yardpass to senior tight end Greg Peitz to hand Southern its second loss of theseason.
“Anytime you let a good football team hang around, you createturnovers, give them confidence and you’re going to have problems trying tobeat them down the stretch,” Richardson said. “And they played hard all four quarters.”
The Jags defeated theHornets twice last season, including a 20-9 victory over ASU in the SWACChampionships.
This season, head coachCharles Coe has led the Hornets (3-0, 2-0 SWAC) to the top of the conference’seastern division and Jags’ head coach Pete Richardson said that control wouldhave to be the key to success.
“We have to control the tempo of the game. We can’t let themrush out and all of a sudden we’re behind two or three touchdowns and expect tocome right back,” Richardson said. “They’re going to be on a high energy level,especially after the incentive of losing the championship game because a lot ofthose individuals played in it.”
Twenty Hornets returned from last year’s squad. Threeplayers came from the offensive line and four from the defensive line played inthe championship game.
The game will be a showcase of the SWAC top two offenses.Alabama State is ranked first in the conference with an average of 436.3 yardsper game. Southern is ranked second with an average of 385 yards per game.
Richardson said that Southern’s defense has to control theBraves on the first down and not let them constantly get a chance at seconddown and short situations. The Jags are last in the SWAC in pass defense, allowing 219 yards pergame and seven touchdowns.
The threat to the Jaguars’ defense is Hornets’ TarvarisJackson. The University of Arkansas transfer is ranked 6th in thenation for averaging over 224 passing yards. Last week, the 6’2″ 232-poundjunior quarterback earned SWAC Player of the Week honors for completing 17 of25 passes for 219 yards and four touchdowns in the Hornets’ 41-8 win overAlcorn State.
Also a risk to the Jags is senior punter Mike Bryson. Brysonwas named last week’s SWAC Newcomer averaging 42.8-yards on five attempts witha long of 53 yards in the Hornets conference victory.
