Everyone knows that September means football, and at the bluff of the Mississippi, that aura erupted into a monster that cannot be caged.
The Southern University football team has constantly chalked up adversity amongst several conversation and that was put to the test early into the season. This test however was not subjugated to pencil and paper but gridiron and touchdowns against first a non-conference challenge.
Let’s take a trip down memory lane shall we?
Southern had their season opener in Ruston, Louisiana even though the performance ended in a 56-14 loss for Southern. There were some accolades that were recognized nationwide for Southern besides the second most crowd to ever set foot into T.O. Joe Alliet Stadium.
Senior, wide receiver, Willie Quinn stamped his way into being FCS Player of the Week after an 100-yard kickoff return on Louisiana Tech’s stomping ground. Also Danny Johnson caught two interceptions from backup quarterback, Ryan Higgins, which both were in the red zone.
Five days later, Southern once again traveled to Rice-Totten Stadium to take on Southwestern Athletic Conference, Mississippi Valley State, and obliterated them 50-13.
Quinn once again spoke volumes as he found the end zone on a 39-yard punt return when he flipped over a Delta Devil defender and once again when he struck down the field for a 90-yard punt return. Otherwise he finessed a trick play into a scoring strike. Quinn showed his stripes not only to his conference but also to ESPN when he posted in the top 10 rankings not once but twice.
Southern after showing Mississippi Valley that the first conference game wasn’t a huge challenge then came home to the glitz and glamour of A.W. Mumford Stadium where the stars aligned against rivals Jackson State University.
Southern posted the heaviest crowd that ever-trampled into Mumford in 18 years. The number recorded was 30,194 people and that didn’t include the drunkards and tailgaters.
Sophomore quarterback, Austin Howard, awarded the fans with their faith when he recorded his career high that night of 21-32 completions for 395 yards, which shut out JSU 50-31.
The usage of all offensive threats besides Quinn was displayed during this bout when he attested to his first touchdown of the season and junior running back; Lenard Tillery sailed through the end zone with two touchdowns of his own. Scratch that Tillery doesn’t sail, he tramples, dismembers, and maims the opposition.
This game told the story that Southern was going to do well in the upcoming season ahead of them but the real challenge was hidden within Athens in September 26, a date that will be etched in Southern history.
50 years and a 20-hour bus ride to Athens clocked the return to face the Southeastern conference’s Georgia Bulldogs. The Bulldogs opened their home for Southern to imbue a destiny like no other, to face a team that was recorded to be number 7 at the time.
Southern held Georgia 20-6 before halftime and held Nick Chubbs record to a mere 35 yards in which he was supposed to tie the record with legendary Herschel Walker.
Unfortunately in the third quarter, turns took for the worst as junior, wide receiver; Devon Gales suffered a neck injury, which lies him in the hospital as of now. The wide receiver as positive as he is will see the team flourish in the future and is now being supported by the Jaguar Nation as well as the Bulldog nation.
Even though the score was 48-6 and Chubbs did tie the record, Southern attributed lessons from this bout that will carry over into the next games to come.
Southern (2-2) settles during the bye-week, they will travel to Montgomery to face Alabama State on October 10, 2015 with a grudge on their shoulder and a 33 in their hearts.
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September to Remember Jags fired up for the rest of the season
October 6, 2015
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