Bragging rights in the 42nd Annual Bayou Classic in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome was all Southern needed to end their season filled with injuries, home game losses and a tough schedule.
For Southern it meant beating the streak of Grambling and taking the Western Division champion down.
For Grambling it meant to keep the streak alive and head into the postseason undefeated.
This year the crowd exceeded high numbers with 62,507 people in attendance, which supercedes the years since Hurricane Katrina.
However, Southern fell 34-23 extending Grambling’s undefeated streak to 9 games.
Since the Bayou Classic’s inception, Southern and Grambling State University have been bitter rivals that push each other to the limit.
Grambling now ties the Bayou Classic series with 21 wins after Southern won three consecutive years.
Grambling proved themselves to be the best team of the Southwestern Athletic Conference during the regular season as they won their first eight games, flawlessly.
The Tigers already clinched the Western Division title and Southern had more to prove since they were established as third on the card in the West.
Even Grambling second year head coach Broderick Fobbs viewed this game to be championship material.
“This has always been a championship game for me,” said Fobbs, “I have never looked at it as an opportunity to rest my guys so we can be ready for next week.”
The Tigers will gear up to face Alcorn on December 5 in Houston, Texas for the SWAC Championship.
Southern was not at a total disadvantage in the game but had a heavily explosive offense in the first quarter alone, repeating the many victories that they achieved earlier in the season.
The Jaguars led 20-3 before the second quarter before Grambling turned the Meredes-Benz SuperDome upon its head scoring back to back touchdowns in their respective drives to get within a three point deficit before halftime.
Baton Rouge native and graduate of Scotlandville High School, Ka’Jandre Domino caught the short 2 yard pass and Verlon Hunter assessed the 4 yard pass to gain another touchdown.
The ten second runoff penalized Grambling at the end of the half.
The lead did not last too long at all.
Breakout Grambling quarterback Johnathan Williams opened the dual threat option with the read option and slammed a 1 yard run into the end zone to have a four point lead over Southern early in the third quarter.
However, no one scored and the defenses on both ends were holding each other to their respective drives.
Evolving into the fourth quarter, Williams’ 54 yard touchdown pass to Chad Williams on the first play of the quarter increased the lead 31-20. Southern kicker’s Greg Pittman’s 33-yard field goal made the game one sided with 8:04 left, after the 22 yard field goal kick by Mark Orozco ended with 34-23 and also ended the scoring drives.
Southern player, Daniel Brown mentions that the team has to be humble.
Brown said, “We’ve had a lot of success around here the last couple of years and sometimes you need to be humbled.”
Williams leads the SWAC in total offensive yards in his final Bayou Classic he had 350 yards and four touchdowns. He was 30 of 34 for 272 yards and three touchdowns; he also ran nine times for 78 yards and a touchdown that put the Tigers in a hefty lead early in third quarter.
Southern’s quarterback, Austin Howard finished his sophomore season in the Bayou Classic going 24 for 40 for 241 yards with a single touchdown.
Grambling finally secured a win since 2011 and this marks the third time in four years that a winner from the Bayou Classic was also the Western Division representative in the SWAC Championship .
The Bayou Classic boomed the arena and never lost its luster.
“They say the Bayou Classic has lost its luster,” said Fobbs, “I don’t think so.”
Southern stayed after the game to congratulate Grambling on their high-powered win and their grace into the postseason.
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A CLASSIC SHOWDOWN: Southern’s season ends, Grambling advances to SWAC Championship
December 1, 2015
Grambling State’s Ka’Jandre Domino reels in a catch beating two Southern defenders during the 42nd Annual Bayou Classic on Saturday, November 28 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
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