Box Score
The pressurewill still play on, even with the eleventh week of the season past.
The SouthernUniversity Jaguar football team’s 28-0 shutout over Texas Southern Saturday putthe team one game away from going back to the Southwestern Athletic ConferenceChampionship game — which is held in Birmingham, Ala., on December 11th.
“I’m glad wewon but we’re not playing well as far as the constancy we need at this time ofyear,” said Southern head coach Pete Richardson.
A sluggishstart plagued both teams.
“We didn’treally come out focused,” said Jag’s senior quarterback Thomas Ricks, who wasone of 29 seniors to grace the field in their last home game at A. W. MumfordStadium.
Southern’sdefense held the winless Tigers (0-10 overall, 0-7 SWAC) to 137-yards totaloffense and collected four sacks along with three interceptions. This was the Jaguars first shutout in23 games. The last shutout that was achieved in last seasons opener on Aug.30., in a 29-0 win over Mississippi Valley State, in Jackson, Miss.
It took most ofthe first quarter for Southern (8-2 overall, 6-0 SWAC) to put numbers on theboard until a 4-yard touchdown run by senior fullback Mark Frederick, with 2:34left in the quarter, sending the Jags up by six. Ackley miss the PAT.
Ricks, thenscored with 6:07 left in the second quarter, on a 14-yard run, boostingSouthern’s lead to 13-0.
Seniordefensive back Kevin Moffet blocked two punts, one that resulted in a safetyand the other lead to a 38-yard Breck Ackley field goal. Moffet also recoveredan onside kick.
Ackley, asophomore made a 38-yard field goal with 50-seconds to play in the firsthalf. Then Moffet’s second blockedpunt, with 20 second to play, was recovered by TSU’s Stacey Thomas in theendzone for a safety, giving the Jags a 18-0 halftime lead.
Senorlinebacker Tarus Morgan brought back a 27-yard interception at 7:15 in thethird quarter for the last touchdown of the game and giving Texas Southerntheir tenth loss of the season.
Ricks completed15-of-30 passes for 113-yards, rushed for 110-yards on 13 carries and onetouchdown. It was his thirdstraight 100-plus yard game rushing.
Morgan finishedwith seven tackles (two solo), two tackles for loss (4-yards), one quarterbackhurry and one interception.
Senior runningback Gerald Holmes made a comeback after missing five games because of a stressfracture in his leg and was the leading rusher for Southern with 34-yards on12carries and 3 catches for 12-yards.
With his quickand energetic short like stature (5’5”, 165-pounds) Holmes looked a bitrelieved as he described his feelings of coming off the mend to make it in timefor the last home game.
“It’s like I’vebeen reborn again,” Holmes said. ”This is something that I love, I didn’t expect a 200-yard game. I came out healthy and it feels good tobe back on the field. I should be120-percent for the Classic.”
This week theJaguars the defending SWAC and Black College National Champions will have aweek off before its Nov. 27 game in New Orleans to play against arch rival GramblingState, in the Louisiana Superdome for the 31st annual State Farm BayouClassic. The game will betelevised on NBC at 1 p.m.
Southern wouldhave to beat Grambling (5-5, 2-4) to make its hotel accommodations andtraveling plans official for the championship game.
If Gramblingwins, then Arkansas-Pine Bluff will represent the SWAC from the westerndivision in Birmingham.