In 80 days, Jackson State football coach T.C. Taylor begins the chase for his first Southwestern Athletic Conference championship. The title would be the first rung on the ladder to bringing the Tigers their first Black national championship since 1996.
Things line up well for Jackson State on two fronts in 2024.
First, the schedule makers have smiled on the Tigers. Last season, Jackson State played its first four games on the road, amassing 4,000 miles of travel before enjoying a game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. This season, the Tigers will play two of their first four games at home, and the games at UL Monroe and Grambling are less than 160 miles from campus.
Second, the 12-team SWAC has turned over 11 coaches since the end of the 2021 season, including eight since Taylor was promoted to succeed Deion Sanders as the Tigers’ coach in December 2022. Another year of continuity will be to Jackson State’s advantage over staffs earlier in their building of a culture and learning how to win.
“They (SWAC coaches) are kind of where I was last year,” Taylor told the Clarion Ledger ater the Blue and White spring game. “Kind of an uphill battle fighting through trying to build rosters, trying to keep players there. So, with us having so many guys coming back, I think we are right where we need to be as a football team going forward.”
Here are three bold predictions ahead of Jackson State’s 2024 season.
Jackson State football goes undefeated in the regular season
Jackson State has a chance to make history and a bold statement by knocking off Louisiana Monroe in the season opener Aug. 29. The “money game” will pay Jackson State $350,000, and is less than two hours from campus. Jackson State has never beaten a Football Bowl Subdivision team but came close against the Warhawks in 2021, losing 12-7.
Jackson State…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/three-bold-predictions-jackson-state-100017172.html
Author : The Clarion Ledger
Publish date : 2024-06-10 10:00:17
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