GRAMBLING, Louisiana – The celebration began with about 38 seconds remaining when Jackson State players – waving towels and dancing – greeted their fans who made the two-hour drive west on Interstate 20.
They won the moment.
Linebacker Keonte Hampton recovered a fumble at Jackson State 1 with 1:04 to preserve a 33-28 victory over Grambling on Saturday afternoon at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.
Jackson State ended Grambling’s 16-game winning streak – the second longest at FCS – and informed the rest of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) that this is not the same old Jackson State.
The Tigers had lost eight of their last nine games against Grambling, including five in a row. In those games, Grambling had beaten Jackson State by 214-118. Each of his last four wins has had at least 15 points.
When the game was over, quarterback Jalon Jones ran over to first-year coach Deion Sanders, who was hugging and greeting his assistants, and handed the ball over.
Rest assured that the leather trophy from Sanders’ first SWAC victory will end up in a prominent place among the valuable belongings of the Hall of Fame cornerback.
So, did Jackson state warn the rest of SWAC?
“I don’t know if I would say that,” said an exultant Sanders after the game, “but they know that we are here. They know we are there. “
Jackson State, 4-8 last season, has entered the 23-44 season since 2014. The Tigers are now 2-0.
They beat Grambling (0-1) for the first time since 2012, because they exhibited the mental and physical stamina that Sanders has preached since arriving on campus on December 1.
Each T-shirt, sweatshirt, hat and baseball cap that players and coaches wear is adorned with the words “I BELIEVE”. Before the team can win, said Sanders, players need to believe first.
He spent much of the past week telling his team that most players had nothing to do with the losing streak against Grambling.
The only way to believe that they can win is by preparing and practicing to win. This, he said, will position them to win.
So it’s about players making plays at the time of victory.
Jackson State, who had lost a 27-14 lead at halftime, had a 33-28 lead early in the fourth period in a 20-yard catch-and-run by Warren Newman with 12:35 remaining.
After a defensive stop, they headed for Grambling 2. A touchdown would have essentially ended the game, but running back Kymani Clarke fumbled in the end zone.
Grambling recovered and moved quickly to Jackson State 2.
A first-run race did not yield any gains. On the second descent, linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr. hit hard on the right side, forcing a fumble that Hampton recovered.
Miller finished with 17 tackles, while Hampton added 15 tackles.
“You start to see what the guys are made of. You see what’s inside them, ”said Sanders of fighting the odds in the game. “They don’t want to let me down, but I tell them that I believe you, but you have to believe that you can do that. I am willing to bet on you. “
Jackson State finished with 473 yards, his best offensive exit since 2013. Tyson Alexander finished with 184 yards on 17 charged and a touchdown, the career record.
Jones passed 180 yards and three touchdowns.
The fields of the Jackson State team in the fall should be considerably better than this one and that should worry the rest of the SWAC.
After all, Tigers will add the highest-rated FCS recruiting class led by Sanders’ son Shedeur, one of the country’s best high school defenders last year.
In addition, they must add several quality players to the transfer portal.
“The best is yet to come. That’s why I’m so excited. You all know what we have. We just can’t use it right now,” said Sanders. “It’s like seeing all the ingredients in Grandma’s kitchen, but knowing that you you can’t taste the meal until Thanksgiving. ”