This year's SWAC Championship between Jackson State and Prairie View A&M is intriguing because it breaks the predictable pattern of the past four seasons. Previously, the Celebration Bowl path was clear: Deion Sanders' Jackson State teams, and later Willie Simmons' Florida A&M squad, often seemed far ahead of the SWAC West finalists. This year's Prairie View A&M team, under Coach Tremaine Jackson, poses a different and immediate challenge.
Prairie View A&M has taken on the swagger of its coach and employed a rough, tough defensive attack that ranks at the top of the conference in almost every metric. The Panthers lead the conference in scoring defense, allowing just 15.8 points per game. They are also first in total defense, holding opponents to 269.6 total yards per game, and rank at the top in passing defense, allowing only 126.1 yards per game. Their offense isn't shabby either, ranking third in total offense, averaging 431.4 yards per game.
The Panthers have the makeup of a championship-contending team. On defense, Prairie View boasts playmakers across the field. Safety graduate student Travor Randle has racked up 84 total tackles, three interceptions, and four tackles for loss. Darrell Starling Jr. anchors the defensive line, while players like Eric Zachary prove to be hawks in the defensive backfield, leading the team with 11 pass breakups.
Freshman running back Chase Bingmon enters the game as one of the conference's best rushers, and quarterback Cam Peters has rounded into form, throwing for 2,092 yards and 18 touchdowns against only six interceptions. Peters has been on a tear recently, including a 394-yard, five-touchdown game against Alabama A&M.
Many HBCU football fans marvel at the success of Jackson's Panthers but question the proper level of competition they have faced outside of the tightly contested loss to Alabama State, where they benefitted from quarterback Andrew Body's injury but ultimately still lost 31-28. The primary question remains: will their defensive magic and offensive firepower work against a complete, battle-tested Jackson State team?
Jackson State has proven itself to be the best team in the SWAC and arguably the best in HBCU football. They managed to fend off Alabama State's upset bid and kept their championship ambitions afloat even after losing starting quarterback Jacobian Morgan in late October. Morgan's absence has allowed Jackson State to showcase its stellar running attack, led by the “big three”: Ahmad Miller, Donerio Davenport, and Travis Terrell Jr. All three players can take over a game with their rushing ability.
Two critical statistical battles will decide the championship. Prairie View's biggest weakness is its rushing defense, as it gives up 143.5 yards per game (fourth in the conference). This weakness directly contrasts with Jackson State's strength, which averages 269.8 rushing yards per game. Can Prairie View solve for Jackson State's three-pronged rushing attack? What has not often been mentioned is that Jackson State ranks fifth in the conference in passing defense, giving up 207.6 yards per game. Can Cam Peters exploit Jackson State's secondary to get big gains and potentially put points on the board?
The looming factor is Jacobian Morgan's health. Coach Taylor was coy about Morgan's availability in his weekly press conference, covered by the Clarion-Ledger, but the starting decision remains an open question.
“I’m leaving it up to the trainers and our doctors here,” Taylor said on Monday. “He’s been moving around as best he can, so we’ll continue to evaluate him.”
But he confirmed that if Morgan is unable to play, Jared Lockhart will be ready to start again.
“Just like in previous weeks, we’re going to get Jared ready to play,” Taylor said. “We’re not making no excuses of his classification. We know what he brings to the football games and to this team.”
Prediction: Ultimately, it is hard to pick against Jackson State. I believe they are the more battle-tested, well-rounded team, and this win will further cement them as the dynasty of this decade. However, Tremaine Jackson has shown proof of concept; he has a clear plan to turn Prairie View A&M into a perennial contender, and the fact that they have gotten this far in his first season at the helm speaks volumes about the Panthers' potential moving forward.
