In a hard-fought and dominating performance, the Prairie View A&M Panthers defeated Southern University 24-3, spoiling the Jaguars' homecoming. The result was hardly a shock, as Southern had struggled immensely on offense throughout the season, while Prairie View showed consistent promise under first-year coach Tremaine Jackson.
Jackson entered the game with considerable buzz, having been rumored as a contender for the vacant UAB head coaching job. This decisive win solidified the Panthers' position at the top of the SWAC West and put them on a clear path toward the SWAC Championship Game.
The game remained scoreless through the first quarter, reflecting the defensive struggles of both teams early on. However, Prairie View quickly took control in the second frame, scoring 17 unanswered points.
The scoring began just six seconds into the second quarter with a shifty, 15-yard touchdown run by Lamagea Dowell. The successful extra point by Aiden Webb put the Panthers up 7-0. Minutes later, Jyzaiah Rockwell caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Peters, extending the lead to 14-0. Webb capped the half with a 30-yard field goal, making the score 17-0 at the break.
Southern finally registered points late in the third quarter when Nathan Zimmer hit a 36-yard field goal, capping a 14-play, 61-yard drive to narrow the score to 17-3. But Prairie View retained full control. Dowell delivered the final blow early in the fourth quarter, capping off a four-play, seven-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run to seal the 24-3 victory.
Although Southern dominated the time of possession, they looked out of sorts on offense. Quarterback Ashton Strother, starting in place of Cameron McCoy, finished the game throwing for only 81 yards with one interception. Running back Trey Holly received as many carries as the quarterback passed the ball, ultimately tallying 99 rushing yards but failing to register a touchdown.
In contrast, Prairie View utilized a balanced and efficient attack. Quarterback Cameron Peters finished the game throwing for 224 yards and one touchdown on 19-31 passing. The rushing attack was led by Chase Bingmon (64 yards on 13 carries) and Lamagea Dowell (56 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries).
They previously defeated Texas Southern 22-21 in a thrilling Week One game in the Labor Day Classic, giving them the crucial head-to-head tiebreaker. Having already beaten their next nearest competitors, the Panthers are now on a clear path to a divisional title. Tremaine Jackson, in his first season, looks poised to lead the Panthers to the championship game, likely setting up a compelling showdown against the reigning SWAC champions, Jackson State, for the conference title.
Prairie View A&M will celebrate their homecoming next as they face Lincoln University of California. Kickoff is at 2:00 p.m., and the game will be aired on SWAC TV.
