When it comes to the Labor Day Classic, the rivalry between Texas Southern and Prairie View A&M is a story that writes itself. The Labor Day Classic is one of the most well-anticipated HBCU classics in the nation, with thousands of Texans from around the state taking a portion of their Labor Day weekend to celebrate the kickoff of the college football season.
This year’s game is about so much more than football; it’s a homecoming for one coach who found success at the Division II level and wants to replecate it in the FCS, Tremaine Jackson, now in his first season as head coach for the Panthers, makes his debut against the program where he first started his collegiate career and later served on the coaching staff.
Jackson's last head coaching stop at Valdosta State was a masterclass in building a winner, with a 40-12 overall record and two Gulf South Conference championships in three years, including a trip to the Division II national championship game. He was even named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) National Division II Coach of the Year. He arrives at Prairie View with the top recruiting class in the SWAC and a roster that retains key players, including quarterback Cam Peters and running back Flamingo McDowell.
Meanwhile, Cris Dishman, the second-year head coach at Texas Southern, enters the game with the weight of last year's victory on his shoulders. The 27-9 win over Prairie View was the Tigers' first Labor Day Classic victory in nine years, and it's clear Dishman is ready for the spotlight that comes with defending it.
The on-field rivalry has been further fueled by the pre-game press conference, which set the tone with some verbal jabs from both coaches. When asked about their thoughts on the upcoming game, both coaches got personal. Surprisingly, Dishman took a shot at Jackson's comments about making it to Atlanta in December. during the press conference.
Cris Dishman's said in Monday’s Labor Day Classic press conference, “First and foremost, I’d like to thank Tremaine for his wonderful song he gave us. I wonder if he can sing that, that song after… one day in Houston this weekend. Oh yeah, you was horrible. I think you'll be able to keep your day job and coach and not sing.”
But it didn't stop there. Dishman also boasted about his team’s talent, declaring, “It's not about Tremaine and I, it's about our 11…Our 11 is better and we should win this game.”
Jackson, a more reserved and stoic figure, didn’t seem to appreciate the disrespect. He responded with a dose of quiet confidence, signaling that his team isn't here for games.
Tremaine Jackson's take: “There's a different level of focus with us right now. We've been like that since January 7th. We don't allow people to toy with our kids. Our program, this ain’t your uncle's Prairie View A&M football team. This is us. This is a new field around here. We don't take shots of disrespect kindly.”
He even went a step further, using a personal story to drive home his point. “I went to Oak Forest Elementary, class of '94. I didn't go to recess. I don't play. We don't play. That's not us. That's not what we go about it. So I don't know what that is. I just know how we do things. So shout out to Ms. Rector, my fifth-grade teacher, for not making me go to recess because I didn't play no games.”
While Dishman’s comments add a fun, theatrical element to the rivalry, they also put an immense amount of pressure on his team. His swagger might be warranted, but with a new coach on the opposing sideline, the dynamic has shifted. This isn't the same Prairie View team Texas Southern faced last year. Jackson is an elite coach with a track record of winning, and he has the talent and resources to make an immediate impact.
When the two teams take the field, the only thing that will matter is which team's 11 is actually better. The winner of this year's Labor Day Classic won't be the team with the best trash talk; it will be the team that backs up their words with action. And based on what we've seen from Tremaine Jackson's history, he’s a man who lets his results speak for themselves.
