In a thrilling showdown, Jacobian Morgan showcased his offensive prowess, leading Jackson State to a hard-fought 21-19 win over the Andrew Body-less Texas Southern Tigers. Morgan's outstanding performance included a touchdown pass and two rushing touchdowns, amassing an impressive 182 passing yards.
The action kicked off in the opening quarter when Morgan orchestrated an eight-play, 45-yard drive, capping it off with a seven-yard run to put Jackson State ahead 7-0. Texas Southern's opening drive ended with a missed field goal, followed by an interception on their second drive. Jackson State capitalized on the turnover, taking a 7-0 lead after an eight-play, 45-yard drive, with Jacobian Morgan getting a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
Morgan continued to shine and Jackson State led 14-0 after forcing a punt from Texas Southern after a three-yard touchdown pass to Seven McGee that capped off a 12-play, 87-yard drive.
Texas Southern fought back with a scoring drive that was started by a 28-yard scamper by TSU quarterback Jace Wilson. Wilson came through with a big 3rd-and-6 play, finding Jyrin Johnson to keep the drive alive. From there, Johnson became Wilson's favorite receiver, connecting on two back-to-back passes, including a 25-yard touchdown reception. Gustavo Romero nailed the PAT, and with 9:13 left in the second quarter, TSU was down 14-7.
However, Jackson State wasn't finished yet. Just before halftime, they put together a 12-play, 96-yard drive that finished with Morgan getting his second rushing touchdown to extend the score to 21-7 heading into halftime following the successful PAT.
Texas Southern started the third quarter hot with Jacorey Howard breaking off a 42-yard run and following it up with a 34-yard run touchdown run. However, the PAT was unsuccessful and they trailed 21-13.
Texas Southern just wouldn't let up. They contained Jackson State's offense, forcing them to punt twice, keeping them off of the scoreboard, and making their comeback hopes all the more likely.
Texas Southern had a successful drive that was stifled after a failed fourth-down conversion. However, Texas South got the ball back with a chance to win the game.
The defense did a great job forcing a punt, and then it was TSU's turn on offense with just 4:41 seconds left in the game. The drive almost ended when they were about to punt after four plays, but hey, a penalty on JSU kept the drive going.
TSU capitalized on the opportunity as Wilson completed a 4th-and-8 reception to Blanton, advancing them to the JSU 38-yard line. They progressed further to the 15-yard line, but Wilson was sacked, resulting in a loss of 5 yards. This setback prompted Texas Southern to use their final timeout. The referees determined that Wilson was down before a potential fumble, thus avoiding a 10-second runoff that would've ended the game.
With only 10 seconds left and the game on the line, Wilson found Blanton running across the middle of the field for a 20-yard touchdown with three seconds left. However, the two-point conversion was intercepted and the onside kick was unsuccessful as time ran out.
Wilson completed 15 of 28 passes for 182 yards, showcasing his talent with two touchdowns. LaDarius Owens contributed to the team's success by rushing for 106 yards on 21 attempts. Jyrin Johnson made an impact with five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Jacob Williams continued to impress, recording 12 tackles and two tackles for loss.
Morgan powered his team to the victory in the first half but the Jackson State defense also stepped up. Esaias Guthrie the defense nabbed two interceptions, continuing their streak of forcing one turnover a game. Guthrie contributed to the defensive effort with 10 tackles (6 solo)
Looking ahead, Jackson State is set to face rival Alcorn State in the highly anticipated “Soul Bowl” on November 18 at 3 PM EST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, promising an exciting clash between these fierce competitors.
Meanwhile, Texas Southern plays Alcorn next Sunday at 2 PM EST with the game being broadcast on ESPN+.