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SHC GAME PREVIEW: Jackson State Tigers

By Terry Davis, Special to TSD Memphis.com

When Jackson State University popped up as the season-opening opponent of Texas Christian University, the Power 5 conference team took plenty of heat for the scheduling decision. And last week after JSU was blanked 63-0, jokes flowed like water on social media.

A high-profile shutout like that stings, even with a huge pay day. Jackson State reportedly received $525K – one of the largest paychecks it will receive this season – to play the game.

“It is tough to lose to an FBS opponent on the road, but our team responded very well. We played extremely hard,” said JSU head coach Tony Hughes.

“We lost one starter and we have a few kids bruised up. Going in there our kids did not blink and played with confidence. We have to rally up and get ready to go to Memphis for this week.”

Awaiting the Tigers will be the Tigers of Tennessee State. Hughes is in his second season with Jackson State and is looking to improve on last year’s 3-8 finish. The Tigers ended last season on a slide, losing the last four games.

“Tennessee State is an elite program, not just in the HBCU. They were a playoff caliber team last year and they are a playoff caliber this year,” Hughes said. “They are in a power conference, the OVC. They are an upper echelon team in the OVC every year.”

JSU’s Tigers have “a tremendous challenge in front of us, going to Memphis every year, playing them in their home state with their fans. It is like a home game to them.”

Hughes said the Tigers of TSU “have always prided themselves on running the football. That is how we are made as well. We hope to slow them down. We knew they were going to be a tough matchup for us.”

Jackson State has lost the last five games against TSU and the last 12 of 14 played against TSU during the Southern Heritage Classic.

NOTES:

No one on the current Jackson State football team has beaten the Tennessee State Tigers.
Four JSU Tigers played high school football in Memphis – senior offensive lineman Vincent Hunter (Whitehaven), senior offensive lineman Brendan Loggins (Carver), junior offensive lineman Brandon McCoy (Central) and junior quarterback Jordan Williams (Whitehaven).

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