JACKSON, Miss - The Southern Jaguars lost to the Jackson State Tigers 41-13 in the 2024 SWAC Championship.

Czavian Teasett started at quarterback for Southern University after Jalen Woods was ruled out shortly before kickoff.

Jackson State got on the board first near the end of the first quarter. The Tigers were moving the ball down the field before the Jaguars’ defense stepped up to hold Jackson State to three points after a sack on third down. Tigers’ placekicker Gerado Baeza connected on a 42-yard field goal to give Jackson State the early 3-0 lead.

Southern responded near the beginning of the second quarter with a 38-yard field goal from Jaguars’ placekicker Joshua Griffin to even up the score at 3 a piece.

Midway through the second quarter, Southern found their rhythm, sparked by a 32-yard rush from Jaguars’ running back Kobe Dillion. Southern capped off the 74-yard drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Teasett to take a 10-3 lead.

Southern quickly got the ball back after Jaguars’ defensive back Horacio Johnson intercepted Tigers’ quarterback Jacobian Morgan, but were unable to capitalize.

Jackson State managed to put together a drive with less than two minutes remaining in the half and Tigers’ running back Emari Matthews punched it into the end zone on a 2-yard rush to tie the game up 10-10.

On the first drive of the second half, Jackson State quickly moved the ball down the field on a 65-yard drive that ended with a 2-yard rushing touchdown from Tigers’ running back Irv Mulligan to put Jackson State ahead 17-10.

The ensuing drive, the Tigers capitalized on a fumble from the Jaguars with another field goal. Baeza put it through the uprights from 45-yards out to extend Jackson State’s lead to 20-10.

Near the end of the third quarter, Jackson State quarterback Zy McDonald found the end zone on a 23-yard rush to put the Tigers ahead 27-10.

Southern cut into the Tigers’s lead early in the fourth quarter on a 27-yard field goal from Griffin to make the score 27-13 Jackson State.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Southern mishandled a punt return and Jackson State recovered in the red zone of the Jaguars. McDonald took advantage with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Joanes Fortilien to push the Tigers’ lead to 34-13.

Near the end of the game, Jackson State extended their lead to 41-13 after a 2-yard rush from Travis Terrell.

Southern finishes their season with a record of 8-5.