Classic matchup in Ladd: Southern U. vs. Alabama State

Photo: Southern Head Coach Pete Richardson

By CASSANDRA M. TAYLOR, Press-Register

SWAC's unbeaten teams meet in Mobile

For Alabama State and Southern University, the time has come to put up or shut up.

All the pomp and circumstance surrounding today's game between the Southwestern Athletic Conference's final two unbeaten teams has ended. The Hornets (4-0) and Jaguars (4-0) will square off at 2:30 p.m. in the 34th annual Gulf Coast Classic at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The game will be televised at 9 tonight by ESPNU.

"It'll be a good football game," Southern coach Pete Richardson said. "Hopefully, we can have a packed house to see two fine football teams play.

"This game is a conference game, and it's huge for both teams. We want to be in a position to control our own destiny, so we don't have to depend on anybody else."

Alabama State's Reggie Barlow, who's coaching in his first Gulf Coast Classic, said the game will be pivotal for both programs and he expects his team to be ready.

"The thing about our players and our team is it's hard to read them," Barlow said. "They don't get all off into a lot of stuff. It's hard to tell how excited they are. But I'm sure once we pull up to the stadium and they see all the cars and recreation vehicles, they'll get more excited."

Photo: ASU QB Chris Mitchell , 6-3/200 Jr., Mobile, Ala.

ASU will be led by quarterback Chris Mitchell, who prepped at LeFlore High School. He has rallied the Hornets (3-0 SWAC) in the fourth quarter in each of their wins.

"We talked with Chris early on in the week about coming home to play," Barlow said. "We don't want him to peak too fast and be so hyped and filled with emotions that things don't go well for him.

"I think overall he'll be fine. One of the reasons he's been so good for us is he's never too high and never too low. If he makes a mistake, he's always the same, and our kids feed off that."

For Mitchell, the chance to play at home is exciting, but he knows it's still just another game his team needs to win in its pursuit of a berth in the SWAC Championship Game.

"I look at every game the same and the significance of each game is the same -- we have to win," Mitchell said. "Southern's defense is very active. We've seen a lot of their film and they make big plays and force turnovers. We have to capitalize on our big plays and limit our mistakes."

Mitchell has completed 46-of-81 passes for 621 yards and five touchdowns and run for two scores. He'll be counting on Jay Peck to help balance the attack; Peck leads the SWAC in rushing with 492 yards on 98 carries and 2 touchdowns.

The Jaguars (2-0 SWAC) will be led by quarterback Bryant Lee, who's completed 83-of-126 passes for 870 yards and 9 touchdowns.