Photo: JSU defensive end Marcus Benard prepares to sack Tino Edgecombe.Rain doesn't dampen JSU's solid performance against Texas visitors
By David Brandt, Clarion Ledger
By the end of the evening, the turf at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium was nothing more than a slip-and-slide and the marching bands had long since left the stands.
But none of that mattered to Jackson State's football team, which happily took a 28-7 victory over Texas Southern on Thursday night in front of an announced crowd of 5,513 hearty souls.
Thanks to the remains of Hurricane Humberto, the game was played in a constant downpour that never let up. Botched snaps and dropped passes were the norm for both teams, especially in the third quarter when the rain intensified.
But for Jackson State, the foul weather only served to begin washing off the bad vibes of the team's early-season stuggles.
"This feels really good, and we really needed it," JSU receiver Jaymar Johnson said. "But we've got a lot bigger things to accomplish than this. We're going for that championship."
Now, instead of focusing on the season's opening two losses, Jackson State (1-2 overall, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) can trumpet its undefeated league standing going into next week's game against Mississippi Valley State.
JSU quarterback Jimmy Oliver was more than adequate in his return to a starting role, completing 9-of-18 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 48 yards on 10 carries. His best work was early, leading the Tigers on two touchdown drives in the first quarter.
"When I looked out and saw the rain, I was kind of worried because I hate the rain," Oliver said. "But I knew I had to do my part tonight so I just got tough."
Oliver's first touchdown drive ended on a 23-yard pass to Kethonne McLaurin, who broke several tackles on the way to the end zone. The second was a 24-yard touchdown pass to Johnson.
Johnson added a 75-yard touchdown on a punt return sandwiched between those two drives, and the Tigers had a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. That margin remained the same going into halftime.
The first-quarter outburst was a far cry from a Jackson State team that managed just three offensive touchdowns during the first two games of the season combined.
Oliver's solid game should lay to rest a quarterback controversy that hounded Jackson State through the first two games of the season. Oliver and Tray Rutland had split time under center in the losses, combining to complete just 32.7 percent of their passes.
But on Wednesday, JSU coach Rick Comegy said he would go with Oliver for better or worse against Texas Southern. The senior rewarded Comegy with a performance reminiscent of last season when Oliver led the SWAC in total offense and threw for 1,906 yards and 14 touchdowns.
"Jimmy made a few mistakes out there, but he also made some plays to help us win the ballgame," Comegy said. "That's the Jimmy Oliver we need on the field."
Erik Haw added an 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to stretch Jackson State's lead to 28-0. Haw finished with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the brutal conditions.
Photo: The wet conditions forced the bands to perform their halftime show in the stands.
By the end of the evening, the turf at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium was nothing more than a slip-and-slide and the marching bands had long since left the stands.
But none of that mattered to Jackson State's football team, which happily took a 28-7 victory over Texas Southern on Thursday night in front of an announced crowd of 5,513 hearty souls.
Thanks to the remains of Hurricane Humberto, the game was played in a constant downpour that never let up. Botched snaps and dropped passes were the norm for both teams, especially in the third quarter when the rain intensified.
But for Jackson State, the foul weather only served to begin washing off the bad vibes of the team's early-season stuggles.
"This feels really good, and we really needed it," JSU receiver Jaymar Johnson said. "But we've got a lot bigger things to accomplish than this. We're going for that championship."
Now, instead of focusing on the season's opening two losses, Jackson State (1-2 overall, 1-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) can trumpet its undefeated league standing going into next week's game against Mississippi Valley State.
JSU quarterback Jimmy Oliver was more than adequate in his return to a starting role, completing 9-of-18 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 48 yards on 10 carries. His best work was early, leading the Tigers on two touchdown drives in the first quarter.
"When I looked out and saw the rain, I was kind of worried because I hate the rain," Oliver said. "But I knew I had to do my part tonight so I just got tough."
Oliver's first touchdown drive ended on a 23-yard pass to Kethonne McLaurin, who broke several tackles on the way to the end zone. The second was a 24-yard touchdown pass to Johnson.
Johnson added a 75-yard touchdown on a punt return sandwiched between those two drives, and the Tigers had a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. That margin remained the same going into halftime.
The first-quarter outburst was a far cry from a Jackson State team that managed just three offensive touchdowns during the first two games of the season combined.
Oliver's solid game should lay to rest a quarterback controversy that hounded Jackson State through the first two games of the season. Oliver and Tray Rutland had split time under center in the losses, combining to complete just 32.7 percent of their passes.
But on Wednesday, JSU coach Rick Comegy said he would go with Oliver for better or worse against Texas Southern. The senior rewarded Comegy with a performance reminiscent of last season when Oliver led the SWAC in total offense and threw for 1,906 yards and 14 touchdowns.
"Jimmy made a few mistakes out there, but he also made some plays to help us win the ballgame," Comegy said. "That's the Jimmy Oliver we need on the field."
Erik Haw added an 11-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter to stretch Jackson State's lead to 28-0. Haw finished with 59 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the brutal conditions.
Photo: The wet conditions forced the bands to perform their halftime show in the stands.
Texas Southern finally got on the scoreboard later in the third when Brent Wilson rumbled 2 yards for a touchdown, but the weather and JSU's defense wouldn't allow any miracle comebacks.Texas Southern (0-3, 0-3) came into the game with the SWAC's most prolific passing offense, but was held to only 69 passing yards by the elements and a dogged Jackson State defense. The Maroon Tigers completed only 8 of 45 passes and had just 30 total yards.
JSU thrived on the wet surface, putting pressure on Texas Southern's quarterback nearly every play.
The Tigers picked off three TSU passes, including two by junior Domonique Johnson - who transferred from Missouri in the offseason.
"We've got guys on defense that will rock you," Comegy said. "We've got a little mean streak on defense that I really like to see."
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