JSU to open football season in Orlando

Jackson State will open the 2008 football season on a Sunday in Orlando against Bethune Cookman University, school officials announced today.

The Tigers will play the Wildcats of Daytona Beach, Fla., on Aug. 31 at the Citrus Bowl as part of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge. The game will be televised by ESPN. A game time has not been set.

According to a news release, the rest of JSU’s schedule has not been finalized, but a tentative schedule has been announced.

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The presidents of FAMU and Bethune Cookman just issued statements through the Orlando Sentinel, and this article says BCU will not be playing two games in Orlando next season. We know BCU will be playing in the Florida Classic because of the existing contract that pays them a reported $1.3 million for their participation in the Florida Classic.

So, who is really the opponent that Jackson State will face in Orlando on August 31?

You would think before all of these announcements were made that the MEAC Commissioner would have worked through the details of who would represent the MEAC in this game. Here is the schedule that JSU released yesterday:

'08 tentative JSU football schedule

Aug. 31, Bethune Cookman, Orlando
Sept. 6, Stillman*
Sept. 13, Tennessee State, Memphis
Sept. 20, at Grambling
Oct. 4, Southern University
Oct. 11, at Arkansas Pine Bluff
Oct. 18, at Texas Southern
Oct. 25, Mississippi Valley State
Nov. 8, at Alabama State
Nov. 15, Alabama A&M
Nov. 22, Alcorn State

-beepbeep