JSU Coach Rick ComegySouthern falls to JSU, 22-14
JACKSON, Miss. -- Southern suffered a 22-14 loss to Jackson State tonight. The Jaguars (3-2) led 7-3 at halftime, but they fell victim to 12 points by the Tigers in the final quarter. Quarterback Trae Rutland threw for 236 yards and rushed for another 127 as JSU (1-3) picked up its first victory of the season. Southern led 14-10 in the fourth quarter, but Jackson State's Eric Perri hit field goals of 38 and 43 yards to give the Tigers a 16-14 edge with 3:44 remaining. JSU pushed its edge to 22-14 on Bloi-Dei Dorzon's 9-yard TD run with 1:14 to go. Southern blocked the extra-point attempt to leave open a chance for overtime.
Massive letdown
JACKSON, Miss. — Fans filled every section. The bands blared. The stadium came alive. It was Jackson State and Southern, going full-tilt for four quarters. This was what the SU athletic department had in mind when it moved Saturday’s home game to Veterans Memorial Stadium. From a dollars-and-cents standpoint, the operation was a success. And while Southern’s hopes of a Southwestern Athletic Conference title didn’t die Saturday night, the Jaguars walked off the field with their heads searching every inch of the grass after a stunning 22-14 loss before 33,977 fans. Players knew their championship hopes had been severely crippled.
Quick trip home lets Southern wear blue
JACKSON, Miss. — All along, Southern had planned to wear its new blue jerseys for Saturday’s game against Jackson State. The Jaguars wore blue jerseys, all right. Just not the blue jerseys they planned on wearing. Between the team’s walk through Friday and their warmups Saturday, four of SU’s new blue game jerseys went missing from Veterans Memorial Stadium, SU spokesman Kevin Manns said. Equipment manager Derek Price drove home to Baton Rouge and boxed up last year’s home jerseys, which he’d kept in storage. Price spent much of Saturday morning and afternoon removing name plates from the jerseys and preparing them for the game, Manns said. The last time SU wore those jerseys was in a 15-0 win Nov. 15 against Alabama State in Mobile, Ala.
SU unable to close deal JACKSON, Miss. — Southern had the ball on its 25-yard line, down 16-14, with 3:35 left to play. Bryant Lee, Brian Threat and Juamorris Stewart had been bottled up all game. It was time for someone to step forward and make a play. Lee jogged out and readied himself for the drive that would have put his team ahead. At that point a field goal was all the Jaguars needed. What happened next, Lee would like to forget. Hit as he threw, Lee dropped back and floated the ball 10 yards. Breaking on the ball, Jackson State’s Ryan Rich moved in for the interception. Just like that, the SU defense was thrust back onto the field and asked to make a stop. Setting up shop at the SU 35 with 3:30 remaining, JSU quarterback Trae Rutland preceded to hand the ball off to Bloi-Dei Dorzan and let him go to work.
Rutland gets the job done
It wasn't a perfect day for Tray Rutland, but it was surely good enough. In four games the senior quarterback has gone from starter, to being benched for an entire game, to playing the second half, to starting again on Saturday. His topsy-turvy season went hand-in-hand with Jackson State's 0-3 start. Thanks to Rutland's best performance of the year, Jackson State pulled out a much-needed 22-14 victory over Southern in front of an announced 33,977. Rutland finished with 236 passing yards and 47 rushing yards. He didn't throw a touchdown and had an interception. Not exactly most valuable player numbers, but Rutland did enough. And for the first time this season, the quarterback position wasn't a negative for Jackson State.
Attendance: 33,977 @ Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium, Jackson, MS
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