SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Date: Dec. 7
Time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Location: Houston, Texas
Venue: Reliant Stadium
TV Broadcast: ESPNU
Radio Broadcast: 95.5 FM (pregame show starts 1 hour before kickoff)
Series Record: Series tied 29-29
THE GAME: Jackson State and SU square off for the 59th time in series history. The two teams met in the inaugural SWAC Championship game 14 years ago in 1999 at Legion Field (Birmingham, AL). SU won that game 31-30 in front of a crowd of 47,621 fans (largest crowd in SWAC title game history). Despite being two of the most successful teams in SWAC history Saturday’s meeting marks only the 2nd time JSU and SU will meet in the conference championship game. JSU has been to the game four prior times and SU three. Rick Comegy has participated in the SWAC Championship game more than any other JSU coach. He has led teams to the game in the following seasons (2013, 2012, 2008, 2007). He has also recorded JSU’s only win in the current championship format.
HEAD COACH RICK COMEGY: Jackson State head coach Rick Comegy (Millersville, ‘76) enters his eighth season at the helm of the Tigers’ football program. He comes into the game with a 56-35 overall record at JSU and a 164-85 career record. Over the previous seven seasons, Comegy has led the Tigers to six winning seasons, three Southwestern Athletic Conference Eastern Division titles and one SWAC championship. Last season the Tigers fell just short of claiming a second SWAC championship by falling 24-21 in OT to Arkansas Pine Bluff in the conference title game at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala. Prior to coming to Jackson State, Comegy was the head coach at Tuskegee University where he won four Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships (NCAA D-II), three Pioneer Bowl crowns and a Black College National Championship (2000). In 2000 his Tuskegee Tigers recorded a perfect 12-0 record. Since coming to JSU Comegy has a 6-2 record against SU.
SCOUTING SU: The Jags enter the SWAC title game with a four game winning streak, having beaten Texas So., Alabama St., Clark Atlanta and Grambling St. SU scored 38 pts or more six times this season. The Jags are led by arguably the league’s best signal caller Dray Joseph. He leads the SWAC in passing yds (3236) and passing TDs (27). Lee Doss is Joseph’s main target. Doss leads the SWAC in receiving yds (1047) and is second in receiving TDs (10). Lenard Tillery leads the team in rushing (741 yds) and has 9 rushing TDs. Daniel Brown leads the team in tackles (83) and sacks (5.5) and Anthony Balancier follows with 79 tackles and 3 sacks.
SOUTHERN HEAD COACH: DAWSON ODUMS: In the history of SU football, only two coaches have the distinction of having defeated Grambling State, Jackson State and Florida A&M in their first season running the program; Pete Richardson (1983) and Dawson Odums (2012). With over 15 years of coaching experience under his belt, Odums was named the SU football program head coach after serving as the interim head coach for nine games during the 2012 season. Odums entered the 2012 season as the defensive coordinator and academic liaison. Prior to joining the Jaguars staff, he served as the North Carolina A&T defensive coordinator.
LAST JSU- SU MEETING: On Sept. 28, the Tigers and the Jaguars met for the 58th time in series history. Both teams came into the game with 2-2, 2-0 records and the SU Jaguars entered the contest with a two game winning streak intact. JSU had just come off a 35-7 win over Texas Southern on an ESPNU nationally televised Thursday night game. At that point in the season JSU and SU were two of the league’s three teams that had not suffered a loss in conference play. JSU held on to beat Southern 19-14. In the final moments of the game, JSU stopped SU on downs inside the 10-yard line. Southern took over on its own 25 half way through the fourth quarter and marched to the SU 14 yard line. The drive fizzled and Dray Joseph’s 4th down pass fell incomplete. JSU took a 19-7 lead in the third quarter on 2-yard TD runs by Clayton Moore and Rakeem Sims. JSU had a balanced attack with 190 rush yds and 165 passing yds.
COURTESY JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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