Jeremy Anderson
News Editor
The Jackson State University Tigers will open up the 2015 football season this Saturday against the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
JSU looks to have a stronger campaign this season after a 5-7 season in 2014.
Harold Jackson returns for his second year as head coach as the Tigers aim to return to prominence in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
After two consecutive appearances in the SWAC championship in 2012 and 2013, JSU finished third in the SWAC Eastern Division in 2014.
JSU enters this season with momentum after finishing last season with two consecutive wins against Texas Southern and eventual SWAC Champion and HBCU National Champion Alcorn State.
JSU is poised to make a run at the SWAC championship in Houston with a plethora of returning starters on both sides of the ball.
On offense, JSU returns 1st Team All-SWAC Preseason performer Daniel Williams. Williams is arguably the best receiver in the conference and will once again be a main target for 2nd Team All-SWAC quarterback LaMontiez Ivy. Marcus Cook, another 1st Team All-SWAC performer, returns to anchor the Tigers’ offensive line.
Also returning on offense are running backs Jarius Moore and Robert Johnson, who both were big contributors in the running game last season.
Defensive Lineman JaVancy Jones and cornerback Robert Porter highlight the returnees on defense as they both were selected to the All-SWAC’s Preseason 2nd Team.
Conversely, Middle Tennessee State is also a talented team which JSU is quite unfamiliar with.
The two teams have not played since 1990, when MTSU defeated JSU 28-7 in 1990 in the first round of the Division 1-AA playoffs.
Currently, Middle Tennessee State is a school in the Football Bowl Subdivision, which is the highest division in all of college football. MTSU has been competing in the Conference USA of FBS since 2013. Prior to 2013, MTSU competed in the Sun Belt Conference of FBS.
MTSU’s head coach Rick Stockstill is entering his 10th year. So far, his MTSU teams have a total record of 57-55. Stockstill has led his team to four bowl games since 2006 with the latest bowl game being a 24-6 loss against Navy in the 2013 Armed Forces Bowl.
Under Stockstill’s leadership, they have had sporadic records. Thus far in Stockstill’s tenure, their best season was in 2009 when MTSU went 10-3 and won the New Orleans Bowl.
Led by dual-threat quarterback Austin Grammer, MTSU will likely shape up to be one of JSU’s toughest tests this season.
The game will be played at Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Sept. 5th.
