Photo by Monica McGhee
Cameron Adams
Sports Editor
Jackson State University’s football team capped an already hype Homecoming off with a victory on Saturday, Oct. 22 in its defeat over the Campbell Fighting Camels. The Tigers pulled of the win with a score of 22-14 in front of the packed homecoming crowd at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The game was touted as one of the most anticipated games of the season, as Jackson State pushed their winning streak to seven, against Campbell which was led by former National Football League defensive back, Mike Minter.
The Tigers’ victory matched the best start of the season since the 1963 Tigers led by W.C. Gorden.
The entire stadium was filled with over 50,000 fans repping the trademark navy blue of Jackson State, matching the uniforms of the football players. The fans were not the only ones who brought life to the arena.
Although the game took place on a bright and sunny afternoon, the Vet was star-studded. Coach Sanders’ signature bright red recliners on the sidelines were filled with well-known celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, and Yella Beezy. The cast of popular STARZ series P-Valley, were also in attendance after Coach Prime’s request for an appearance in late August.
JSU’s Homecoming theme of “A Different World” was fitting for the Tigers’ out of conference matchup. Coach Prime shared the challenges the team faced against the Big South Conference leaders.
“They were physical. They were tough. They didn’t make many mistakes,” said the NFL Hall of Famer. This was no surprise for the Tigers.
Coach Prime emphasized his respect for Coach Minter as a former player and as a coach several days before the face off.
“He was a tough, gritty, hard-nosed player that took no junk,” said Sanders to HBCU Gameday.
“And that’s the way they [Campbell] take the field.”
The rugged playing style of the Fighting Camels caused Jackson State to not score a single touchdown in the first half. Despite the drought, the Tigers finished the half with 9 points to the Camels’ 7, thanks to the three field goal conversions made by Alejandro Mata. Coach had no problem with taking these attempts due to his confidence in Mata.
Coach Prime expressed his high praise for Mata and his consistency in field goals. “I feel like we have the best kicker in college football,” said Sanders. “I have no second guess about attempting a field goal, because I know we’re going to get it.”
Another player who played a huge factor in the offense of the Tigers was the sophomore running back from Chicago, Ill., Syveon Wilkerson. According to the stats, Wilkerson racked up 116 of the Tigers’ 178 rushing yards.
Wilkerson claimed that he found his rhythm after halftime, by discussing strategies with his teammates to get him better looks.
“We went in and made adjustments…We were talking about who we need to block on certain plays,” said the Offensive Player of the Game, “[The field] started opening up once we made adjustments at halftime.”
Wilkerson finished with one touchdown out of the 2 total touchdowns made. The pass was made by Shedeur Sanders, Heisman Trophy candidate.
Coach Minter tried to reduce the amount of points Sheduer would be responsible for, causing him to run the ball more than usual.
Although the offense struggled against a tough defensive Campbell team, the Tigers decided to return the favor. The 6’2, Memphis native and linebacker for Jackson State, Aubrey Miller Jr., notched up 13 tackles along with one sack.
He was electric after each defensive stop, posing for the thousands of fans in attendance. He stated that the success of his defense came from the team’s trust in each other to do their job.
“The only thing you can do is make plays,” said Miller Jr. “Just doing our job, trusting each other.”
After the slow first half, the Tigers began to pick up pace in the second.
Sheduer was able to find D.J. Stevens for a wide open touchdown as he ran 45 yards across the left sidelines to extend the lead to 15-7.
Wilkerson delivered the dagger touchdown during the final three minutes of play. He completed five rushes for a total of 45 yards on the possession, ending the game at 22-14.
The homecoming game was a well fought battle and Coach Prime expected nothing less.
“This wasn’t a traditional homecoming. This was a homecoming that we chose to give someone a stage to someone that deserved it,” he said.
Now the Tigers must prepare for battle against SWAC rival Southern University as they look to secure their final home victory of the season next Saturday, Oct. 29.
