Morgan Beard
Staff Writer
The Jackson State University Tigers fell to their long time rival the Tigers of Tennessee State University on Sept. 10 with a final score of 40-26.
JSU attacked first with a blocked punt by senior LB Kwame Bowens from Lithonia, Ga., and returned for a 40 yard touchdown by freshman DB Josh Miller from Kokomo, Miss with 12:30 minutes in the 1st quarter.
The second touchdown came from a 30-yard Ivy pass to first team all SWAC senior WR Daniel Williams who connected with 9:46 in the 1st quarter.
Senior QB LaMontiez Ivy from East Saint Louis, Ill., led the team in rushing on the ground for 32 yards on 16 carries with a long run of 13 yards and 19 of 40 passes for 167 yards and one touchdown. Wide Receiver Dan Williams finished the game with 78 yards of 8 catches.
Sophomore Kicker Christian Jacquemin from Miami, Fla., had an efficient game of kicking with 2 of 3 field goals with 38 and 37-yard connections. Jacquemin also had five punts for 165 with a 33.0 punt per average kick.
According to the Clarion Ledger, JSU freshman kicker Adrian Salazar from Charlotte, N.C., was honored by the SWAC as SWAC freshman player of the week. The JSU Tigers led the whole game until late in the third when Tennessee State CB Ezra Robinson picked off an Ivy to Williams pass for a 25-yard touchdown return 4:15 minutes late in the 3rd quarter.
From there, the JSU Tigers could not regain the lead. The JSU Tigers kept their heads in the game in the 4th quarter but ran out of time to make a 14 point comeback to break the series four game losing streak.
The JSU Tiger’s next opponent will be SWAC Western Division Champions Grambling State University. The game will take place on Sept. 17 at the Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss. at 6 p.m.
The game, which is the 10th Annual W.C. Gorden Classic, will be broadcast live on ESPNU and 95.5 FM radio.
