In July, the head coaches of the SouthwesternAthletic Conference lauded Jackson State University and Southern Universityas the teams most likely to win their respective divisions and competein the first-ever SWAC football championship game.
So did the league's beat reportersand even the football players themselves.
With unblemished conference recordsof 4-0, the Jackson State Tigers and the Southern Jaguars will face offfor the second time this season in what could shape up to be a dandy debutfor the HealthSouth SWAC Football Championship. The title game isslated for Saturday, December 11, 1999 at 1:05 p.m. at Legion Field inBirmingham, Ala. The game will be followed by a SWAC Marching BandExtravaganza, also at Legion Field. Tickets at $10 and $20 will grantadmission to both events.
As for the football game, the JSU Tigerswill enter the game as the SWAC Eastern Division representatives. JSU finished the regular-season at 9-2 overall, the two losses coming atthe hands of nationally ranked Tennessee State (48-33) and Southern (24-16). Interim head coach Robert Hughes said his Tigers are ready for a rematchwith the Jaguars.
"We're looking forward to playing Southernin the inaugural SWAC championship game," stated Hughes. "It justseems right that the two top teams in the SWAC play each other for theSWAC championship. It's good for the city of Birmingham because it'llbe very crowded.
"Destiny put these two teams togetheragain," added Hughes. "We felt we didn't play our best game (vs.Southern) in Jackson."
In the October 16 clash between thetwo SWAC titans, the two teams combined for a total of nine turnovers and24 penalties. Southern led 13-0 at one stage before taking a 13-7lead into the locker room at halftime. In the second half, the Jaguarsoutscored J-State 13-7 to account for their 12-point victory margin.
Following the October 16 game, SU headcoach Pete Richardson stated, "This was a big win for our program, thekids especially. They go out and do everything we ask and that'swhy we've been having some success."
The Jaguars won the SWAC Western Divisionand were ranked among the nation's top five teams prior to a humbling 65-18loss at Florida A&M on November 6. The Jaguars followed thatloss with back-to-back victories over Texas Southern (23-14) on November13 and Grambling State (37-31) on November 27.
One bit of business still to be settledbetween the Tigers and the Jaguars is which team can boast of being theSWAC's "Team of the Decade." Both Jackson State and Southern havecaptured three league championships in the 1990s, JSU winning the goldin 1990, 1995 and 1996. Southern captured SWAC titles in 1993, 1997and 1998.
QUICK FACTS - HEALTHSOUTH SWAC CHAMPIONSHIP
JACKSON STATE "Tigers" (9-2, 4-0 SWAC East) vs. SOUTHERNUNIV. "Jaguars" (10-1, 4-0 SWAC West): 1:05 p.m. at Legion Field(80,000) in Birmingham, Ala.
EXPECTED CROWD: 50,000-60,000.
SERIES RECORD: JSU leads 33-19-1.
LAST MEETING: Oct.15, 1999 in Jackson (SU won 26-14).
TELEVISION: Televised nationally via tapedelay on BET.
RADIO: JSU Sports Network (Southern UrbanNetwork in Jackson, Miss. with Bob Carpenter, Willie Richardson and RobJay);
SU Sports Network (KQXL-FM 106.5 in Baton Rouge, La.with James Verrett and Bob Bennett).
THE COACHES: JSU's Robert Hughes (JSU,1967) is 9-2 in his first year at JSU and overall; SU's Pete Richardson(Dayton, 1968) is 66-16 in seven years at SU and 107-30-1 in 12 years overall.
NOTEWORTHY: JSU was idle last weekend afterwrapping up the Eastern Division berth to the inaugural HealthSouth SWACFootball Championship two weeks ago. In a must-win game, Southerntrailed rival Grambling in the State Farm Bayou Classic 31-10 at halftimebut outscored the Tigers 27-0 in the second half to register a 37-31 win. The victory gave the two-time defending SWAC champions the Western Division'sberth to the SWAC title game. Earlier in the season, Southern upendedJ-State 24-16 in a huge game in Jackson, Miss. on Oct. 16 before 55,000 fans.
