NEW ORLEANS -- A year ago, the Southern University Jaguars withstood the injury bug and tough challenges from the opposition en route to not only capturing their second Southwestern Athletic Conference championship in five years, but also their third McDonald's Heritage Bowl crown in that same period. The Jaguars went 8-0 in the conference and 11-1 overall in 1997.
Now, with 44 lettermen and 14 starters back from last year's team, both the league coaches and beat reporters overwhelmingly believe the Jaguars will repeat as SWAC champions in 1998. Southern received eight of nine first place votes from the SWAC coaches and eight of 10 first place nods from the reporters.
"Southern has a number of lettermen returning and they seem to have Jackson State's number," said Texas Southern head coach Bill Thomas. "They are sound in the kicking game and they have an excellent coaching staff."
Bryan Follins, the editor and publisher of The Sentry, a weekly sports newsletter, stated, "Southern has established a 'program.' This 'program' is very detail-oriented. They do all of the little things right. When you do the little things right, it can lead to big results."
In the 1998 SWAC coaches' poll, Southern picked up a high 64 points. The Jaguars are followed in the rankings by Jackson State, which landed 55 points, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which received 49 points and one first place vote.
The remainder of the coaches' poll include Texas Southern, fourth with 39 points, Mississippi Valley State, fifth with 29 points, Alabama State, sixth with 28 points, Alcorn State and Grambling State, which tied for seventh with 23 points apiece, and Prairie View A&M, ninth with 14 points.
In the media's rankings, Southern landed 80 points, just three points ahead of Jackson State, which is picked second with 77 points and one first place vote. Arkansas-Pine Bluff is picked third with 62 points and the other first place nod.
Rounding out the media's poll are Alcorn State, 47 points, Grambling State, 46, Texas Southern, 45, Mississippi Valley State, 41, Alabama State, 34, and Prairie View A&M, nine.
"Southern returns so many players from a team that flirted with an undefeated season that this could be one of the greatest years in school history," says Scott Gremillion, the SWAC beat reporter for The (Baton Rouge) Advocate. "This should finally be the Jaguars' breakthrough even-numbered year."
Although he picked Southern to win the crown, Mississippi Valley State head coach Larry Dorsey cautioned that teams had better take notice of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, which finished third in the conference as a newcomer in 1997 with records of 5-2 in league play and 8-3 overall.
"Southern has everyone returning and they have a good coaching staff. They also have the financial resources," noted Dorsey. "But look for UAPB to give them a run for the money."
| THE 1998 PRESEASON SWAC FOOTBALL RANKINGS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| THE COACHES' POLL | THE MEDIA'S POLL | ||
| 1. Southern Univ. (8) | 64 pts. | 1. Southern Univ. (8) | 80 pts. |
| 2. Jackson State | 55 | 2. Jackson State (1) | 77 |
| 3. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1) | 49 | 3. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1) | 62 |
| 4. Texas Southern | 39 | 4. Alcorn State | 47 |
| 5. Miss. Valley State | 29 | 5. Grambling State | 46 |
| 6. Alabama State | 28 | 6. Texas Southern | 45 |
| 7t. Alcorn State | 23 | 7. Miss. Valley State | 41 |
| 7t. Grambling State | 23 | 8. Alabama State | 34 |
| 9. Prairie View A&M | 14 | 9. Prairie View A&M | 9 |
Front Page |
Newsroom Index |