Jackson Free Press

Jackson State will play Mississippi State in football next season, JSU coach Rick Comegy says. The game is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2009, in Starkville. This marks the first time one of the state's SEC schools has played a historically black university in football. Southern Miss has played the Tigers twice. MSU coach Sylvester Croom is expected to officially announce the game at his press conference on Tuesday.

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My prediction is that it will be a tie. MSU will win the game, but JSU will dominate the halftime performance battle. So, I call it a tie.

chip

Oct 14 2008

Great. This is why Mississippi State is my favorite big school in Mississippi. They also agreed to play Alcorn during the great Dave Whitney years when Ole Miss and Southern were afraid to do so. Alcorn beat Mississippi State and I became a forever fan of Mississippi State for having the gall to play them at that time. JSU will likely get beat down badly but the game is a good thing. Go State and Jackson State. Maybe Ole Miss and Mississippi State will stop being scared of Southern Mississippi now. Oh yeah, fear is the reason they won't play Southern Mississippi. I don't beleive any of the usual excuses or crap for State and Ole Miss not playing Southern Mississippi.

Walt

Oct 14 2008

Give me my ticket because I'm going! And you're definitely right about State and Mississippi scared to play USM. Get that series on right now!

golden eagle

Oct 14 2008

As a Golden Eagle from the days of Bobby Collins and Reggie Collier, those were some great games. That's why Ole MS and MS State won't play us to this day and everybody knows it :). Go Eagles! Go Tigers!

lanier77

Oct 14 2008

I can see no reason why State would even want to play JSU. No recruiting value, no ranking value, no bragging rights when you stomp the snot out of them. Total waste of money to pay JSU to come to Starkville to play. Play some team that going to help your program in terms of recruiting etc.

BubbaT

Oct 14 2008

BubbaT-- If you don't see the value in MSU and JSU playing, then you don't understand the economics of college football. JSU will likely draw more fans than La. Tech as far as MSU is concerned. Also, it keeps all the money in-state. MSU makes money and likely gets a win, and JSU gets money and doesn't have to travel far for it.

Ex

Oct 14 2008

Lots of fans would like it, Bubba. What if JSU upsets them? Alcorn beat MSU in basketball. Southern university beat Georgia Tech in basketball about 10 years ago and Valley State scared Duke nearly out of their shoes around the same time. Some people want to see how David will do fighting Goliath. If winning and losing were the barameter for playing I can make a strong argument that Ole Miss and MSU should have been thrown out of the SEC years or decades ago.

Walt

Oct 14 2008

Baquan- I don't think it will generate money for Starkville. JSU fans will be close enough to home to drive back after the game, unlike fans from La. No hotels, no restaruant bills..etc Starkville will probably lose money compared to playing a team from out of state.

BubbaT

Oct 14 2008

Didn't David aim the rock just right and kill Goliath. Good thing the rock went just right though!

Walt

Oct 14 2008

Baquan- I don't think it will generate money for Starkville. You may be right as far as hotels, but that game will surely generate money for Starkville. All games, regardless of the opponent, will generate revenue. Some just generate more than others.

golden eagle

Oct 14 2008

Golden eagle- your right, some games generate more than others. So why replace a team you only have to pay $150,000 to play and genarates more money for Starkville with one that you have to pay $350,000(what JSU wants) and generates less money for Starkville?

BubbaT

Oct 14 2008

BubbaT-- MSU will play Louisiana Tech in 2012, so it's not as if the Bulldogs will lose $150,000.

Ex

Oct 14 2008

To be honest, I don't think Louisiana Tech will bring in as much revenue for Starkville as JSU will. Even with a higher payout, I think MSU and Starkville will generate even more dollars with JSU than with Louisisna Tech. Tech doesn't travel very well.

golden eagle

Oct 14 2008