Jackson Free Press

This Saturday, Jackson State and Alcorn State will battle for yearly bragging rights in the 2010 Capital City Classic. As usual the game will be played at 1PM in Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Early this season it looked like this game could decide the SWAC Eastern champion. Things did not turnout that way after the Tigers lost to Alabama State and the Braves lost four of six conference games.

Even without division titles on the line both teams hate to lose to the other. As with all rivalry games, a win can wipe away the disappointment of a bad season or a loss can overshadow a successful season.

Jackson State comes into the game with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-3 conference record. The Tigers are riding a one game winning streak after defeating Arkansas-Pine Bluff 52-30 last week.

The Tigers also get their coach Rick Comegy back after a one game suspension for his profanity laced tirade after a loss to Alabama State.

The Braves had a two game winning streak broken last week in a 35-27 loss to Prairie View A&M. At 5-5 overall and 4-4 in conference, Alcorn State will be playing for a winning season.

JSU enters the game with the best offense in the SWAC and features Walter Peyton Award candidate Casey Therriault at quarterback. ASU's defense is next to dead last, only Mississippi Valley State's defense is worse, but does feature Buck Buchanan Award candidate Malcolm Taylor at defensive end.

Therriault has put his troubled past behind him and raked up 3,272 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and only eight interceptions. The junior quarterback leads the nation in passing yards and could end up breaking six school passing records against the Braves.

JSU quarterback Therriault can break several of Robert Kent's records only needing 369 yards passing to break the record of 3,640 yards, three touchdown passes to break the 2001-02 record of 31, seven completions to break 245, 39 passing attempts to break the record of 453, along with 440 total yards to break the record of 3,824, and needs to be .5 percent more accurate to break Jimmy Oliver's 2007 record of 58.0 completion percentage.

Alcorn State features a prolific quarterback themselves in Brandon Bridge. The Braves quarterback has passed for 2,016 yards and 18 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

The Braves have the fifth best offense in the SWAC and will go against a JSU defense that is seventh in the conference. Defensively Alcorn State is giving up 14 yards more per game than the Tigers at 382.7 to 368.7.

ASU gives up an average of 29.2 points per game and the Tigers give up 23.3 points per game. Offensively JSU scores 33.8 points per game and the Braves score 31.2 points a game.

While both teams are defined by their passing game, this contest could be won or lost in the rushing game. Alcorn State averages 142.9 yards a game on the ground for fourth best in the conference and Jackson State only rushes for 93.8 yards per game for eighth best in the SWAC.

In fact, the leading rushers for both teams have failed to break 700 yards rushing this season. B.J. Lee leads the Tigers with 409 yards this season and Gabriel Nash leads the Braves with 604 yards this season.

Alcorn State enters this game with the fourth best rushing defense only allowing 137.8 a game but Jackson State is the ninth worst rushing defense allowing 179.1 yards per game.

On the flipside the Tigers have the second best passing defense in the SWAC allowing only 172.8 and the Braves give up 216.1 passing yards which is sixth best in the conference.

If the Braves can control the game on the ground they can keep the Tigers offense off the field. Jackson State will try to use their passing offense against Alcorn State's weak pass defense.

The team that can force their offensive will upon the other will have the best chance to win. In rivalry games, the winners are normally the more physical team and with the Braves being the better rushing team, look for them to pull the upset by controlling the line of scrimmage.

Alcorn State should use their rushing attack to wear down the Jackson State defense and pound them into physical submission. Even if the game does not live up to expectation both bands should put on one heck of a show throughout the day.

The Braves have taken five out of the last seven against the Tigers, including last year's 14-7 victory.

I am going for the upset and taking Alcorn State over Jackson State by a 38-35 score in a shootout.

Feel free to leave your own predictions in the comment section below.

Previous Comments

ID

161035

Comment

Not related to this game but news worthy: Mississippi will face Boise State in the 2014 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. The two teams were originally scheduled to play the season opener in 2011 in Oxford, Miss. According to Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Game officials, Ole Miss will receive $2 million and Boise State will receive $1.1 million to play in the Aug. 28, 2014 game. Ole Miss will receive more money because it is the school giving up a home game. To fill its 2011 schedule, Ole Miss will host BYU in the season opener. The Rebels will give BYU a $900,000 payout for the game, and will not make a return trip, which was the same arrangement they had with Boise State. BYU has announced it will leave the Mountain West Conference and become an independent in 2011.

Author

Bryan Flynn

Date

2010-11-20T00:41:17-06:00

ID

161049

Comment

Jackson State would have scored a 100 if their quarterback hadn't got hurt. Well, I went to Texas Southern University's Law School and it looks like we're winning the SWAC title this year. Alcorn's offense and defense failed to show up. Alcorn's band shouldn't let Jackson States' band sound so much better. It's as different as night and day. I love both schools though.

Author

Walt

Date

2010-11-22T18:24:12-06:00