Jackson Free Press

Last season was successful for Jackson State, but the season ended on a bitter note. The Tigers were leading Arkansas-Pine Bluff 21-14 as the fourth quarter of the 2012 SWAC Football Championship Game was winding down.

The Golden Lions scored on a 95-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 21-21. JSU ended up losing 24-21 in overtime to lose the title.

One year later, and the Tigers have wrapped up the SWAC East title and earned a spot in the 2013 SWAC Football Championship Game. Jackson State is undefeated so far in SWAC games.

Jackson State rallied past Alabama A&M to clinch the East title. The Tigers fell behind 13-0 to the Bulldogs before coming back to win 26-20 to earn an outright East title.

All that stands in JSU's way of a perfect SWAC season is a Nov. 16 date against main rival Alcorn State. If the Tigers can defeat the Braves, they will finish with the first 9-0 regular-season undefeated SWAC record in school history.

The last time the Tigers finished with an undefeated SWAC season record was in 1995 when the SWAC played an eight-game conference schedule before Alabama A&M joined the conference, and went 8-0 in SWAC. Jackson State has two weeks to prepare for the Braves with a bye week this week.

Jackson State defeated East division preseason favorite Alabama State 30-23 in their first SWAC game of the season. The win over the Hornets made the Tigers the new favorite in the East.

Alcorn State already has two SWAC losses and so does Alabama State, meaning there is no way any team can catch JSU in the east. The Tigers will meet Southern University in Houston in the 2013 SWAC Football Championship Game Dec. 7.

The Tigers have already defeated the Southern Jaguars 19-14 earlier this season. JSU didn't secure the win until Southern failed on a fourth down pass inside the Tigers 10-yard line.

Jackson State faced Southern in the first SWAC title game in 1999. The Jaguars defeated the Tigers 31-30 to win.

JSU has a 1-3 record in the SWAC football title game and is making its fifth appearance in program history. The Tigers are looking to win their first SWAC football title since 2007 when they defeated Grambling State 42-31.