By: Brian Howard
GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University football team ends the season in the annual rivalry game as the Tigers meet Southern in the 48
th edition of the Bayou Classic on Saturday afternoon in the Caesars Superdome. Kickoff between the two Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) rivals is set for 4 p.m.
Grambling State (3-7 overall, 2-5 SWAC) dropped its home finale on Nov. 13 as the Tigers fell to Bethune-Cookman, 31-14. GSU enters the game on a three-game losing streak and will be looking to reverse the fortune of three consecutive losses to its rival.
Southern (4-6, 3-4) comes into the contest off a 21-17 home loss on Nov. 13 to Jackson State. The Jaguars played a brutal schedule over their last four games, dropping three of those games. Southern's lone win, a 38-35 victory, came on Oct. 30 against Alcorn State.
Saturday's game will be televised and streamed live on the NBC Sports Network as Chris Lewis and Anthony Herron will have the call. In addition, Grambling State will broadcast and stream the game on the Grambling State Sports Radio Network. The game can be heard in Ruston (KRUS - Hitz 96.3) and in Monroe (KNNW - 103.1 FM). The Tigers' broadcast crew of Santoria Black, Ossie Clark, Nick Harrison and T. Lay Collins will call all of the action.
"Southern is an outstanding football team and is extremely well coached," Grambling State interim head coach
Terrence Graves said. "Anytime you play a rivalry game, you can throw the records out the window. Despite neither team playing for an opportunity at a SWAC Championship, both teams will be highly motivated.
"Our players have been locked in and we've had some good practices over the past few weeks. Our goal is to go out there and play Grambling State football. We need to be able to start fast, which is something we haven't been able to do much this season. We look forward to the challenge and the atmosphere on Saturday."
The rivalry game will also feature a new element to the collegiate game – Coach-to-player electronic communication.
The NCAA football Rules Committee approved a wavier for in-game coach-to-player electronic communication for the Bayou Classic. This will be the first NCAA football game to allow the use of this technology, which allows a coach to speak directly to one player on the field who has a helmet receiver. The NFL has used this type of technology for more than two decades.
"There are many technology initiatives that have been discussed in the NCAA Football Rules Committee, and coach-to-player communications continues to be the top technology request from our coaches to study," said Steve Shaw, the NCAA football secretary-rules editor and national coordinator of officials. "With the approval of the rules waiver for this specific game to allow a test for this initiative, I look forward to getting feedback from both schools on the value and feasibility of coach-to-player communications."
ABOUT THE GAME
- Grambling State and Southern will meet for the 73
rd time and the second time this season as the two played in April during the Spring 2021 COVID season
- The Bayou Classic returns to New Orleans after a year away as the spring version was played in Shreveport
- Both teams will enter on losing streaks as Grambling State has dropped three straight, while Southern has dropped three out of its last four
- Southern leads the Bayou Classic, 24-23, and have won three consecutive
- Generally the annually rivalry game has major postseason implications, however, both teams did not figure into the SWAC West Division crown
- Both teams enter with interim head coaches – Southern's Jason Rollins has coached the Jaguars all season, while Grambling State's
Terrence Graves will be coaching his first game for the Black and Gold
GRAMBLING STATE NEWS & NOTES
- The Tigers had a week off after dropping a 31-14 home decision to Bethune-Cookman
-
John-Paul Pierce made his first collegiate start at quarterback against the Wildcats
- Grambling State has used four quarterbacks this season –
Elijah Walker,
Aldon Clark,
John-Paul Pierce and
Noah Bodden
-
Garrett Urban continues to be a huge part of the special teams, punting the ball 76 times and averaging nearly 36.0 yards per punt
- Urban also is kicking 83.3 percent (10-of-12) on field goals, with the two misses coming between 40 and 49 yards
- The Tigers have started slow in nearly every single game this season, trailing in the first quarter in nine of the 10 games played (only the Texas Southern game GSU held a lead after one quarter)
- Grambling State's defense has forced a turnover in nine of the 10 games this season, with the only game being the season-opener against Tennessee State
- The Tigers will have a new man roaming the sidelines for the first time since the 2014 season as
Terrence Graves takes over the reigns
- On the defensive side of the football,
Joshua Reed,
Lewis Matthews and
Quincy Mitchell will have the ability to communicate through the coach-to-player electronic communication with GSU defensive coordinator
Everett Todd
- On the offensive side, the quarterbacks will be able to utilize the coach-to-player electronic communication
GRAMBLING STATE IN THE STATISTICAL RANKINGS
- The Tigers are fifth in fewest penalties and sixth in blocked punts nationally
- Grambling State, also nationally, is ranked ninth in defensive touchdowns and fewest penalties per game
- In the SWAC, the Tigers are tops in the conference in defensive touchdowns, fewest penalties, fewest penalties per game
-
Bryan Powell ranks fifth in the SWAC in tackles for loss, while
Sundiata Anderson is seventh
-
Quincy Mitchell ranks fourth in the conference in interceptions per game
-
Garrett Urban is seventh in the conference in field goal percentage
SOUTHERN NEWS & NOTES
- The Jaguars also had a week off after their last game as Southern fell, 21-17, to Jackson State at home on Nov. 13
- Southern is averaging 27.4 points and 376.8 total yards per game
- The Jaguars have played three quarterbacks this season, but Glendon McDaniel has done the most damage
- McDaniel has thrown for more than 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns, with just three interceptions
- Marquis McClain, Ethan Howard and Jamar Washington have accounted for 81 of the Jaguars' 156 receptions this season
- The receiving trio has eight of the team's 14 touchdowns and amassed more than 915 yards
- On the defensive side, Chase Foster has 60 tackles, including 42 stops and a team-high three-interceptions
- Jordan Lewis has registered 5.5 sacks, along with 27 total tackles
SOUTHERN IN THE STATISTICAL RANKINGS
- The Jaguars are ranked third nationally in kick return defense
- Southern is first in the SWAC in rushing offense
- Glenn Brown III ranks second in the conference in passes defended
- Ray Anderson and Tyran Nash are second in the SWAC in fumbles recovered
- Jordan Lewis, the SWAC's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, ranks third in the conference (42
nd nationally) in sacks
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
- Southern leads the all-time series, 39-33
- The series dates back to 1932, with Southern claiming the 20-0 shutout victory
- Southern has won the previous three meetings dating back to the 2018 season
- GSU own the longest winning streak in the series – nine games
- Southern cruised to a 49-7 victory in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La. During the spring 2021 contest
WHAT FANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR
- The Gameday color for Grambling State fans is … wear BLACK
PURCHASE SEASON/GAME TICKETS
- Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets by visiting gsutigers.com or
clicking here
FOLLOW GRAMBLING STATE ATHLETICS
For complete coverage of Grambling State athletics, please follow the Tigers on social media at @GSU_Tigers (Twitter), /gsu_tigers1 (Facebook), @gramblingathletics (Instagram) or visit the official home of Grambling State Athletics at gsutigers.com.
