Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders led his Tigers to a homecoming win over Campbell as JSU improved to 7-0 on the season. Coach Prime has truly transformed the Jackon State football program and is projected to go undefeated this season. Last year, Jackson State finished the season 11-2 on their way to winning the SWAC championship and going to the Celebration Bowl against South Carolina State. This year, the Tigers find themselves well on their way to a second SWAC title. Jackson State has not seen this level of success in a long time.
Transforming the Program
Before Coach Prime came along, the Jackson State football program was virtually nonexistent. Before 2021, JSU had not had a winning season since 2013 and had not won a SWAC championship since 2007. The Tigers had a hard time getting half of their home stadium filled, and no one really paid much attention to Jackson State football.
Then came Deion Sanders. Coach Prime has transformed the program and Jackson State as a whole. He has brought a swagger to the university which has drawn eyes and wallets. Coach Prime has been with Jackson State for less than two years, and JSU is already feeling the effects. More money has been poured into the school than ever before, and the Tigers are experiencing more success in athletics than they have ever seen. “We’re 7-0 and I’m proud of that,” Coach Prime said.
In addition to the surprising success, championship and bowl game appearance, Coach Prime has brought in some serious talent. His son, Shedeur Sanders, is the quarterback for the Jackson State Tigers and has been lighting it up. Coming out of Trinity Christian High School in Texas, Shedeur Sanders followed his father to play quarterback at Jackson State. So far this season, Sanders has thrown for 2,231 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Some might say that it wasn’t too hard for Coach Prime to convince his own son to come play for him. But Sanders showed his excellent recruiting skills when he signed cornerback Travis Hunter. Hunter was the number 1 recruit in the 2022 recruiting class. A cornerback out of the state of Georgia, Hunter was highly recruited by some of the top schools in the country, including Alabama, Clemson and Florida State. Hunter eventually chose to attend Florida State. However, the Georgia native shocked the country when he de-committed from FSU and decided to head to Jackson, Mississippi to play for Deion Sanders.
Coach Prime’s transformation of Jackson State was solidified when it was announced that JSU will play host to the premier college football show in the country, College Gameday, this weekend on October 29. This is not the first time College Gameday will travel to Mississippi, having hosted Gameday at Ole Miss and Mississippi State. However, this is the first time Gameday will come to Jackson, something many people never thought possible. It is fair to say that Deion Sanders has nothing left to prove to those who doubted him as a head coach. In less than two years, Coach Prime has taken a program that hadn’t had a winning season in six years and turned it into a program that is set to host College Gameday.
Jackson State will play Southern at 1:00 pm on ESPN 3. “Southern’s a good, solid football team,” Coach Prime said about the Tigers upcoming opponent. “Games like this, it’s going to come down to being disciplined.”
Facing Adversity
It could be said that Coach Prime and the Jackson State Tigers haven’t faced a real test this season. They have destroyed most teams they have played, outscoring their opponents 266-71. They have shown that they simply have more talent than other teams. With the first five star in JSU history, Travis Hunter, and Shedeur Sanders playing extremely well and Coach Prime’s influence in recruiting, it’s hard for other teams in the SWAC to keep up.
However, Coach Prime admitted that the Tigers faced adversity for the first time in their homecoming game against Campbell. “We left 21 points out there and, to me, that’s adversity,” Coach Prime said. “The kids responded. They responded well.” Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders has been the highlight of the Tigers offense this season. But Campbell came out with a good defensive strategy and was able to take away the pass. So, Coach Prime adapted. Jackson State went to the ground and rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers were led by sophomore running back Sy’veon Wilkerson, who ran for 116 yards and a touchdown.
Coach Prime had a lot of praise for his field goal kicker, Alejandro Mata. “That’s the biggest upgrade we’ve had this year,” Coach Prime said. “The kicking unit has been phenomenal.” Mata was 3 for 3 on field goal kicks against Campbell, all of which came in the first half.
With a statement win over Campbell, it’s time for JSU to look forward to hosting College Gameday and facing off against Southern.
