Jackson State loses the SWAC Showdown against Grambling, 41-20

The Grambling Tiger Defense Carries the Day...

In a game where offensive consistency seemed to be at a premium for both teams, it was the Grambling defensive unit that made the difference in the game. The Tigers generated 5 total turnovers against Jackson State's offense, with two of those takeaways ( An Interception by Caleb Lee-Collins and a fumble return by Patrick Marshall) directly resulting in 14 of Grambling's 41 points.

QB Myles Crawley's output was a bit pedestrian ( 16 of 28, 167 yards, and 1 Touchdown), but he was able to protect the ball. Ball security was at a premium in this game and the Tigers took advantage of just about every turnover opportunity presented to them. Add in some timely production from the running game and you have the recipe for a Tiger victory. Grambling RB Ke'Travion Hargrove led all rushers with 81 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

Jackson State's Two QB system yields uneven results...

Jackson State University Head Coach T.C. Taylor came into the game with the unique dilemma of having two extremely effective dual-threat athletes at the quarterback position to utilize, but the results were, at best, uneven.

Both Jacobian Morgan and Cam'Ron McCoy played substantial stretches of the game but weren't able to pass the ball effectively enough to keep the Grambling Tiger defense honest.

In fact, the tandem had two turnovers between them with one resulting in 7 points. The rushing attack, which was touted as possibly the best in the conference coming into SWAC league play, was also inconsistent in its overall production. It wasn't enough to offset being bitten by the turnover bug.

Where do Jackson State and Grambling go from here?

Both teams came out of this game with more questions than answers, but some things are glaringly clear for both teams. Jackson State needs to solidify the quarterback position going forward in the worst way possible.

Jacobian Morgan and Cam'Ron McCoy can get the job done on the ground, but the inability to be consistent in the passing game is making the Tigers one-dimensional offensively. They will need to solve that problem if they hope to make headway in an ultra-competitive SWAC East division.

Grambling's defensive penchant for producing turnovers hasn't just made a difference; It's among the best in all of FCS football with 11 total takeaways to their credit.

Jackson State doesn't have long to rest on their laurels, as they'll travel to Houston Texas this weekend to play an increasingly dangerous Texas Southern squad. Grambling will attempt to ride the momentum from their home win as Prairie View A&M comes to town.

Stay tuned to Saturday Blitz for more content covering HBCU football at the NCAA FCS and Division II level!

Read more: