By Missy Grimes
Jackson State and South Carolina State set for top 25 matchup in Atlanta
GAME NOTES
https://gojsutigers.com/documents/2024/12/10/GAME_14_-_South_Carolina_State.pdf
ATLANTA, Ga. | Jackson State and South Carolina State will meet for the second time in the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 14, inside Mercedes Benz Stadium, kicking off at noon (ET) on ABC.
The two teams met in 2021 with South Carolina State winning 31-10, the first Celebration Bowl for either team, and they met again in Atlanta at the 2023 MEAC/SWAC Challenge with the Tigers winning 37-7. The two teams have met six times and have split the meetings.
No. 15 Jackson State (11-2) enters the game on a nine-game winning streak including a 41-13 victory over Southern in the SWAC Championship Game last weekend, and will be facing a South Carolina State (9-2) team that has not played since Nov. 23. The winning streak is the third-longest active streak in the country trailing UIW (10) and Montana State (13), and in eight of those nine games Jackson State had outscored its opponent by nearly 24 points per game.
Offensively, Jackson State is led by SWAC Player of the Year Irv Mulligan who rushed for 1,174 yards and 11 touchdowns this season, while Jacobian Morgan has passed for 2,003 yards on 148-of-235 passing with 19 touchdowns. He, along with Cam’Ron McCoy and Zy McDonald (SWAC Offensive MVP on Saturday), have combined to connect with 19 different receivers.
Meanwhile, on defense, Reid Pulliam leads the team with 62 total tackles while Joshua Nobles has recorded 12 tackles for loss and 10 sacks (56 total tackles). The Tigers have forced 22 turnovers this season including three interceptions each by Robert McDaniel (SWAC Defensive MVP on Saturday) and Ke’Vric Wiggins Jr. On special teams, Matt Noll is averaging 42.5 yards per punt and has landed 15 of his 33 punts inside the 20 while Travis Terrell Jr. has returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns.
The trip to the Celebration Bowl will be the third in four years for Jackson State.
Game Info – Jackson State vs. South Carolina State
Saturday, Dec. 14 | noon (ET) | Mercedes Benz Stadium
Watch Live (ABC)
Listen Live
Live Stats
Game Notes (.pdf)
Media Center
Tickets
Game Notes
- Jackson State head coach T.C. Taylor will appear in his fourth Celebration Bowl, and third with Jackson State. He has also appeared in the game with North Carolina Central, and this will be his third different capacity serving in the game – first as a head coach.
- There are no players on the roster who played against South Carolina State in the 2021 Celebration Bowl, however, the roster is loaded with players who played against the Bulldogs in the season opener last year including Mulligan who rushed for 110 yards on 13 carries with a touchdown.
- Terrell (a Freshman All-American) and Brian Williams Jr. return to their hometown of Atlanta less than a year after graduating from Creekside High School. They are two of the three total players from Atlanta which includes Phillip Webb, while Tru Thompson is by nearby Grayson.
- Mulligan is currently seventh on the single-season list for rushing just 17 yards behind William Arnold (1994). Meanwhile, Gerardo Baeza set a new single-season record for field goals with 22 this season, averaging 1.69 field goals per game. He also has tied the school record for extra points in a game with 45 (the last miss came against Grambling State), has set a new single-season record with 54 extra points, and is one shy of the career record (63).
- Jackson State is looking for its first postseason win since the 1971 Azalea Bowl (14 straight games).
Series (since 1956)
Series tied 3-3
First meeting: Jackson State def. South Carolina State, 17-6 (Nov. 16, 1991)
Last meeting: Jackson State def. South Carolina State, 37-7 (Aug. 26, 2023)
In Jackson: 0-0 | In Orangeburg: 0-0 | Neutral: 3-3 | Streak: Jackson State, W1
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For complete coverage of Jackson State athletics, follow the Tigers on social media at @GoJSUTigers (Instagram and Twitter), Jackson State Tigers (Facebook), or visit the official home of Jackson State athletics at GoJSUTigers.com.
COURTESY JACKSON STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
No. 18 SC State Takes On No.15 Jackson State In Cricket Wireless Celebration Bowl
GAME NOTES: Jackson State South Carolina State
ATLANTA, Ga. | Jackson State and South Carolina State will meet for the second time in the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 14, inside Mercedes Benz Stadium, kicking off at noon (ET) on ABC.
The two teams met in 2021 with South Carolina State winning 31-10, the first Celebration Bowl for either team, and they met again in Atlanta at the 2023 MEAC/SWAC Challenge with the Tigers winning 37-7. The two teams have met six times and have split the meetings.
No. 18 South Carolina State (9-2) enters the game on an eight-game winning streak after capturing the 2024 Mid-Eastern Athletic (MEAC) crown outright defeating Norfolk State 53-21 in Orangeburg win the schools 19th league crown in school history.
No. 15 Jackson State (11-2) enters the game on a nine-game winning streak including a 41-13 victory over Southern in the SWAC Championship Game last weekend.
The Bulldog offense is led by HBCU+ National Player of the Year and MEAC Offense Player of the Year Eric Phoenix. The Savannah, Georgia, native ranks first in passing efficiency (164.2), fourth in passing yards (2,460) and third in touchdown passes (20) among HBCU FCS quarterbacks, while also rushing for 225 yards and two touchdowns. The first-team All-MEAC signal caller helped lift South Carolina State from 5-6 last year to a 9-2 record this season – the Bulldogs’ highest win total since 2013.
Meanwhile, on defense, All-MEAC linebacker Aaron Smith who leads the team in tackles with 78.0 tackles (41 solo), 7.5-19-yards for tackles for loss, while Ashaad Hall leads the nation in sacks with 11.0 for 56-yards and 14.0 tackles for loss for 82-yards. All-MEAC defensive back Diego Addison leads the secondary with 44.0 tackles, three interceptions and seven pass breakups.
On special team’s senior punter Dyson Roberts is leading the way with 44 punts for 1,847-yards with an average of 41.98 yards per punt with a long of 72-yards, five touchbacks, eight fair catches, 14 inside 20 and seven over 50+ yards.
Game Info – #15 Jackson State vs. #18 South Carolina State
Saturday, Dec. 14 | noon (ET) | Mercedes Benz Stadium
Watch Live (ABC)
Listen Live
Live Stats
Series (since 1956)
Series tied 3-3
First meeting: Jackson State def. South Carolina State, 17-6 (Nov. 16, 1991)
*South Carolina State defeated Jackson State, 31-10(*2021 Cricket Wireless Celebration Bowl)
Last meeting: Jackson State def. South Carolina State, 37-7 (Aug. 26, 2023)
In Jackson: 0-0 | In Orangeburg: 0-0 | Neutral: 3-3 | Streak: Jackson State, W1
Game Notes
- South Carolina State head coach Chennis Berry is the first coach to win a MEAC Championship in school history. Berry has already received numerous Coach of the Year accolades.
- Numerous players were on the team who played against Jackson State in the 2021 Celebration Bowl, however, including linebacker Aaron Smith, offensive lineman Nick Taiste, Cam Johnson and Eric Brown, Jr. just to name a few.
- South Carolina State is ranked in the top 25 at #18 in Stats FCS for the first time since 2013.
- Quarterback Eric Phoenix needs 38-yards to set the school record for Most Yards in Passing in a Season that’s currently held by Malcolm Long at (2,507) in 2009. Phoenix has already tied for school record for passing touchdowns at 20 that’s held by Long (2009) as well.
- Dyson Roberts holds the record for punting average in a season with 44 punts for an average of 41.98 yards per punt. The record was previously held by Alonzo Braddy with an average of 40.5 yards per punt (1980).
- Sophomore Caden High needs to 104-yards to reach and break the Single Receiving Yards in a season currently held by Oliver (Tre’) Young in 2009.
ABOUT SC STATE ATHLETICS
South Carolina State University is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level intercollegiate athletic program. The university currently fields teams in 14 sports: women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, softball, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field, women’s soccer and football with all teams competing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), except for women’s soccer.
FOLLOW SOUTH CAROLINA STATE ATHLETICS IN CYBERSPACE
There are many ways to keep up with SCSU athletics online and on the go:
• Visit www.scsuathletics.com, the official web site of Bulldog athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios and more.
• Follow us on social media:
Facebook: /SCStateAthletics
Twitter: @SCStateAthletic
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COURTESY SOUTH CAROLINA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
