It is always epic when the conference’s best face off, especially when a championship is on the line. This Saturday, the SWAC Championship Game will match one of the top offenses in the FCS vs. one of the nation’s best defenses when Jackson State battles Prairie View A&M in Jackson, MS.
Not only is this the first meeting between the two teams since the Tigers defeated the Panthers 27-10 in the 2021 SWAC Title Game, but it also marks the first time that the championship game participants hadn’t faced one another in the regular season.
First-year head coach and 2025 SWAC Coach of the Year, Tremaine Jackson, ushered Prairie View to their third title game appearance in five years after posting their first nine-win season in a decade. Before arriving in Texas, Jackson led Valdosta State to a combined 30-9 record over three seasons, including a berth in the Division II Championship game in 2024. Now, Coach Jackson and the Panthers are in search of their second championship game victory and their first since 2009.
2024 SWAC Coach of the Year T.C. Taylor guided the Tigers to the conference’s championship game in consecutive seasons in only his second year at the helm. Saturday marks the team’s fourth appearance in five seasons and the program’s ninth overall, tying them with Southern for the second-most in the history of the title game. Jackson State is going for its fifth title-game win, giving the program its 15th overall championship.
Saturday’s winner will earn a trip to Atlanta next week to face MEAC champion South Carolina State in the Cricket Celebration Bowl.
Jackson State can tie North Carolina A&T for the most Celebration Bowl appearances at four. At the same time, Prairie View aspires to travel to Atlanta for the first time in December to represent the SWAC in the Black College Football title game.
Here is my preview and prediction for this week’s title game.
2025 SWAC Championship Preview
Prairie View A&M (9-3, 7-1) at #12 Jackson State (9-2, 7-1), Saturday, 2 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
When Prairie View Has the Ball
Key Players
Panthers: RB Chase Bingmon, QB Cameron Peters, WR Jyzaiah Rockwell
Tigers: DL Quincy Ivory, LB Reid Pulliam, LB Ashton Taylor
The SWAC’s third-highest scoring offense has, in the words of head coach Tremaine Jackson, found its groove.
PVAMU is averaging just over 54 points since its Week 10 loss to Alabama State. Behind signal-caller Cameron Peters (2,438 total yards, 19 total touchdowns, six interceptions), the Panthers are leading the SWAC in passing offense against conference opponents, averaging 256.3 yards per game. However, Coach Jackson believes that “anytime you’re playing championship football, you want to run the ball.” Peters (390 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns), running back Lamagea McDowell (477 rushing yards, eight touchdowns), and all-conference selection Chase Bingmon (857 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) have been key contributors to the Panthers’ offense that is averaging 202.8 rushing yards and 2.4 rushing touchdowns per contest.
Led by SWAC Defensive Player and Newcomer of the Year Quincy Ivory (64 total tackles, 6 sacks), Jackson State has left little room for its opponents to run the ball, yielding nine total touchdowns and 110 yards per game on the ground. With a slew of talent on the defensive side of the ball — from Ivory to Pulliam (60 total tackles, 9.5 TFLs), Taylor (44 total tackles, 8 TFLs), and All-SWAC defensive lineman Jeremiah Williams (30 total tackles, 5 TFLs) — the Tigers have held five opponents to under 80 rushing yards.
When Jackson State Has the Ball
Key Players
Tigers: QB Jared Lockhart, RB Ahmad Miller, WR Nate Rembert
Panthers: LB Kennedy Parker, S Travor Randle, LB Darrell Starling
Scoring at least 27 points in nine of their games this season, the Tigers’ offense has averaged 33.9 points per game thanks to Miller (1,027 rushing yards, five touchdowns), Donerio Davenport (663 rushing yards, seven touchdowns), and Travis Terrell Jr. (574 rushing yards, five touchdowns).
Entering Saturday’s game, two-time All-SWAC Second Team quarterback JaCobian Morgan’s health (he suffered a left foot injury against Grambling State) is still in question. Nevertheless, the SWAC’s best total offense is led by the competent play of his replacement, freshman Lockhart (1,306 total yards, 10 touchdowns, two interceptions) in his absence.
This offense will have its collective hands full facing one of the best defenses in the nation. Led by First Team all-conference selection Randle (84 total tackles, three interceptions, forced fumble), Starling (68 total tackles, 4.5 TFLs, four pass breakups), and Parker (65 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, two pass break-ups), the FCS’ fourth-best scoring defense is allowing less than 16 points per contest while holding opponents to 269.6 yards of total offense.
SWAC Championship Prediction
Jackson State and Prairie View A&M have been dominant this season, which makes this matchup so interesting. Both teams will be tasked with breaking down the top two defenses in this conference, so you would assume that the advantage would go to the home team. Right?
The Tigers, who are currently riding a four-game win streak, haven’t lost a home game in 750 days, outscoring opponents 151-82 in Jackson this season. Conversely, the Panthers’ lone loss on the road came against FBS Rice in Week 3.
Given that these teams haven’t played each other in four years, expect an initial feeling-out process as they work to determine their optimal schematic approaches against this unfamiliar opponent.
The Tigers will look to find holes in a Panthers defense that has allowed an average of five points in the second half of conference games.
Throw in the potential for a wet field due to the rainy forecast for the Jackson area this weekend, and the difference-maker could be turnovers if the playing surface and/or the ball get a little slippery.
And don’t expect this to be a high-scoring affair. A winning score in the mid-20s will likely be the case in a game where both defenses will flex their strengths.
Prediction: Tigers 27, Panthers 24
