2021 Cricket Celebration Bowl: No. 14 Jackson State (11-1) vs. South Carolina State (6-5)
Saturday, Dec. 18 at Noon ET. ABC
After being named Jackson State’s 21st head coach back in September 2020, expectations were high for Deion Sanders. None of which were higher than the ones placed upon himself. And all those goals have almost been met within his first calendar year of leading this program.
Finishing their Spring 2021 season 3-3, the Tigers entered this season with the nation’s 55th-ranked recruiting class (the highest of any FCS program ever), ended the year winning their first SWAC title since 2007 with a record of 11-1 (the most victories ever by any JSU team), and are heading to their first-ever Celebration Bowl.
Currently favored by 10 points, JSU is expected to win this year’s Black College National Championship matchup.
All that stands between Sanders and his chance to coach JSU to their first Celebration Bowl victory is South Carolina State, champions of the MEAC. And like Coach Sanders, SC State head coach Buddy Pough is also looking for his first victory in the marquee interconference contest after bringing the MEAC title back to Orangeburg for the eighth time in his career, earning their first outright conference title for the Bulldogs since 2009.
When asked about his level of enthusiasm as it pertains to playing in this postseason matchup, Pough responded, “We’re all excited about going to Atlanta. I was asked if this was the highlight of my career. When you’ve got as many years as I’ve gotten in here now, a total of 40 some odd [years], it’s hard to decide, but I can tell you that it’s the best I felt today for sure.”
Both teams should be excited. First-timers in this postseason college football contest, this is the third time in the history of the game that both participants enter this matchup undefeated in conference play.
So, will the prodigal son -– along with his actual sons — return to Atlanta and cap off his first year as head coach winning the black college football national championship? Or can the football lifer pull off the upset, giving him another achievement in his illustrious resume?
When Jackson State Has the Ball
While previewing the SWAC Title Game, I highlighted the recent play of JSU quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Entering that contest, The SWAC Freshman of the Year and recent Jerry Rice Award winner finished the final four games of their regular season with the best statistical stretch of his young career, only to be stymied by the Prairie View A&M defense last weekend.
“We did not have the best game offensively, especially Shedeur. I think it may have been his worst game, but his teammates took up the slack for him,” said Coach Sanders, when questioned about the play of his signal-caller.
And he was right. Young Sanders completed eight passes on 16 attempts for 85 yards, all season lows.
Even though their pass attack was ineffective, the Tigers ground game — led by running back Peytton Pickett, who compiled 107 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown — finished the game with 44 total carries (most of the season) for 148 yards. SC State is 1-3 this season when they give up more than 132 yards on the ground.
To stay competitive, SC State will have to force turnovers. Except for their 28-7 win over Alabama State, the point differential is -1 in the three other games where JSU came up on the losing end in the turnover battle.
The Bulldogs will look for MEAC Defensive Player of the Year Decobie Durant (three interceptions, 11 pass breakups) and fellow first-team all-conference selections defensive lineman Jeblonski Green (19.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks in eight games), linebackers Chad Gilchrist (70 total tackles), B.J. Davis (67 total tackles), and defensive back Zafir Kelly (three interceptions) to slow down the Tigers’ offense that has averaged 31.7 points per game against FCS opponents.
SC State is 5-2 this season when they win the turnover battle.
When South Carolina State Has the Ball
Finishing the season 3-1 in their final four games, the Bulldogs have run a fairly balanced attack behind quarterback Corey Fields, Jr. and running back Kendrell Flowers. During that span, the rushing attack was accountable for 54% of the play-calling, 49% of the teams’ total yards, and five of the team’s ten total touchdowns.
In their season finale, the Bulldogs racked up 422 total yards — their highest output since Oct. 2 (577) – when they defeated Norfolk State. When asked about their title-clinching performance, Coach Pough said, “We probably played about as good as we played [all year] Saturday. Offensively, we played really well.”
Flowers finished the season with three 100-yard rushing games in the teams’ last four outings, including a 172-yard performance on 32 carries against the Spartans.
Statistically, Fields won’t wow you, completing only 50.7% of his passes this season for 1,931 yards and 13 touchdowns, but he has done a great job protecting the ball in recent weeks. The sophomore QB has only thrown one interception in his final five starts.
He’ll need to repeat this effort against a defense that Pough has referred to as being “real, real talented.”
It is well-documented how good this unit is. With three all-conference first-team selections (linebacker and SWAC Newcomer of the Year James Houston and defensive linemen Aubrey Miller and Antwan Owens) and two second-team designations (defensive back Shilo Sanders and linebacker Keonte Hampton), JSU finished the season ranked top ten nationally in nine different statistical categories – six of which were top-three finishes.
“The defense is resilient. They’re unbelievable. We knew if we scored 21 points, we were going to win … No one is scoring 21 points on us,” Coach Sanders said following their 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M.
Well, he’s almost right. Texas Southern reached that mark on the Tigers back in November … and still lost by 20.
Prediction
Oh, poor South Carolina State.
Big underdogs. No pun intended. Winless against SWAC opponents during the regular season (0-2), this is the first Celebration Bowl participant to have more than three losses. The leadup to this game has primarily been about Jackson State, Head Coach Deion Sanders, and their magical, record-setting season. I can almost hear Adrian Balboa in the distance now …
“Have you read the papers? Do you know what everybody says? It’s suicide! You’ve seen him! You know how strong he is! YOU CAN’T WIN!”
It won’t be easy but if the Bulldogs can do what we’ve seen them do this season and not make mistakes, they just might have a chance of pulling the upset.
Place a premium on controlling the clock by grinding down that Tigers defense with their rushing attack and protecting the ball — JSU forced five turnovers in the SWAC Title Game. Maybe a little run-pass option with Fields. Don’t kick the ball to All-SWAC selection Isaiah Bolden – JSU ranks in the top five nationally in punt and kickoff returns. Don’t give up the big play.
Yes, Jackson State’s offense finished the year ranked second in the SWAC in scoring offense and passing offense, SC State should be able to sustain their ariel attack by not giving up a ton of chunk yardage. The Bulldogs are 2-1 against FCS opponents this season when their defense has given up more than 181 yards passing.
And I know “make every possession count” is one of football’s most common maxims, but it’s been relatively true in the Celebration Bowl. Except for 2019, the other four Celebration Bowls have been won by an average of 4.25 points. Hopefully, this game doesn’t come down to a field goal or extra point. Jackson State kickers are a combined 3-for-11 this season in field goal attempts and missed a PAT a few weeks ago.
I doubt that any of this happens, though. Look for “COTY” (Coach of The Year) to lead the Tigers to their first Celebration Bowl win and the program’s first Black College Football National Championship since 1996.
Prediction: Tigers 24, Bulldogs 17
