Jackson State holds off Alabama A&M comeback, win Gulf Coast Classic 45-38
Jackson State University secured an exhilarating 45-38 victory over Alabama A&M in the Gulf Coast Challenge at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Saturday night, showcasing a thrilling matchup in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.
The game kicked off with Jackson State establishing dominance, scoring 21 points in the first quarter while limiting the Bulldogs to just a field goal. Syracuse transfer Jacobian Morgan excelled at the quarterback position, throwing for 226 yards and three touchdowns, two of which were caught by standout redshirt sophomore Joanes Fortilien. Additionally, Wofford transfer Irv Mulligan contributed significantly with two rushing touchdowns, finishing with 92 yards on 17 carries.
However, the Bulldogs surged back after halftime, amassing 492 total offensive yards. Junior quarterback Xavier Lankford led the charge, throwing for 245 yards and three touchdowns while also scoring on the ground. Alabama A&M exploded for 28 points in the second half, while the Tigers managed only seven, with their defense struggling to contain the Bulldogs’ aerial assault and rushing attack, which totaled 233 yards.
Head coach Connell Maynor praised Lankford’s competitive spirit, emphasizing his ability to make plays and keep the Bulldogs in contention. “He’s a gamer, he’s gonna compete,” Maynor said, highlighting Lankford’s knowledge of the system and ability to execute under pressure.
“you never have to worry with that guy in the game.” Maynor said, “he can also hurt you with those legs he’s tough and he knows the system he knows where to go with the ball.”
In contrast, Tigers head coach T.C. Taylor expressed disappointment at his team’s inability to maintain their lead, referencing previous games where they allowed opponents to come back. “We just got to find ways to finish,” Taylor noted, acknowledging the need for improvement in closing out games.
“we got a tendency to when we get those big leads to you look back at that Texas southern game it happened as well we allow teams to get back into games,” he added “We just got to be better.”
Looking ahead, Jackson State will continue their conference schedule against Florida A&M University on October 19 at 2:30 p.m., while the Bulldogs prepare to host Bethune-Cookman in the “Battle on the 50” showdown at Louis Crews Stadium this Saturday at 2 p.m.
The post Jackson State holds off Alabama A&M comeback, win Gulf Coast Classic 45-38 appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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