Upcoming Match-ups

Jackson State vs Alabama State Odds, Picks and How to Watch

Chris Amberley

by Chris Amberley in College Football

Updated Mar 18, 2021 · 6:00 AM PDT

Jackson State Tigers
Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders gestures toward his team during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi Valley State, Sunday, March 14, 2021, in Jackson, Miss. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
  • Jackson State is a 6.5-point road favorite over Alabama State on Saturday (March 20th, 4 pm ET)
  • The Tigers are off to a 3-0 start, while the Hornets dropped their spring debut last time out
  • See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction

College sports fans rejoice. Not only will you get to enjoy the NCAA Tournament this weekend, but the FCS Spring season as well. 32 football games are scheduled over Saturday and Sunday, including Jackson State visiting Alabama State. Deion Sanders’ Tigers are off to a perfect start in the spring campaign, and will look to continue their red-hot play on Saturday (March 20th, 4 pm ET), in a game that can be seen on ESPN2.

Jackson State vs Alabama State Odds

Team Spread Moneyline Total
Jackson State Tigers -6.5 (-110) -265 Over 45.5 (-110)
Alabama State Hornets +6.5 (-110) +210 Under 45.5 (-110)

Odds as of March 17th at FanDuel.

Jackson State is a 6.5-point road favorite over the Hornets, with the total currently sitting at 45.5. After opening the spring season with three straight victories, Sanders’ program is now ranked 21st in the FCS coaches poll, marking the first time they’ve cracked the list since 2011.

Tigers Mauling Competition

Jackson State isn’t just beating teams this spring, they’re destroying them. Last week, they beat up Mississippi Valley State 43-7, outgaining them by 185 yards along the way.

Sophomore QB Jalon Jones accounted for 298 total yards and 4 TD, while a pair of his receivers turned in monster performances. Daylen Baldwin caught 6 balls for 136 yards, and 3 TD, while Corey Reed Jr. hauled in 5 receptions for 120 yards.

All told, the Tigers racked up 456 yards and are now averaging 43 points per game. They held MVSU to 271 total yards, picking off quarterback Jalani Eason once, while forcing three fumbles.

Sanders’ defense has held its opponents to an average of 11.6 points through three games, and Jackson State currently boasts a ridiculous +94 point differential.

Hornets Stung By Southern

Alabama State meanwhile, will be playing its first game since February 26th. The Hornets fell 24-21 to Southern in their lone game of the spring season so far, racking up just 274 total yards on offense.

Freshman QB Ryan Nettles completed 59% of his passes in the loss, but averaged just 5.3 yards per completion. He threw an interception, lost a fumble, and was a complete zero in the running game. Nettles carried the ball 15 times for -5 yards, a stat line that both he and the offensive line is to blame for. Alabama State didn’t return a single o-line starter from a season ago, and only one of the nine offensive lineman on the roster has more than two full collegiate seasons under their belt.

Alabama State is determined to run the ball, as evident by their 63% rush ratio in the opener, but yards could be tough to come by against the Tigers. Jackson State held Mississippi State to 4.1 yards per carry last week, and forced a fumble by each of the team’s primary three rushers.

Defensively, the Hornets did a good job limiting Southern’s production through the air and on the ground, but trying to slow down the Tigers will be a different story.

Jackson State’s Dominance Continues

Jackson State has produced at least 450 total yards on offense in each game this season and is capable of dominating with both its passing and rushing attacks. In addition to the gaudy passing numbers against MSVU, they also racked up 153 rushing yards.

YouTube video

The week before, they hit Grambling for 293 yards on the ground. One way or another, the Tigers are going to put up a lot of points, and Sanders has shown already that he isn’t looking to take his foot off the gas even when the score gets out of hand.

Pick: Jackson State -6.5 (-110)

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