Southern vs Jackson State Odds, Pick and Prediction for the SWAC Championship Game
- Jackson State and Southern will meet in the SWAC title game Saturday, December 3
- Jackson State is a 17.5-point favorite in what could be coach Deion Sanders’ final game here
- Read below for Southern vs Jackson State odds, preview and prediction.
Jackson State (11-0, 8-0 SWAC East) is a 17.5-point home favorite over Southern in the SWAC championship game at 2 pm ET on ESPN2. The Tigers are seeking their second consecutive league title, and the winner will earn the league’s bid to the Celebration Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 17.
Southern (7-4, 5-3 SWAC West) mounted a fourth-quarter rally for a 34-17 victory over Grambling State in the Bayou Classic the last time out to win the SWAC West in a tiebreaker over Prairie View A&M, which the Jaguars defeated 45-13 in their regular-season meeting.
Southern vs Jackson State Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Jaguars | +17.5 (-110) | +614 | Over 50 (-110) |
| Jackson State Tigers | -17.5 (-104) | -952 | Under 50 (-110) |
Odds from DraftKings on Dec. 2. Get the DraftKings promo code for the SWAC Championship.
Jackson State is a 17.5-point home favorite in the SWAC championship game, a rematch of a regular-season game that the Tigers won 35-0 at home as the same 17.5-point favorite. Jackson State is 6-5 ATS and has been favored in every game and by at least 17 points in all but the season. opener. The Tigers are 4-2 ATS at home but have failed to cover their last two, victories over Alcorn State and Alabama A&M. The game has gone under the total in seven Jackson State games.
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Southern is 3-6 ATS this season and has covered only one of its last five, which was a 34-17 victory over Grambling State as a 10-point favorite the last time out. The Jaguars are 1-4 ATS on the road. The game has gone under the total in the last five Southern games and in six of nine this season. Southern has won the last two games in the season series, breaking an eight-game losing streak in 2021.
Jackson State Still Perfect
Coach Deion Sanders’ son Shedeur showed he also was ready for prime time this season. Shedeur was named the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year while guiding the Tigers to the first 11-0 season in program history. He set school records for touchdown passes (32) and completions (284) while passing for 3,083 yards. He had four 300-yard passing games and seven with at least three touchdown passes.
SHEDEUR SANDERS WHAT A PLAY 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/AZRXsXQPBG
— ESPN (@espn) October 29, 2022
Sanders, a Walter Payton Award candidate, had one of his best games in the 35-0 victory drubbing of Southern in the first meeting Oct. 29, when he had 246 rushing/passing yards and three touchdowns, two rushing. Jackson State’s defense held Southern to 227 yards in total offense, the eighth straight game in which the Tigers held an opponent under 250 yards.
Linebacker Aubrey Miller was named the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year on a Jackson State defense that leads the FCS in five statistical categories and ranks in the top 10 in nine. The Tigers are first in scoring defense (10.1 points per game), total defense (216.9 yards per game), passing defense (121.5 yards) and third-down conversion percentage (22.5%). They are second in sacks (42) and sacks per game (3.8). Justin Ragin has 8.5 sacks.
Southern Will Try Again
Quarterback Besean McCray had 168 yards in total offense and scored on a 20-plus-yard run as Southern scored the final 20 points of the Bayou Classic to advance to the SWAC title game. McCray, named the game MVP, scored on a 22-yard run for a 21-17 lead two minutes into the fourth quarter, and the Jaguars put the game with two defensive touchdowns, a 48-yard fumble return by Jordan Carter and a 42-yard interception return by Kriston Davis.
Southern Retakes The Lead On A BeSean McCray 22-Yard Touchdown Run!
📺: NBC https://t.co/H47Ljv8vPP— LIGHT ON COLLEGE SPORTS (@LightOnSports) November 26, 2022
Southern ranks second to Jackson State in several SWAC defensive categories, and it leads the league with 43 sacks. The Jaguars have given up only 24 points in the last two games. First-team all-SWAC cornerback Corione Harris has a team-high four interceptions.
Southern vs Jackson State Prediction
The pre-game buzz here is not about the matchup but about coach Deion “Prime” Sanders’ pending decision. Sanders has been mentioned as a candidate for the coaching vacancies at Colorado, Cincinnati and South Florida, and he has told recruits that he will be “at a school” on Sunday after three years at a 26-8 record at Jackson State. While it sounds as if Sanders is leaving, that should not have an impact on the outcome. Jackson State is the class of the league, and it should impose its will against Southern for a second time this season.
- Pick: Jackson State -17.5 (-110)
- Season CFB: 42-43 ATS
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Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
