Southern University

Michael Odendahl

Football 8/30/2024 2:07:00 PM Rodney Kirschner Deputy Athletics Director | Director of Strategic Communications | Sports Information Director

Jaguars open the 2024 season at McNeese State on Saturday

BATON ROUGE, La. | Southern opens the 2024 football season on the road Saturday night against in state FCS opponent McNeese State with a 7:00 pm kickoff inside Cowboy Stadium. The game can be seen on ESPN+ and heard on KQXL 106.5 FM in Baton Rouge and WBOK 1230 AM in New Orleans.

JAGUARS IN SEASON OPENERS
Southern will begin its 106th season of football when they take on McNeese State Saturday night on ESPN+. The Jaguars have a record of 59-37-6 on opening day games of the season, (3 games were canceled-1938,1943 & 2005). This will be just the fourth meeting all-time between Southern and McNeese State.

2024 SOUTHERN JAGUARS
• Southern returns 39 lettermen and 17 full-time starters (8 offensive, 6 defensive) not including a slew of young players that saw starting action from late in the season.
• The Jaguars enter the contest with 39 new faces including eight FBS transfers and another six from the FCS ranks.

CKELBY GIVENS NAMED TO BUCK BUCHANAN WATCH LIST
• Ckelby Givens, has been named as one of 30 players to the preseason watch list for the 2024 Buck Buchanan Award by Stats Perform.
• The 2024 Buchanan Award will be presented after the season to the national defensive player of the year in Division I FCS college football. The award is named for legendary defensive lineman Junious "Buck" Buchanan, who starred at Grambling State as part of his Hall of Fame career.
• All 13 FCS conferences are represented on the watch list, which includes 10 past finalists. Givens is one of two players representing the Southwestern Athletic Conference (Florida A&M Kendall Bohler).
• Jordan Lewis was the first player from Southern to claim the 26^th Buck Buchanan award in 2021 and he is only the third HBCU player to win the award, first from the SWAC
• Givens returns for his junior season after he racked up 61 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery last year.

SIX JAGUARS NAMED PRESEASON ALL-SWAC
• Southern junior defensive lineman Ckelby Givens was named pre-season SWAC defensive player of the year and first team defense, along with returning all-conference starting running back and sophomore Kendric Rhymes, and senior long snapper Braxston Blackwell have been named to the 2024 Preseason All-SWAC Conference first team.
• Senior Offensive lineman Joshua Trask, senior linebacker Derrick Williams and senior kicker Joshua Griffin earned second team honors.

On defense, the Jaguars return four of its tip six tacklers on defense from last year.

Southern returns some familiar faces on offense. Kendric Rhymes returns after rushing for 996 yards and nine touchdowns, along with Kobe Dillion from injury last season. Noah Bodden gets the start at quarterback with some depth in the quarterback room.

Game Info – Southern at McNeese State
Saturday, Aug. 31 | 7:00 p.m. | Cowboy Stadium | ESPN+
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Tickets

Series History
McNeese State leads Southern, 3-0
First/Last Meeting: Sept. 18, 2021 – MSU def. Southern, 31-24
Lake Charles: 0-1 | Baton Rouge: 0-2 | Neutral: 0-0 | Streak: MSU, W3

FOLLOW THE JAGUARS
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Players Mentioned

#5 Derrick Williams: LB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#6 Kendric Rhymes: RB; 6' 0"; Sophomore

#15 Noah Bodden: QB; 6' 4"; Sophomore

#39 Braxston Blackwell: LS; 5' 10"; Junior

#45 Joshua Griffin: K; 6' 2"; Junior

#92 Ckelby Givens: DT; 6' 2"; Sophomore

Players Mentioned

#5 Derrick Williams
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: LB

#6 Kendric Rhymes
: 6' 0"; Sophomore
: RB

#15 Noah Bodden
: 6' 4"; Sophomore
: QB

#39 Braxston Blackwell
: 5' 10"; Junior
: LS

#45 Joshua Griffin
: 6' 2"; Junior
: K

#92 Ckelby Givens
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: DT