BATON ROUGE, LA – The Jaguars honored their seniors at home, but their emotional day quickly turned crushing when Texas Southern mounted a second half surge and pulled away in a 35-30 victory. While Southern jumped out to a promising lead, the Tigers flipped the script—turning the game upside-down in the final two quarters.
Southern built a 21-14 halftime advantage behind a 95-yard opening drive culminating in a 51-yard touchdown from quarterback Ashton Strother to Cam Jefferson. The Jaguars seemed to have momentum.
But the second half proved painful. Texas Southern outscored the Jaguars 21-3 after intermission, punctuated by a muffed kickoff at the start of the fourth quarter that gave the Tigers prime field position and ignited a go-ahead touchdown drive. Meanwhile, Southern's offense gained more total yards—437 to 369—but miscues and defensive lapses proved costly.
Late in the game Southern answered with a Cam'Ron McCoy touchdown to pull to 35-30 with just over three minutes remaining. But the Jaguars failed to recover the ensuing fumble and the clock ran out.
By the Numbers
Total offense: Southern gained 437 yards; Texas Southern had 369. So Southern out-gained their opponent.
Rushing: Southern ran 41 times for 224 net yards (5.5 avg) and 2 rushing touchdowns. Southern's top rusher:
Barry Remo with 24 carries for 121 yards
Passing: Southern's QB
Ashton Strother went 11-21 for 191 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
Turnovers & misc:
Southern lost 2 of 3 fumbles. They had 4 penalties for 45 yards.
Third-down conversions: Southern converted 8 of 12 third-downs.
Red-zone efficiency: Southern scored on 3 of 4 red-zone trips.
Time of possession: Texas Southern held the ball 31:17; Southern had 28:43.
KEYS TO THE GAME & WHAT WENT WRONG
What went right for Southern:
Their offensive balance looked positive: strong rushing (5.5 yds/attempt), and solid third-down conversion rate.
They started fast, establishing a 21-14 halftime lead.
In many stats they actually out-performed Texas Southern (yards gained, red-zone efficiency).
What hurt Southern (and keys for improvement):
Second-half collapse: Giving up 21 unanswered points is the major breakdown. After a strong first half, the Tigers flipped the script.
Turnovers/momentum swings: A key fumble at a kickoff recovery and loss of fumble deep in their own territory led to quick Texas Southern scores.
Defensive lapses in 3rd/4th quarters: Although Southern's offense did its part, the defense allowed big plays and the lead slipped away.
Failure to close it out: With possession and time late in the game, Southern's offense couldn't finish the job.
Penalties/fumbles: While the yardage and efficiency were good, the miscues (penalties, fumbles) undermined their efforts.
UP NEXT
Southern will be back in action onThanksgiving weekend as the face off with the state rival Gramblng State in the 52nd Bayou Classic inside Ceasars Superdome in the Crescent City. The Game is slated for a 1 PM kickoff and will be live on NBC.
FOLLOW THE JAGUARS
For complete coverage of Southern University Athletics, please follow the Jaguars on social media at @SouthernUsports(Twitter), @SouthernUJaguars(Facebook), @southernusports(Instagram), or visit the official home of Southern University Athletics at www.gojagsports.com.
#GoJags #SouthernIsTheStandard #ProwlOn #BeyondTheStandard #SeanStrong25
