BATON ROUGE, LA — It was a Senior Day to remember at A.W. Mumford Stadium as Southern University celebrated two historic individual performances and continued its late-season surge with a 41-28 victory over Alcorn State on Saturday.
The Jaguars captured their third consecutive victory behind a dominant rushing attack, another milestone performance from running back Trey Holly and a record-breaking defensive effort from graduate student Ckelby Givens.
Holly rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries, recording his sixth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance. The standout running back continued his climb through the record books, moving into second place on Southern University's and the SWAC's all-time rushing lists.
On the defensive side, Givens delivered a historic performance of his own, recording two sacks for 12 yards in losses to become Southern's all-time sacks leader. The graduate student is now just one sack away from breaking the conference's career record.
The victory gave Southern plenty to celebrate in front of 18,122 fans as the Jaguars finished with 497 yards of total offense, including 296 rushing yards, and controlled possession for more than 42 minutes.
HOLLY CONTINUES HISTORIC RUSHING STREAK
Holly wasted little time making his presence felt. On Southern's opening possession, the Jaguars marched 57 yards in five plays, highlighted by Holly's 47-yard run that set up his 1-yard touchdown plunge with 11:15 remaining in the first quarter. He struck again later in the period, scoring from 2 yards out to extend Southern's advantage to 13-0.
Holly's biggest contribution came when Southern needed to put the game away. With the Jaguars protecting a six-point lead in the fourth quarter, Holly helped engineer a remarkable 20-play, 89-yard drive that consumed 11 minutes, 49 seconds. He capped the possession with a 12-yard touchdown run with 1:04 remaining, sealing the victory.
The three-touchdown performance gave Holly 176 all-purpose yards, including 22 receiving yards on two catches. His sixth straight 100-yard rushing performance further cemented his place among the most productive running backs in Southern and SWAC history.
GIVENS MAKES HISTORY ON SENIOR DAY
While Holly controlled the ground game, Givens continued to establish himself as one of the most disruptive defensive players in conference history. The Jaguars' graduate student defensive end recorded two solo sacks, totaling 12 yards in losses, along with three tackles.
His first sack came during Alcorn State's second possession, when he dropped quarterback Jaylon Tolbert for a 6-yard loss on third down, forcing the Braves to punt. Givens finished the afternoon with both of Southern's sacks, helping the Jaguars limit Alcorn State to 158 rushing yards and force two turnovers.
The performance pushed Givens past Southern's previous career sack mark and placed him within one sack of establishing a new SWAC career record. The historic achievement provided a fitting highlight for the Jaguars' Senior Day celebration.
JAGUARS ANSWER ALCORN STATE'S CHALLENGE
Despite Southern's strong start, Alcorn State (6-5, 4-3) refused to go quietly. The Braves responded to Southern's early 13-0 lead with a 60-yard touchdown run by Fredrick Robertson late in the first quarter. Southern quarterback Christian Johnson connected with Emeka Iloh on a 3-yard touchdown pass early in the second quarter, pushing the Jaguars' lead to 20-7.
Southern responded with a critical 12-play, 72-yard drive, capped by Johnson's 3-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Pina with eight seconds remaining in the half. The Jaguars carried a 27-21 advantage into the locker room. Alcorn State briefly regained the lead early in the third quarter when Tolbert found Jarvis Rush for an 88-yard touchdown, putting the Braves ahead 28-27.
But Southern's response proved decisive. Mike Franklinscored on a 12-yard touchdown run with 1:44 remaining in the third quarter, putting the Jaguars back in front 34-28. From there, Southern's defense kept the Braves off the scoreboard while the offense delivered the game-clinching fourth-quarter possession.
SOUTHERN'S OFFENSE CONTROLS THE GAME
Southern's offensive performance was built around balance, physicality and sustained drives. Johnson completed 17 of 24 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also rushed for 38 yards on four carries. Daejawn Smith led the receiving corps with six receptions for 105 yards, including a 30-yard gain. Franklin provided another productive option in the backfield, rushing for 85 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
The Jaguars finished with 31 first downs, converted 15 of 18 third-down opportunities and scored touchdowns on all six red-zone possessions. Southern's ability to sustain drives proved especially important in the second half. The Jaguars held the football for 23:43 after halftime, compared with just 6:17 for Alcorn State. The decisive fourth-quarter possession featured 20 plays and nearly 12 minutes of ball control, preventing the Braves from mounting a comeback.
DEFENSE DELIVERS KEY STOPS
Southern's defense stepped up when it mattered most, holding Alcorn State scoreless in the fourth quarter. Michael Williams II led the Jaguars with five tackles, while Tay James added four tackles and a 24-yard interception return. Ty Lee contributed three tackles and two pass breakups, while De'Myrion Johnson recorded three tackles and a forced fumble.
Donald Johnson Jr. recovered an Alcorn State fumble early in the fourth quarter, giving Southern possession at its own 11-yard line and setting the stage for the game-sealing drive. The Jaguars finished with two sacks, three tackles for loss and two takeaways. Alcorn State quarterback Jaylon Tolbert completed 15 of 21 passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns but was intercepted once. Robertson led the Braves' rushing attack with 99 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.
A SENIOR DAY TO REMEMBER
For Southern, Saturday's victory represented more than another win in the standings. It was an afternoon defined by historic milestones, physical football and a team finding its rhythm down the stretch. Holly continued his remarkable march through the Southern and SWAC record books, while Givens delivered a record-setting performance that placed him on the doorstep of another conference milestone. With three consecutive victories and momentum on their side, the Jaguars closed their Senior Day celebration with a convincing statement about the strength of their rushing attack, the toughness of their defense, and their ability to finish games.
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