Southern falls to McNeese in opener

Photo: Ricky Hickman

LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana - For 50 minutes, the Jaguars dominated the game's pace until issues with the special teams allowed McNeese to gain the advantage and defeat the Jags 21-7 in front of 16,000 fans at Cowboys Stadium.

"It was challenging to play nearly error-free for three quarters only to experience that," Terrence Graves commented. "I've witnessed it in the past, and it's always a disheartening situation. However, we now have footage to review and areas to enhance."

Barry Remo, a freshman, scored his inaugural touchdown as a Jaguar in the second quarter with a one-yard run. The Jaguars' quarterback, Noah Bodden, demonstrated some promising moments by evading defenders and locating open receivers while on the move to sustain the drive.

Kobe Dillon led SU in rushing with 52 yards off 14 carries,, while the tight ends led the team in receiving with 73-yards combined of the 132 total passing yards thrown by Bodden. Dupree Fuller finished the night with four catches for 36 yards and Jermaine Minor Jr. added another 37 yards off two receptions.

The Jaguars defense demonstrated their ability to shine in crucial situations yet again, with safety Jamarius Brown leading the charge with seven tackles, one tackle for loss, and a sack. Junior All-American Ckelby Givens continued his impressive form from last season, ending the game with 6 tackles and one tackle for loss. Southern's formidable players in the center wreaked havoc on the McNeese offense throughout the night, spearheaded by senior defensive tackle Willie Miles, who recorded five tackles and three QB hurries.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GAME

One of the biggest highlights of the game was the Jaguars offensive line did not give up a sack on the night.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Southern picked up 16 first downs, while the Cowboys only had 13

Southern finished the night with 132 passing yards to McNeese only having 108 passing yards

MSU finished the night with 164 rushing yards to the Jaguars 117

Southern finished with 132 receiving yards, while McNeese only had 108

The Jaguars finished the night with 95 yards in penalties, while McNeese finished with 118

UP NEXT

Southern will return to the field on Saturday, September 7th to host Savannah State in the Seventh Annual Pete Richardson Classic. The game is scheduled to start at 6:03 p.m. and will be broadcast on HBCUGo.