OPENING DRIVE: The Tennessee State University football team will look to bounce back from a last-minute loss to No. 12 Eastern Washington last Saturday. TSU is set to take on Deion Sanders's Jackson State University Tigers in the Southern Heritage Classic. This will be TSU's 31st game in the Classic and the 33rd event overall after it was canceled in 2018 and 2021. Kickoff from Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium in Memphis is slated for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

#13 Jackson State (1-0, 0-0) vs. Tennessee State (0-1, 0-0)
Date: Sat., September 10
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Location: Memphis, Tenn. 
Venue: Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,325)

TV: SHC YouTube

Local Radio: Big Blue Sports Network — 102.1 FM (Pregame & 1st Half), 94.9 FM (Nashville) joined in progress, and 95.1 FM (Rutherford County)
Satellite Radio: Sirius XM 385, XM App 975
Greg Pogue (pxp) and Chris Sanders (analyst)

Social: @TSU_Tigers | @TSUTigersFB
Game Notes: TSU | JSU
Game Day Information:  Watch | Live Stats 
 
WHERE TO WATCH & LISTEN: TSU expanded its partnership with Cromwell Media naming 94.9 FM The Fan as the flagship station for TSU Football.  "The Voice of the Tigers" Greg Pogue returns for his 11th season behind the mic and will be joined by newcomer analysts to the booth former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chris Sanders and left tackle, Brad Hopkins. The action can also be heard on the TSU Tigers app.
 
FINAL TIME... WE SHALL SEE: The Southern Heritage Classic was first played in 1990 to enhance the rivalry between TSU and JSU, two HBCU regional powers. There have been 30 games played all-time in the classic, with 28 between TSU and JSU. Tennessee State is 17-13 all-time in the Southern Heritage Classic, and they are 17-11 vs. Jackson State in the event. JSU could not appear in 1991, and 1993, as TSU took on Mississippi Valley State in 1991, and Grambling State in 1993, both of which resulted in losses. TSU won the first matchup vs. JSU in 1990 23-14. JSU won last year's meeting 38-16. TSU won seven straight over JSU from 2003-2009, while JSU won five straight over Tennessee State in the early '90s.
 
Series Information: TSU is 30-22-2 all-time against Jackson State dating back to the first-ever meeting in 1949.
 
WEEK 2: BY THE NUMBERS
 
17: The number of wins TSU has in the Southern Heritage Classic. All 17 wins have come against Jackson State University. TSU is 17-13 all-time in the Classic as they dropped games against Mississippi Valley and Grambling State.
 
49: The number of FBS transfers that will be on the field Saturday when TSU takes on Jackson State. TSU has 19 FBS transfers, while JSU has 30. 
 
22: The number of players that made their debut for TSU.
 
3: The number of Tiger players that finished with 100+ all-purpose yards. Quarterback Draylen Ellis finished with 339 yards, followed by Devon Starling (230 yards) and Zack Dobson (132 yards).
 
5: The number of pass breakups the Tiger defense collected. Boogie Trotter, Bryce Phillips, Gleson Sprewell, and Jashon Watkins all collected a breakup in their first game as the Tigers. Kendall Johnson was the fifth TSU player to break up a pass.
 
NORTHERN MOST START: Last Saturday's season-opener at Eastern Washington marked the second time TSU has taken on a team from the West Coast to open the season. The Tigers opened with San Diego State in 1967.
 
ZACK DOBSON FILES: A 2018 graduate of Fulton High School in Lonsdale, Zack Dobson, made his way to Middle Tennessee State University after becoming a 3-star recruit that totaled over 2,800 career all-purpose yards. The now senior is in his second year at TSU after spending 2020 at West Virginia and is looking to have a breakout senior season after seeing limited action for the Tigers last season. Dobson has totaled 1,088 all-purpose yards in his collegiate career across two seasons at MTSU and one full season at TSU. The Volunteer State product has played in 26 career games and has hauled in 44 passes for 611 yards and eight touchdowns. Dobson has shown his versatility in his career with his ability to run the ball, as he has racked up 309 yards on the ground for a score. The 5-8 speedster has returned five kickoffs for 106 yards, while returning nine punts for 62 yards.
 
FIRST POSSESSION SCORING: For the first time since October 15, 2019, the TSU football team scored a touchdown on their first possession last Saturday. Zack Dobson took a pop pass from Draylen Ellis to the house on the first play of the game for 67-yards. TSU's last first-possession touchdown scoring drive came against Jacksonville State University on October 15, 2019, as Chris Rowland ran one in from 48 yards out. The Tigers' only other first-possession scoring drive came on a field goal vs. Kentucky State University on September 18, 2021.
 
REPLACING ZITA: TSU has a new foot booting balls through the uprights for the first time since the 2017 season. TSU is having to replace Antonio Zita who left TSU with 241 career points, and senior punter Kaleb Mosley has been called on to replace Zita as the place-kicker. Zita played in 38 games for the Tigers and finished his career 53-of-74 on field goals, with a long of 62-yards against Eastern Illinois in the spring of 2021. Zita also connected on 86-of-95 point after attempts. Mosley scored five points in his debut as the Tigers place-kicker, finishing 1-of-2 with a 32-yard field goal and two extra points. Mosley punted five times for 216 yards (43.2 Avg.) and landed two of his punts inside the 20.
 
OUTGAINING THE OPPONENT: In Saturday's season-opening loss to Eastern Washington, TSU outgained the Eagles in total yardage 547-474. The Tigers rushed for 290 yards, while passing for 257. The Eagles finished with 358 yards through the air and only 126 on the ground. The last time TSU outgained an opponent in the total yardage column and lost was in last year's season opener against Grambling State. TSU posted 230 yards to GSU's 179 yards.
 
CONVERTING WHEN IT MATTERS: The Tigers went for it three times on fourth down against EWU and converted on all three chances to finished 3-of-3 on fourth down. TSU's first fourth-down conversion came on a 4th and one in the third quarter, as Devon Starling took a handoff from Draylen Ellis for 26 yards for a first down. The Tigers would convert two more times in the fourth quarter, with the first coming on 4th and two, as Draylen Ellis would rush up the middle for 16 yards and a first down. TSU's final conversion resulted in an Ellis rushing touchdown on 4th and goal from the four-yard line.
 
IN THE ZONE: TSU finished a perfect 2-2 in red zone attempts on the red turf in Cheney, Wash. Both red-zone attempts would come in the fourth quarter, as the Tigers converted on a 32-yard field goal with 13:09 remaining, and then would convert a four-yard rush from the four-yard line into a touchdown.
 
CONTROLLING THE CLOCK: TSU won the time of possession battle last Saturday, as they held the ball for 33:26 to EWU's 26:34. TSU had four drives that were 3:30 or longer, and three drives of 4:30 or longer. The Tigers' longest drive of the game was a nine-play 42-yard drive that lasted 4:57, ending in a punt. EWU's longest drive lasted 4:58.
 
SOFT HANDS: Cam Wyche has hauled in lots of passes during his four years as a collegiate wide receiver. The senior from Georgia started his collegiate career a Lindsey Wilson College, an NAIA in Kentucky, before arriving to TSU in the spring of 2021. The 6-1 wide receiver has accounted for 108 receptions, 1,870 yards, and 17 touchdowns in his collegiate career. Wyche arrived at TSU with 60 career receptions, 1,083 yards, and 14 touchdowns. Since becoming a Tiger, he has posted 48 receptions, 787 yards, and three touchdowns as an NCAA player.
 
DEFENDING THE LONG PASS: While the TSU defense gave up many short passes, the defense only allowed two completions on passes of 20 yards or more. EWU connected on 21-of-30 passes inside of 20 yards, but only finished 2-of-8 on deep passes.
 
BEHIND THE LOS: Tunnel screens and pop passes worked well for TSU against EWU, as the Tigers finished 6-of-6 with 128 yards and two touchdowns on plays that started behind the line of scrimmage. TSU's first play of the game was a pop pass behind the LOS that Dobson took 67 yards to the house. TSU would tack on another 57 yards on a tunnel screen to Wyche that went for 57 yards and a score.
 
THE 40/40 CLUB: Eddie George's offense was highlighted by a high-powered balanced offensive attack in Week One that showed the ability to make big plays. TSU outgained EWU 547-474 yards. The Tigers had five plays of 40+ yards with 41 and 43 yards, respectively on the ground, and three passes for 67 yards, 57 yards, and 41 yards.
 
THERE'S A STARMAN WAITING IN THE SKY: The Tigers rushed for 290 yards on 54 attempts for an average of 5.4 yards per carry. The OVC Co-Offensive player of the week Devon Starling highlighted the TSU ground attack, as the Nashville product rushed for a career-high 207 yards on 25 carries for an average of 8.3 yards and one touchdown.
 
GRAB A SHOVEL AND PITCH IN: Quarterback Draylen Ellis tacked on 82 yards on 22 attempts. Ellis finished 17-of-27 for 257 yards and two touchdowns through the air to total 339 all-purpose yards. Zack Dobson scored the first touchdown of the season for TSU on the first offensive play from scrimmage for the Tigers. The Lonsdale product took a pop pass from Ellis 67 yards to the house, breaking multiple tackles, and then later had a 41 yards reception. Dobson finished the game with five receptions, 132 yards, and one touchdown. Cam Wyche led TSU with eight receptions while tacking on 95 yards and a touchdown.
 
BOOGIE NIGHTS:  True freshman Boogie Trotter led the Tigers defensively as he collected 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, and one pass break up. Jahsun Bryant totaled nine tackles, while Josh Green collected six. Bryce Phillips and Josh Green both collected five tackles. Davion Nash picked up a sack for the Tiger defense.
 
YEAR TWO FOR #27: The Tigers will be under the leadership of second-year head coach Eddie George, whose team was picked fourth in the Ohio Valley Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. TSU finished 5-6 (3-3 OVC) in George's first season a year ago.
 
TOP-HEAVY SCHEDULE: TSU will start the season against three teams that participated in either a bowl game or the FCS Playoffs when it meets Eastern Washington (FCS 2nd Round), Jackson State (Celebration Bowl), and MTSU (Bahamas Bowl). This is the first time TSU has started a season against teams that reached the postseason in the modern FCS era.