# 2021 Jackson State Tigers football team

The 2021 Jackson State Tigers football team represented Jackson State University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Tigers played their home games at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi, and competed in the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). They were led by second-year head coach Deion Sanders.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 5 | 2:00 p.m. | vs. Florida A&M | | Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FL (Orange Blossom Classic) | ESPN2 | W 7–6 | 36,000 |
| September 11 | 6:00 p.m. | vs. Tennessee State* | | Liberty Bowl Memorial StadiumMemphis, TN (Southern Heritage Classic) | ESPN3/ESPNU | W 38–16 | 46,171 |
| September 18 | 7:00 p.m. | at Louisiana–Monroe* | | Malone StadiumMonroe, LA | ESPN3 | L 7–12 | 21,720 |
| September 25 | 2:00 p.m. | Delta State* | | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | Jackson State Sports Network | W 24–17 | 33,652 |
| October 9 | 2:00 p.m. | at Alabama A&M | | Louis Crews StadiumHuntsville, AL | ESPN+ | W 61–15 | 21,835 |
| October 16 | 2:00 p.m. | Alabama State | | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | ESPN+ | W 28–7 | 53,578 |
| October 23 | 3:00 p.m. | Bethune–Cookman | No. 24 | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | ESPN+ | W 42–12 | 26,428 |
| October 30 | 3:00 p.m. | at Mississippi Valley State | No. 20 | Rice–Totten StadiumItta Bena, MS | YouTube | W 28–19 | 10,000 |
| November 6 | 1:00 p.m. | Texas Southern | No. 19 | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | Jackson State Sports Network | W 41–21 | 31,078 |
| November 13 | 1:00 p.m. | at Southern | No. 18 | A. W. Mumford StadiumBaton Rouge, LA (The Boombox Classic) | ESPN3 | W 21–17 | 25,379 |
| November 20 | 1:00 p.m. | Alcorn State | No. 19 | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS (Soul Bowl) | ESPN+ | W 24–10 | 58,892 |
| December 4 | 3:00 p.m. | Prairie View A&M | No. 15 | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS (SWAC Championship Game) | ESPN2 | W 27–10 | 50,128 |
| December 18 | 12:00 p.m. | vs. South Carolina State* | No. 15 | Mercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta, GA (Celebration Bowl) | ABC | L 10–31 | 48,653 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time ||||||||

## Staff

Staff :
| Name | Position | Consecutive season at Jackson State in current position |
| Deion Sanders | Head Coach | 2nd |
| Otis Riddley | Director of player personnel | 2nd |
| Michael Pollock | Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks | 2nd |
| Jason Phillips | Co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach | 2nd |
| Dennis Thurman | Defensive Coordinator | 2nd |
| Alan Ricard | Special teams coordinator | 2nd |
| T.C. Taylor | Tight ends coach | 3rd |
| Mike Markuson | Offensive line coach | 2nd |
| Gary Harrell | Running Backs Coach | 2nd |
| Jeff Weeks | Defensive line coach | 2nd |
| Andre' Hart | Linebackers Coach | 2nd |
| Kevin Mathis | Defensive backs coach | 2nd |

## Game summaries
### Vs. Florida A&M

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rattlers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| • Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| FAMU –7.5 | 61 |
| Statistics | Florida A&M | Jackson State |
| First downs | 17 | 15 |
| Total yards | 234 | 292 |
| Rushing yards | 109 | 71 |
| Passing yards | 125 | 221 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 32:18 | 27:42 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Florida A&M | Passing | Rasean McKay | 18/29, 78 yards, 0 TD |
| Florida A&M | Rushing | Bishop Bonnett | 15 carries, 76 yards |
| Florida A&M | Receiving | Chad Hunter | 7 receptions, 49 yards |
| Jackson State | Passing | Shedeur Sanders | 18/24, 221 yards, 0 TD |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Peytton Pickett | 15 carries, 62 yards |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Trevonte Rucker | 3 receptions, 83 yards |

### Vs. Tennessee State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| TSU Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 16 |
| • JSU Tigers | 7 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 38 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| TSU -2.5 | 50 |
| Statistics | Tennessee State | Jackson State |
| First downs | 19 | 19 |
| Total yards | 264 | 404 |
| Rushing yards | 70 | 42 |
| Passing yards | 194 | 362 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 31:52 | 28:08 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Tennessee State | Passing | Geremy Hickbottom | 9/15, 138 yards, 1 TD |
| Tennessee State | Rushing | Devon Starling | 11 carries, 35 yards |
| Tennessee State | Receiving | Rodell Rahmaan | 4 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TD |
| Jackson State | Passing | Shedeur Sanders | 30/40, 362 yards, 3 TD |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Peytton Pickett | 11 carries, 55 yards, 1 TD |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Trevonte Rucker | 5 receptions, 72 yards |

### At Louisiana–Monroe

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Warhawks | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| ULM -4.5 | 52.0 |
| Statistics | Jackson State | Louisiana–Monroe |
| First downs | 16 | 17 |
| Total yards | 285 | 250 |
| Rushing yards | 26 | 94 |
| Passing yards | 259 | 156 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 26:27 | 33:40 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Jackson State | Passing | Shedeur Sanders | 28/41, 259 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Peytton Pickett | 5 carries, 10 yards |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Joshua Lanier | 7 receptions, 72 Yards, 1 TD |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Passing | Rhett Rodriguez | 16/29, 150 yards |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Rushing | Andrew Henry | 9 carries, 52 yards |
| Louisiana–Monroe | Receiving | Boogie Knight | 6 receptions, 78 yards |

### Delta State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Statesmen | | | 0 |
| Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Delta State | Passing |
| Delta State | Rushing |
| Delta State | Receiving |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |

### At Alabama A&M

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Bulldogs | | | 0 |
| Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |
| Alabama A&M | Passing |
| Alabama A&M | Rushing |
| Alabama A&M | Receiving |

### Alabama State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |

### Bethune–Cookman

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Wildcats | | | 0 |
| No. 24 Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Bethune–Cookman | Passing |
| Bethune–Cookman | Rushing |
| Bethune–Cookman | Receiving |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |

### At Mississippi Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| No. 20 Tigers | | | 0 |
| Delta Devils | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |
| Mississippi Valley State | Passing |
| Mississippi Valley State | Rushing |
| Mississippi Valley State | Receiving |

### Texas Southern

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| TXSO Tigers | | | 0 |
| No. 19 JSU Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Texas Southern | Passing |
| Texas Southern | Rushing |
| Texas Southern | Receiving |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |

### At Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • No. 18 Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Jaguars | 7 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |
| Southern | Passing |
| Southern | Rushing |
| Southern | Receiving |

### Alcorn State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Braves | | | 0 |
| No. 19 Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alcorn State | Passing |
| Alcorn State | Rushing |
| Alcorn State | Receiving |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |