# 2020 Jackson State Tigers football team

The 2020 Jackson State Tigers football team represented Jackson State University in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Tigers were led by Pro Football Hall of Famer and first-year head coach Deion Sanders and played their home games at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi as members of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
On July 20, 2020, the Southwestern Athletic Conference announced that it would not play fall sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which includes the football program. The conference ultimately moved its football schedule to the 2021 spring semester.

## Schedule

Due to the SWAC's postponement of the 2020 football season to spring 2021, games against Florida A&M, Langston, Southern Miss, and Tennessee State were canceled. The SWAC released updated spring schedules on August 17.
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| February 21 | 1:00 p.m. | Edward Waters* | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | ESPN3 | W 53–0 | 11,000 |
| March 6 | 12:00 p.m. | at Grambling State | Eddie Robinson StadiumGrambling, LA | ESPN3 | W 33–28 | 6,340 |
| March 14 | 2:00 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | ESPN2 | W 43–7 | 22,000 |
| March 20 | 3:00 p.m. | at Alabama State | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | ESPN2 | L 28–35 | 5,908 |
| April 3 | 4:00 p.m. | Southern* | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS (Boombox Classic) | ESPN | L 14–34 | 22,000 |
| April 10 | 2:00 p.m. | Alabama A&M | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | ESPN | L 43–52 | 20,051 |
| April 17 | | at Alcorn State | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS (Soul Bowl) | | W 2–0 (forfeit) | |
| *Non-conference gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Staff

| Name | Position | Consecutive season at Jackson State in current position |
| Deion Sanders | Head Coach | 1st |
| Otis Riddley | Director of player personnel | 1st |
| Michael Pollock | Co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks | 1st |
| Jason Phillips | Co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach | 1st |
| Dennis Thurman | Defensive Coordinator | 1st |
| Alan Ricard | Special teams coordinator | 1st |
| T.C. Taylor | Tight ends coach | 2nd |
| Mike Markuson | Offensive line coach | 1st |
| Gary Harrell | Running Backs Coach | 1st |
| Jeff Weeks | Defensive line coach | 1st |
| Andre' Hart | Linebackers Coach | 1st |
| Kevin Mathis | Defensive backs coach | 1st |

## Game summaries
### Edward Waters

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| EWU Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • JSU Tigers | 10 | 21 | 6 | 16 | 53 |
| Statistics | Edward Waters | Jackson State |
| First downs | 8 | 27 |
| Total yards | 104 | 435 |
| Rushing yards | 21 | 183 |
| Passing yards | 83 | 252 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 28:35 | 31:25 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Edward Waters | Passing | Roshard Branch | 9/21, 83 yards |
| Edward Waters | Rushing | De'Shaun Hugee | 6 carries, 10 yards |
| Edward Waters | Receiving | Samuel Thompson | 3 receptions, 28 yards |
| Jackson State | Passing | Jalon Jones | 17/19, 163 yards, 2 TDs |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Kymani Clarke | 18 carries, 92 yards, 2 TDs |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Warren Newman | 8 receptions, 76 yards, 1 TD |

### At Grambling State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • JSU Tigers | 7 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 33 |
| GRAM Tigers | 14 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| GRAM −10.5 | 50 |
| Statistics | Jackson State | Grambling State |
| First downs | 21 | 29 |
| Total yards | 473 | 422 |
| Rushing yards | 293 | 182 |
| Passing yards | 180 | 240 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 28:06 | 31:54 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Jackson State | Passing | Jalon Jones | 12/18, 180 yards, 3 TDs |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Tyson Alexander | 17 carries, 184 yards, 1 TD |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Daylen Baldwin | 4 receptions, 95 yards, 1 TD |
| Grambling State | Passing | Geremy Hickbottom | 24/35, 237 yards, 1 TD |
| Grambling State | Rushing | Geremy Hickbottom | 16 carries, 81 yards, 1 TD |
| Grambling State | Receiving | Dorrell James | 6 receptions, 87 yards |

### Mississippi Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Delta Devils | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| • Tigers | 7 | 23 | 0 | 13 | 43 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| JSU −17.5 | 55 |
| Statistics | Mississippi Valley State | Jackson State |
| First downs | 15 | 21 |
| Total yards | 271 | 456 |
| Rushing yards | 147 | 153 |
| Passing yards | 124 | 303 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 34:08 | 25:52 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Mississippi Valley State | Passing | Jalani Eason | 17/34, 117 yards, 1 INT |
| Mississippi Valley State | Rushing | Darius Williams | 9 carries, 65 yards |
| Mississippi Valley State | Receiving | Jarius Clayton | 5 receptions, 35 yards |
| Jackson State | Passing | Jalon Jones | 14/27, 250 yards, 3 TDs |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Tyson Alexander | 6 carries, 136 yards, 3 TDs |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Daylen Baldwin | 6 receptions, 136 yards, 3 TDs |

### At Alabama State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 0 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 28 |
| • Hornets | 0 | 14 | 0 | 21 | 35 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| JSU −8.0 | 46 |
| Statistics | Jackson State | Alabama State |
| First downs | 24 | 21 |
| Total yards | 350 | 466 |
| Rushing yards | 170 | 209 |
| Passing yards | 180 | 257 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 29:56 | 30:04 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Jackson State | Passing | Jalon Jones | 19/50, 180 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Jalon Jones | 22 carries, 94 yards, 2 TDs |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Corey Reed Jr. | 8 receptions, 99 yards, 1 TD |
| Alabama State | Passing | Ryan Nettles | 27/42, 257 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Alabama State | Rushing | Ezra Gray | 23 carries, 195 yards, 3 TDs |
| Alabama State | Receiving | Michael Jefferson | 8 receptions, 76 yards |

### Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Jaguars | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 34 |
| Tigers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| SCSU −1.5 | 59 |
| Statistics | Southern | Jackson State |
| First downs | 26 | 16 |
| Total yards | 474 | 309 |
| Rushing yards | 294 | 66 |
| Passing yards | 180 | 243 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 42:49 | 17:11 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Southern | Passing | John Lampley | 9/14, 116 yards, 1 TD |
| Southern | Rushing | Jerodd Sims | 17 carries, 79 yards |
| Southern | Receiving | Ethan Howard | 4 receptions, 54 yards |
| Jackson State | Passing | Jalon Jones | 17/29, 243 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Tyson Alexander | 8 carries, 38 yards |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Daylen Baldwin | 3 receptions, 91 yards, 1 TD |

### Alabama A&M

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Bulldogs | 7 | 21 | 10 | 14 | 52 |
| Tigers | 7 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 43 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| SCSU −10.0 | 53 |
| Statistics | Alabama A&M | Jackson State |
| First downs | 28 | 26 |
| Total yards | 533 | 463 |
| Rushing yards | 93 | 140 |
| Passing yards | 440 | 323 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 29:12 | 30:48 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Alabama A&M | Passing | Aqeel Glass | 27/40, 440 yards, 6 TDs |
| Alabama A&M | Rushing | Gary Quarles | 16 carries, 86 yards |
| Alabama A&M | Receiving | Zabrian Moore | 4 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TD |
| Jackson State | Passing | Quincy Casey | 30/47, 323 yards, 4 TDs |
| Jackson State | Rushing | Santee Marshall | 19 carries, 126 yards, 1 TD |
| Jackson State | Receiving | Daylen Baldwin | 6 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD |