Previewing Southern vs. Jackson State for the 2024 SWAC football championship

After a thrilling regular season, the 2024 SWAC Championship is here. SWAC East champion Jackson State hosts SWAC West champion Southern with a conference title and a Celebration Bowl berth on the line.

Everything you need to know for the SWAC Championship Game

How to watch

• Time: 2 p.m. ET
• Date: Saturday, Dec. 7
• TV: ESPN2
• Streaming:
• Location: Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi
• Live Stats: Click or tap here for live stats during the game

Regular season result

Jackson State defeated Southern 33-15 during the regular season. The game was played in Jackson. Click or tap here for complete stats from the game. The Tigers rushed for 201 yards and three scores and intercepted two passes.

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All-SWAC players

Here are the top players to watch from each team, highlighted by SWAC Offensive Player of the Year Irv Mulligan (1,058 rushing yards) and Freshman of the Year Travis Terrell Jr. (412 rushing yards) of Jackson State and Co-Defensive Player of the Year Ckleby Givens (67 tackles, 26.5 tfl, 11 sacks) of Southern.

Jackson State

• 1st Team: Running Back: Irv Mulligan, Jackson State
• 1st Team: Offensive Lineman: D'Andre Townes-Blue, Jackson State
• 1st Team: Defensive Lineman: Joshua Nobles, Jackson State
• 1st Team: Defensive Back: Ke'Vric Wiggins Jr., Jackson State
• 1st Team: Return Specialist: Travis Terrell Jr., Jackson State
• 1st Team: Long Snapper: Avery Salerno, Jackson State
• 2nd Team: Quarterback: Jacobian Morgan, Jackson State
• 2nd Team: Offensive Lineman: Evan Henry, Jackson State
• 2nd Team: Offensive Lineman: Kirk Ford Jr., Jackson State
• 2nd Team: Place Kicker: Gerardo Baeza, Jackson State
• 2nd Team: Punter: Matt Noll, Jackson State

Jackson State led the SWAC with 11 all-conference selections.

Southern

• 1st Team: Defensive Lineman: Ckelby Givens, Southern

Givens was the only Southern player named to the all-conference team.

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Coaches

Two young coaches will be competing for their first SWAC titles this weekend. Jackson State is led by T.C. Taylor, the 2024 SWAC Coach of the Year and a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award. Taylor led the Tigers to an undefeated conference record this fall and is 15-4 against SWAC opponents during his two years as a head coach, including 2-0 against Southern.

Southern head coach Terrence Graves is in his first full year as head coach of the Jaguars after previously leading the team as an interim head coach in the Bayou Classic last year. Graves is very familiar with the SWAC, having previously coached at Southern, Mississippi Valley State and Grambling State. In his first year as a head coach, Graves went undefeated in the SWAC West.

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Stakes

The 2024 SWAC Championship winner will not only win the conference, but it will also secure a berth in the 2024 Celebration Bowl to play South Carolina State from the MEAC. 

If Southern wins, it will make its first Celebration Bowl appearance ever. A win will also end a five-game losing streak to Jackson State and give the Jaguars their first SWAC Championship since 2013.

If Jackson State wins, it will win its third SWAC title in four years, becoming the first program to achieve such a feat since Grambling State three-peated in the early 2000s.

The winner of the 2024 SWAC Championship will move the winning team into a tie for second with Alcorn State’s four SWAC championships in the title-game era.