The unexpected loss for Jackson State came primarily because of the dominance of S.C. State’s defense.
Coach Deion Sanders provides no excuses. Ever. The football team played poorly on Saturday, the coach thought the defense was just as bad. This led to a predictable Cricket Celebration Bowl game where South Carolina State defeated Jackson State 31-10.
South Carolina State was a team with a lot of heart and a good defense. But the Tigers were outmatched by Jackson State’s offense, even if they did let up some opportunities early on. When the game got tight, the Bulldogs made too many mistakes to recover.
South Carolina State had a strong defensive showing on Saturday, turning a fumble and two interceptions into 21 points. The three touchdown drives for the Gamecocks started at Jackson State’s 4-yard line, 12-yard line, and 16-yard line respectively. “We kind of used Jackson State’s game plan all season against them,” South Carolina State coach Oliver “Buddy” Pough said after the game.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders had a great season so far until this past week. In his first seven games, he threw for 30 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Quarterbacks have to have a streak of good play to keep the momentum going – but that didn’t happen for Sanders against South Carolina State as he passed for just 175 yards.
Deion Sanders summed up his thoughts on the game with South Carolina State. “South Carolina State kicked our butts in every way and every fashion,” he said. “I feel like we were overconfident and overlooking them as if they were going to hand us the game. After all, they are 6-5.”
“We were a little lackadaisical,” said Deion Sanders. “We had that fire in the locker room before the game because we turn up, but there was just something missing, and when I looked in their eyes, something was missing.”
In the days and week following his hiring, Deion Sanders declared “his staff would have 84 years of combined NFL experience, including his 14-year career.” However, after announcing his coaching staff, it came to light that there was not quite enough experience for a total with 72 years.
Deion Sanders is a professional American football player and coach. He famously played for the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers before retiring from the NFL in 2006. As a college football coach, he has taken a different approach to the game than most coaches that we’ve seen as he wears gold chains and sunglasses on the sidelines.
His coaching style is more of an enthralling narrative as opposed to focusing on winning games. But what really matters is that he is making waves in the FCS world by landing No. 1 recruit Cam’ron Matthews at Jackson State University.
Sanders is a hard-nosed coach who is known for the high level of defense his teams play. His resume includes five NCAA Division I National Championships with three different schools. He will bring a defensive mindset to a team that has been starved for one in recent years. For a midmajor program, Sanders is a big name hire and a strong candidate to build on their recent success.
