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JACKSON, Miss. – The Jackson State Tigers enter the 2022 season looking to defend their championship title after concluding last season in first place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division.
The Tigers won the 2021 Cricket SWAC Championship game against Prairie View A&M (27-10) and advanced to the 2021 Celebration Bowl where their season concluded with a loss against South Carolina State (31-10).
Eight Tigers were selected as members of the 2022 All-SWAC Preseason Team highlighted by the 2021 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year and 2021 Jerry Rice Award winner quarterback Shedeur Sanders (First Team). Additional first team selections include offensive lineman Tony Gray, linebacker Aubrey Miller Jr., safety Shilo Sanders and return specialist Isaiah Bolden.
A trio of Tigers were selected to the second team highlighted by wide receiver Malachi Wideman, defensive lineman Devonta Davis, and safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig.
Jackson State was picked No. 15 in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 poll. Under the direction of head coach Deion Sanders the Tigers will look to claim back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 1995.
The JSU offense is headlined by Sanders who completed 248-of-361 passes (68.7 percent) for 2,971 yards (over 200 in every game) and 28 touchdowns with only five interceptions last season. He tallied a 160.5 passer efficiency rating that ranked fifth in the FCS – and rushed for three more scores. He threw for over 3,000 yards and added a 29th TD pass in the SWAC championship game.
Miller Jr. is a key component on the defensive side of the ball for the Tigers as he finished last season first in the league in tackles (109), sixth in sacks (6.5), and seventh in tackles for loss (11.5).
The Tigers will open the season on the road against Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic on Sunday, September 4
th. The listing of upcoming SWAC football broadcasts featuring Jackson State can be found below.
| Date |
Game |
Watch |
| Sept. 4 |
Florida A&M vs. Jackson State |
ESPN2 |
| Sept. 17 |
Grambling State at Jackson State |
*ESPN3 |
| Sept. 24 |
Mississippi Valley State at Jackson State |
ESPN+ |
| Oct. 8 |
Jackson State at Alabama State |
*ESPN3 |
| Oct. 15 |
Jackson State at Bethune-Cookman |
ESPN+ |
| Oct. 22 |
Campbell at Jackson State |
ESPN+ |
| Oct. 29 |
Southern at Jackson State |
ESPN+ |
| Nov. 5 |
Jackson State at Texas Southern |
ESPN+ |
| Nov. 12 |
Alabama A&M vs. Jackson State |
ESPN+ |
| Nov. 19 |
Jackson State at Alcorn State |
ESPN+ |
*Denotes game will also be shown tape delayed on ESPNU
About the SWAC
The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) is considered one of the premier HBCU conferences in the country and currently ranks among the elite in the nation in terms of HBCU alumni playing with professional sports teams.
Current championship competition offered by the league includes competition for men in Baseball, Basketball, Cross Country, Football, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, and Tennis.
Women’s competition is offered in the sports of Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Indoor Track and Field, Outdoor Track and Field, Soccer, Softball, Tennis, and Volleyball.
Follow the SWAC
For complete coverage of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, please follow the SWAC on social media at @TheSWAC (Twitter), @TheSWAC (Facebook), and @TheSWAC (Instagram) or visit the official home of the Southwestern Athletic Conference at
www.swac.org.