JACKSON, Miss. – The Jackson State Tigers used a clawing defense to take a 27-10 win over Prairie View A&M Saturday afternoon, during the Southwestern Athletic Conference Championship game, ending what has been a very special season for the Panthers.
 
"This was a good season, a great game, but we just had some missed opportunities, that didn't allow the game to go our way," said head football coach Eric Dooley. 
 
Prairie View A&M won their first SWAC Western title since 2009, along with one of Dooley's better season with a 7-5 overall and 6-2 SWAC record as a head coach. 
 
"Both teams defense did a great job, Dooley said.  "Jackson defense was the key to game after running a punt return back for a touchdown and a pick six, that put 14 points on the board for them (Jackson).  Defensively we made big plays when we needed to, and didn't allow their offense to dictate the outcome of the game."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Looking at the numbers did not indicate what the actual score of the game was.  Both defenses held strong early before Prairie View got on the board with an eight-play 67-yard scoring drive which they capped off with a 35-yard catch and run touchdown by Jailon Howard.
 
The Tigers were able to answer with an eight-play, 67 yard drive that ended in a 16-yard catch knotting the game at seven apiece ending the first quarter.
 
The next quarter was very similar as PV struck again, putting another score on the board with a Luis Reyes 37-yard field goal.  Jackson State put another score on the board before halftime, after a 91 yard kickoff return and a failed PAT to take a 13-10 lead over the Panthers.
 
Halfway through the third Jackson State turned the defense up as they returned a five-yard interception to advance the score to 20-10. This changed the momentum of the game as the Panthers made a quarterback change bringing in Trazon Connley as PVAMU was looking for a little spark.
 
"I thought that we needed a spark," said Dooley.  "I felt I had some missed opportunities and I thought it was time for a change."
 
The Tigers put another score on the board with six minutes left in the third taking a 27-10 final.
 
Both teams defense didn't allow more than 240 total yards.  The Panthers only totaled 230 offensive yards (100 rushing, 130 passing), while Jackson State was limited to 233 total yards (148 rushing yards, and only 85 passing yards).

Connley was the Panthers leading rusher, carrying 10 times for 66 yards.  Howard finished the game with four grabs 93-yards and a TD as the Panthers leading receiver.
 
The game marked the final performance as a Panther for the team's 14 seniors #62 Nicholas Wiseman, #6 Tre'Shaud Smith, #8 Evan Fairs, #70 Danny Garza, #56 Josh Crawford, #51 Desmond Calloway, #88 Donovan White, #1 Jawon Pass, #90 Chris Myers, #0 Antonio Mullins, #9 Chris Johnson, #43 Carl Davis, #0 Darius Campbell and #6 Lyndemian Brooks.
 
Keep up with all the latest news and information for PVAMU athletics by following pvpanthers.com as well as through Twitter via the PVAMU general sports account (@PVAMUPanthers). You can also follow along on Instagram.com/pvamupanthers.  You can now find the Panthers on Snap Chat @pvamuathletics.
 
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