A humbled Southern football team is heading west for its Southwestern Athletic Conference opener Saturday, but the Jaguars have nothing on their opponent in that respect.
Southern’s opponent, Prairie View, also has felt the sting of a loss to a heated rival. What’s worse for the Panthers is their season-opening 27-9 loss to Texas Southern put them in a hole in the SWAC West Division race behind the Jaguars.
Southern is facing the reigning division champs in an urgent, if not desperate, situation. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Panther Stadium in Texas.
“They’re going to be at home and have already taken a loss on that side,” Southern coach Terrence Graves said. “It’s on us to make sure we’re prepared to win on the road. You have to win on the road if you are going to win championships.”
Graves is looking for a strong rebound from his team being manhandled in a nonconference loss to Jackson State. He and the coaching staff have spent all week figuring out how to avoid a repeat of the slow start that turned into a 33-15 beatdown in which the Jaguars trailed 23-0 at one point.
With an uncertain quarterback situation, a victory would send the Jaguars into its first open date at 2-2 with more time to focus on adjustments.
“We want to be 1-0 in the West; it’s huge going into the bye week,” Graves said. “You can go in and work on some things that you may not have an opportunity when you go week to week. We can scale back and self-scout on what we do, and then get ready to make a run in the second half of the season.”
Quarterback Noah Bodden likely will start for the third time in four games after losing his job to C’Zavian Teasett a week ago. Teasett is questionable with an ankle injury suffered against Jackson State. Bodden bounced back to throw for 352 yards and two touchdowns with a pair of interceptions at Jackson State.
The real issue for Southern offensively is a running game that has yet to get going, and that’s a problem for PVU also. The Jaguars average 2.7 yards per carry, which is ninth in the SWAC. That’s one spot ahead of the Panthers, who are averaging 2.3 yards per try.
“We’ve got to do better,” PVU coach Bubba McDowell said. “We do it in spurts. We have to be consistent going into SWAC play to open up the passing game and be where we need to be at the end of the year. I told the guys to go out and do your job. We got guys on the front line with not a whole lot of experience but they’re getting better each week.”
Graves nearly has the same sentiments. The Jaguars have a developing offensive line with several new faces, and Graves said he may play more people in the rotation.
“You have to keep plugging at it,” Graves said of the running game. “Some people when they perceive it’s not working want to throw the baby out with the bath water. You’ve got to stay with it, keep pushing.
“We’ve got new guys playing together on the line. They have to gel. Game experience is the best experience. A lot of times it was some technical things, fundamental things, guys communicating as offensive linemen should. They’ll be better.”
Graves is hoping the same goes for a defense that played poorly last week after two good efforts. The Jaguars allowed 155 yards and 16 points in the first quarter vs. Jackson State.
“Our guys were pressing too much,” he said of the defense. “When guys are trying to make plays and do things they don’t need to do, that happens.”