JACKSON, Miss. — Locked in a tie midway through the fourth quarter against a nationally ranked opponent, Hampton University saw Jackson State pull away in the teams’ season opener.
The Tigers, ranked 17th in the FCS STATS preseason poll and the reigning HBCU national champs as Celebration Bowl victors, beat the Pirates 28-14 Saturday. Dating to last season, it was JSU’s 11th consecutive victory and the Pirates’ fifth consecutive defeat.
HU coach Trenton Boykin gave Isaiah Freeman the starting quarterback job, and the transfer from Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University delivered with a 63-yard run to the 3 on the first possession. Ja’Quan Snipes scored from there, giving HU a 7-0 lead. The Tigers countered with a pair of touchdown runs for a 14-7 halftime lead, though .
Strong defense kept HU competitive, and the Pirates pulled even with 10:44 left in the fourth quarter when Marshawn Ferguson Jr. took a pass in the middle of the field and completed a 30-yard touchdown with 10:44 to go.
JSU then showed its pedigree, driving 80 yards to score on Ahmad Miller’s 2-yard touchdown run with 5:32 on the clock.
After the Tigers’ Khamauri Rogers intercepted an overthrown Freeman pass, Miller raced 76 yards for a touchdown to virtually seal the game with a 28-14 lead and about four minutes left.
Freeman had 94 yards on 13 carries and was 10 of 17 for 117 yards. Backup QB Braden Davis, a Syracuse transfer, was 11 of 12 for 84 yards.
Miller finished with 172 yards on 10 carries as the Tigers rushed for 283 yards on 32 attempts.
