Saturday the Tigers of Tennessee State and the Delta Devils of Mississippi Valley State will clash in the 25th John Merritt Classic. This will be the first meeting between the schools since the 21st John Merritt Classic, matchup that TSU won 26-20.
Mississippi Valley State
Coach Kendrick Wade’s Mississippi Valley State team is coming off a 1-10 season, with their lone victory being a 42-17 thrashing of fellow SWAC cellar dweller, Arkansas Pine Bluff. Last season the Delta Devils ranked at the bottom of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in points (12.0 ppg), rushing offense (89.6 yards per game), total offense (249.2 yards per game), total yards ( 2741), touchdowns (16) and yards per play ( 3.9 yards per play.
On the other side of the ball, things were not better for MVSU with the Delta Devils defense ranking 7th in points allowed (27.6 ppg), 10th in total defense ( 381.9 ypg), last in sacks ( 12 on the season) and 11th interceptions ( 7 in 11 games).
Coach Wade stated on Monday’s SWAC Football Coaches Media Call that 2023 Jerry Rice Award Finalist Ty’Jarian Williams will be the Delta Devils’ starting quarterback. The sophomore signal caller out of Aliceville High School appeared in 10 games for MVSU last season, completing 123 of 199 pass attempts for 1197 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Following his best outing of the season, when he completed 19-29 passes for 265 yards and 3 touchdowns Williams was named FCS National Freshman Player of the Week (October 16, 2023) and SWAC Newcomer of the Week ( October 17, 2023).
Tennessee State
Tennessee State comes into the season looking to build off a 6-5 record that was their first winning record in seven seasons but ended in disappointment as the Tigers ended the season on a three-game skid.
Last season one of Tennessee State’s strengths was its defense. The unit ranked third in the Big South-OVC Football Association, allowing 24.7 points per game. The 2024 iteration of the Tennessee State will have to contend with opposing offenses without Monroe Beard and Terrell Allen both of whom transferred from the program in the offseason. The former led the conference in tackles and was an OVC First Team performer, while the latter, led FCS in sacks and tackles for loss and was, amongst other accolades, the Big South-OVC Defensive Player of the Year. One of the players who will be called upon to help fill those massive voids will be sophomore defensive lineman Eriq George. He appeared in 9 games, recording 25 total tackles ( 13 solo, 12 assisted) 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a fumble recovery. George showed flashes of potentially being an impact player, as he was named to the FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team.
Quarterback Draylen Ellis will lead the Tigers offense, a unit that was 6th in the Big South-OVC, averaging 22.7 ppg and 7th in total offense, producing 303.5 yards per game. Last season, splitting time with Daveon Bryant, the Austin Peay transfer appeared in 10 games, completing 103 of 196 pass attempts for 1075 yards for 6 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, with his best statistical performance a 9-14 for 236 yards, the only time he topped the 200-yard mark on the season and a touchdown in a 43-20 win over Lindenwood on October 28. If the Tennessee State offense is to rid itself of the rampant inconsistency that plagued them last season, Draylen Ellis will have to play consistent and high-IQ football.
Prediction:
There is one thing that can be counted on from a Mississippi Valley State team, and that is they will intensely compete for the duration of the game. This will certainly ring true on Saturday, however, the effort will not be able to make up the talent gap between the two teams and as the game wears on, Tennessee State will impose its will and ultimately distance itself from the Delta Devils. MVSU has not defeated TSU since 1991 and that won’t change after Saturday.
Final Score
Tennessee State: 27 Mississippi Valley State: 13
