From Grambling State Sports Information:
Tigers to Open SWAC Play Against Rival Panthers
GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University football team will look to end a few streaks on Saturday as the Tigers open Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play against Prairie View A&M in the annual State Fair Classic at the Cotton Bowl Stadium. Kickoff against the Panthers is set for 4 p.m.
Grambling State (1-2) enters conference play off back-to-back losses to Southern Miss and Houston, while Prairie View A&M (2-1) is coming off a 37-27 victory over Houston Baptist last Saturday.
Saturday’s game will not be streamed/televised. Grambling State will broadcast and stream the game on the Grambling State Sports Radio Network. The game can be heard in Ruston (KRUS – Hitz 96.3) and in Monroe (KNNW – 103.1 FM). The Tigers’ broadcast crew of Santoria Black, Ossie Clark, Nick Harrison and T. Lay Collins will call all of the action.
“It was good to get back out there and play last week and we played against a really, really tough University of Houston football team, a very deep football team, that can really throw the football, run the football really well,” Grambling State head football coach Broderick Fobbs said. “I thought for a quarter and a half we played really good defense. Offensively we struggled and we weren’t able to sustain any drives or put any points on the board.
Those types of games you’ve got to be prepared to jump over those types of hurdles in order to have a chance to win. We just didn’t overcome much of the hurdles in order to have a chance to win the football game.”
Despite the loss to Houston, Fobbs said the team is eager to get back out on the field this week in the conference opener.
“Wow it has been three years since we’ve won this ballgame,” Fobbs said. “Coach (Eric) Dooley has done an exceptional job of really coaching his team and being prepared and ready to play. We’re looking forward to this and looking forward to this challenge.
“It’s our first conference game and it’s an opportunity to play against a really good program, not only a good program, but good people as well. We feel really good about our football team. We also feel really good being back here in the Cotton Bowl where all the ghost of the past, the great players have played. We’re just looking forward to playing Grambling Tiger football.”
ABOUT THE GAME
– Grambling State and Prairie View A&M will be meeting for the 63rd time
– The Tigers are looking to end an overall two-game losing streak and a three-game streak to the Panthers
– Grambling State is 27-9 in the State Fair Classic, but haven’t won the annual event since 2017
– The Panthers last won three straight in the series from 2011-13 and haven’t won four straight against the Tigers since 1951-54
– The last three games in the State Fair Classic have all been decided by at least one score (eight points or less)
– Grambling State head coach Broderick Fobbs will be looking for his first victory over the former GSU offensive coordinator
GRAMBLING STATE NEWS & NOTES
– The Tigers are coming off back-to-back shutout losses to Southern Miss and Houston
– Grambling State played three quarterbacks last week against Houston as Aldon Clark earned the start, with Elijah Walker and John-Paul Pierce coming off the bench
– The Tigers enter Saturday’s game having not scored in the last eight quarters
– GSU wraps up its Texas Two-Step against PVAMU
– The Tigers are averaging 142.3 yards per game and will be looking to improve the offensive statistics against the Panthers
– Blake Thomas paces the defense with 14 tackles over the past three games
PRAIRIE VIEW A&M NEWS & NOTES
– The Panthers are coming off a 37-27 victory over Houston Baptist last weekend
– PVAMU quarterback Jawon Pass went 24 of 35 passing for 365 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win
– Pass was selected the SWAC Newcomer of the Week
– Prairie View A&M amassed 529 total yards against HBU
– The Panthers average 28.6 points and 440.3 total yards per game
– Through the three opening games, Pass is 66 of 108 for 898 yards and six touchdowns. He also has tossed five interceptions
– Tre’shaud Smith leads the defense with 22 tackles
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY
– Grambling State leads the all-time series, 51-20-1
– The series dates back to 1950 – Prairie View A&M won the first meeting, 40-7
– Grambling State dominated the series from 1987-2008, winning all 20 games
– The Tigers have dropped three straight in the series and haven’t won since winning four straight from 2014-2017
BRODERICK FOBBS TRENDS
– Grambling State is 9-6 in the state of Texas
– GSU is looking to snap a five-game conference losing streak
– The Tigers are 13-6 on natural grass
– Grambling State is 13-11 in games decided by eight points or less (three of which have come to PVAMU)
– GSU is 14-14 in September and 38-17 in games played before 6 p.m.
WHAT FANS ARE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR
– The Gameday color for Grambling State fans is … wear WHITE
LOOKING AHEAD TO WHAT’S NEXT
– Grambling State has its home opener against Alabama A&M
– The Bulldogs are the defending SWAC Champions
– Alabama A&M is led by SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, quarterback Aqeel Glass
– Grambling State leads the all-time series, 20-6, which dates back to the 1989 season
– The Tigers are currently on a four-game winning streak against the Bulldogs
– Alabama A&M’s last win in the series came in 2013, a 23-9 victory
– The home opener will be Pro Football Hall of Fame Day and High School Day at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium
– Fans can purchase tickets by visiting gsutigers.com orclicking here
