Jackson State opened the 2026 season with a thrilling 26-24 victory over Tennessee State on Saturday night, overcoming a fourth-quarter deficit and surviving a late field-goal attempt to secure the season-opening win.
The Tigers wasted little time making an impact.
On Jackson State’s opening drive, quarterback Jared Lockhart sold a play-action fake on 3rd-and-6, stepped up in the pocket and found a wide-open Jabari Jones for an 88-yard touchdown pass. The explosive play gave Jackson State an early 7-0 advantage.
Tennessee State answered immediately.
On the ensuing drive, quarterback Daylin Lee escaped pressure from Jackson State’s Micah Gray on 3rd-and-5 before buying enough time to find Aaron Duncan II downfield for a big gain. One play later, Brenton Paul powered up the middle for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
After Jackson State missed a field-goal attempt, Tennessee State capitalized. From the 1-yard line, Lee kept the ball himself and powered into the end zone, putting TSU ahead 14-7.
Jackson State responded before halftime when kicker Andrew Ivaniciuc connected on a 38-yard field goal, cutting Tennessee State’s advantage to 14-10.
Jackson State Takes Control in the Third
Jackson State came out of halftime determined to flip the game.
The Tigers marched 52 yards on eight plays, with Nate Blount IV providing the spark with runs of 15 and 14 yards. Ivaniciuc finished the drive with a 45-yard field goal, bringing Jackson State within 17-13.
Jackson State then took its first lead since the opening quarter.
Lockhart connected with his brother, Jaden Lockhart, for a 10-yard completion during a 60-yard, 10-play drive. Emari Matthews finished the possession with a 2-yard touchdown run, putting Jackson State ahead 20-17 with 7:06 remaining in the third quarter.
The Tigers added another field goal late in the quarter.
A 16-yard run by Blount helped set up a 33-yard drive that ended with Ivaniciuc drilling a 51-yard field goal with 1:13 remaining in the third, extending Jackson State’s lead to 23-17.
Tennessee State Retakes the Lead
The Tigers from Nashville answered in the fourth.
Lee connected with Francisco Pratts III for a 5-yard touchdown pass with 8:48 remaining, giving Tennessee State a 24-23 advantage and setting up a dramatic finish.
Jackson State responded with perhaps its most important drive of the night.
The Tigers went 15 plays and 74 yards, draining 6:13 off the clock while relying heavily on Blount and Matthews to move the ball inside the Tennessee State 10-yard line.
Facing 4th-and-goal from the TSU 3-yard line, Jackson State turned to Ivaniciuc.
The kicker delivered again, connecting on a 21-yard field goal with 2:31 remaining to put Jackson State back in front, 26-24.
Jackson State Defense Comes Through
Tennessee State still had one final opportunity.
The Tigers drove into field-goal range and appeared to have a chance to win the game with a 36-yard attempt. But with less than a minute remaining, Jackson State’s defense made the biggest play of the night.
The Tigers swarmed the line of scrimmage and blew up the field-goal attempt before Tennessee State’s kicker could get the kick away, turning the potential game-winner into a turnover on downs.
Jackson State took over, kneeled out the remaining seconds and walked away with a dramatic 26-24 season-opening victory.
The win gives Jackson State an early statement victory, while Tennessee State will be left to look back on a game that came down to the final possession.
Final: Jackson State 26, Tennessee State 24.
