Defense does it for SU

• By PERRYN KEYS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Nov 16, 2008 - UPDATED: 1 a.m.

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MOBILE, Ala. — Dexter James literally had a hand in the biggest play of Southern’s 15-0 victory Saturday night over Alabama State.

With the Jaguars holding a shaky lead in the third quarter of a frigid, turnover-filled Gulf Coast Classic, James charged through the line of scrimmage and threw his arms skyward — just as ASU quarterback Brandon Dowdell attempted his throw.

The pass hit James’ right hand and fluttered downward. The junior defensive end’s back was turned when his teammate, linebacker Johnathan Malveuax, plucked the ball returned it for the game’s only touchdown.

“I didn’t even see Malveaux catch it. I didn’t know he had it until I turned around and saw him running,” James said. “I had to run with him.”

Run they did — all the way to the end zone, and all the way back to Baton Rouge with a hard-earned Southwestern Athletic Conference victory on a cold, breezy night in Ladd-Peebles Stadium.

“The thing is to get to the next game,” SU coach Pete Richardson said. “Our goal is to get to the championship game, and I thought we played well at times. But we’ve got a ways to go.”

Most importantly, the Jaguars (6-4, 5-1 SWAC) kept alive their slim hopes of a Western Division title, but got no help from Prairie View (9-1, 7-1), which shares second place. The Panthers finished their regular season Saturday with a 37-3 wipeout of Alcorn State.

Meanwhile, first-place Grambling (8-2, 5-0) had a bye before its Thursday game against Texas Southern.

SU’s best shot is to hope Grambling wins against TSU, then loses to the Jaguars in the Bayou Classic.

As for Southern’s victory over Alabama State … well, it was something of a mixed bag, of positive signs and question marks.

Saturday marked SU’s first shutout of a SWAC opponent since a 38-0 win over Prairie View in 2005; the Jaguars’ defense produced four interceptions, stopped the Hornets five times in SU territory and held Alabama State to 152 yards in all.

“As an offense, we just didn’t do our job,” ASU quarterback Brandon Dowdell said. “We made a lot of mistakes, a lot of turnovers.”