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SU-UAPB Matchups
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Southern FS Jason House
28 tackles, 1/2 tackle for loss, 6 interceptions, 7 passes deflections, 1 forced fumble
House’s six interceptions are matched by only one player in the Football Championship Subdivision — Thornton. House has 157 return yards off of his picks, and he has come close to scoring on several of them. But he hasn’t reached the end zone yet. In the bigger picture, however, House will play a vital role in slowing down the Pine Bluff offense. The Golden Lions like to run first, then catch defenses off balance with the play-action passes. When they run, House — not known for his tackling — must wrap up the ball carrier. When they go to play-action, House can’t afford to get fooled.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff FS Kevin Thornton
38 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 6 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery
Thornton leads a Golden Lions defense that has proven to be very, very stingy. Pine Bluff leads the SWAC and ranks seventh nationally in total defense, allowing 255.0 yards per game. As for Thornton, he is a playmaker. His six interceptions are tied for the national lead in the Football Championship Subdivision, and he has returned two of them for touchdowns. In what figures to be a low-scoring game, Southern and quarterback Bryant Lee can’t afford to throw costly interceptions. Worse yet, the Jaguars must not allow Thornton to pick off a pass and return it for a quick touchdown. They will have a hard enough time scoring points; they can’t afford to make it harder on themselves.
MATCHUPS
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QUARTERBACKS
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RUNNING BACKS
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OFFENSIVE LINE
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RECEIVERS
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TIGHT ENDS
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DEFENSIVE LINE
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LINEBACKERS
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DEFENSIVE BACKS
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KICKERS
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KICK RETURNERS
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INTANGIBLES
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COACHING
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PREDICTION
Do the Jaguars show up and play hard? Or do they decide to call it a year? They’re on the road. The weather will be nice, but brisk. They know they have very little chance of winning the Western Division. If they don’t get off the bus with the right mind-set, they could find themselves trailing in a hurry, because Pine Bluff, with remaining games against Southern, Grambling and Prairie View, still has a shot at winning the West. What’s more, the Golden Lions are a tough out. They play strong defense, run the football and try to limit their mistakes (they rank second in the SWAC with a turnover margin of plus-8). Sure, Southern has the talent to win. But after losing a tough game to Prairie View last week, are the Jaguars interested in playing hard?
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24, Southern 21
Perryn Keys
