Jackson State football (12-0, 8-0 SWAC) is one win away from its first perfect season and the program’s first Celebration Bowl victory Saturday (11 a.m., ABC) against North Carolina Central at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
The matchup will serve as the end of the Deion Sanders era with the Tigers, with the third-season coach leaving to be the new head coach at Colorado. T.C. Taylor, a wide receivers coach on Sanders’ staff, was tabbed as the successor by JSU on Tuesday.
Jackson State won consecutive SWAC championships with a 43-24 victory over Southern on Dec. 3. Shedeur Sanders went 30-for-43 for 320 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. Sy’veon Wilkerson added 61 rushing yards and a TD.
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The Eagles (9-2) advanced to the Celebration Bowl after beating Norfolk State on Nov. 12 to go 4-1 in the MEAC. Quarterback Davius Richard had a hand in five touchdowns for the Eagles in a 48-14 road victory.
Jackson State football vs. North Carolina Central game time, TV info
The game is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on ABC.
Jackson State football score vs. NC Central: Live updates from the Celebration Bowl
Second quarter
JSU leads again
30 seconds left: Touchdown JSU! That was a Shedeur Sanders drive. He scrambled for 17 yards to set up first and goal, then finishes the drive with a 7-yard TD run.
JSU 21, NC Central 17.
NC Central retakes the lead
3:51 left: J’Mari Taylor finishes off the NC Central drive with a 10-yard TD run. Davius Richard did the grunt work on the drive on the ground.
NC Central retakes the lead, 17-14.
Jackson State takes the lead on long TD pass
10:41 left: Touchdown JSU! Shedeur Sanders finds a wide open Kevin Coleman, who outraces the NCCU defense for the score. 85-yard TD catch.
JSU 14, NC Central 10.
11:49 left: Two teams trade punts.
First quarter
1:36 left: JSU’s defense gets the stop, with help from a couple NC Central penalties.
3:59 left: Travis Hunter takes an end-around and fumbles. NC Central recovers at the JSU 31-yard line.
4:52 left: Jeremiah Williams sack. NC Central will punt.
Jackson State on the board with a Shedeur Sanders TD pass
6:27 left: Shedeur Sanders to D.J. Stevens over the middle for the JSU TD. 24-yard TD pass.
PAT good. Excellent response for the Tigers. NC Central 10, Jackson State 7.
6:54 left: Shedeur Sanders runs for a first down and is hit late out of bounds. First first down of the day for the Tigers.
NC Central up 10-0 with trickeration
7:27 left: A WR reverse pass to QB Davius Richard sets up first and goal, and Richard scores on the ground on the next play.
NC Central 10, Jackson State 0.
8:49 left: NC Central runs for first downs on consecutive plays. JSU’s defense not with the intensity we’re used to yet.
9:52 left: JSU goes three-and-out and will punt. Sy’veon Wilkerson was stopped on third and short, though he didn’t have much room.
NC Central out to an early lead
11:42 left: Nearly a Travis Hunter INT on third down. Did well breaking on the ball. NC Central’s Adrian Olivo is good from 32 yards out.
NC Central 3, Jackson State 0.
13:10 left: E.J. Hicks makes a long catch ahead of Travis Hunter, and NCCU is in the red zone. 42-yard catch.
15:00 left: About ready to go in Atlanta. NC Central to receive.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson State football score vs. NC Central: Live Celebration Bowl updates