
Jackson State is on the Endicott College shirt verge of becoming a perennial HBCU power under third-year coach Deion Sanders.
The Tigers are coming off a season in which they won a school-record 11 games and won the SWAC championship before ultimately falli Canisius College Golden Griffins Jerseys ng to South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl, t Colorado State Pueblo T College Halloween Costumes hunderwolves clothes he de facto HBCU national championship game.
Sanders followed that up by landing cornerback Travis Hunter, the t WVU vs. Pitt Rivalry Jerseys op player in the 2022 recruiting class. Hunter shocked the recruiting world when he flipped from Florida State — Sanders' alma mater — and signed with Jackson State.
Despite Sanders' success with the Tigers, however, he doesn't feel his team is ready to take on the likes of Alabama. For now, at least.
MORE: Deion Sanders forgoing half of his salary for new Jackson State football facility
Sanders quickly shot down the notion that his team could take on Alabama at SWAC Media Days this week in Birmin College Cold Weather Jerseys gham, Ala., saying, "We're not into sacrificing our kids for a check."
Sanders added that the real difference between Power 5 teams and HBCUs is along the offensive and defensive lines.
"You gotta get me another year. I got to get beef up in the front," Sanders said. "The difference of Power 5 and HBCUs right now is the big guys in the middle. It's not the quarterbacks, it's not the receivers, DBs and skilled positions. It's those big dogs in the middle.
"We've got to beef up that (the lines) to be able to compete with somethi Babson Beavers clothes ng like that."
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So, don't count on a potential revenge game between Sanders and Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban, who accused Jackson State of paying $1 million for Henry. (The two coaches had a brief spat but seem to have repaired their relationship since.)
For what it's worth, Saban at SEC Media Days said he "would be very much in favor" of playing in-state HBCUs such as Alabama State and Alabama A&M.
"I've always been an advocate of playing in-state schools," Saban said, "because I think it sort of helps them raise their level and their ability to compete, which obviously if you do that, you also contribute to how successful the players in those organizations can be."
Alabama has to date never played an HBCU team, nor have the Crimson Tide played any in-state school since Saban took over the program in 2007. In fact, the only in-state programs Alabama has ever faced are Auburn, Birmingham-Southern and Samford.
Florida vs. Georgia Rivalry Gear
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More likely SEC options for Sanders' Jackson State team are Ole Miss or Mississippi State. At SEC Media Days, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin and Bulldogs coach Mike Leach expressed (noncommittal) interest in playing the Tigers.
Said Leach:
We don't have anything scheduled that I'm aware of. On my staff, Tony Hughes used to coach at Jackson State. I know those guys on the staff. They do a really good job. Coach Sanders is a blast, if you know him. Just talking to him is fun. I mean, I wouldn't rule it out. We don't have anything scheduled.
And Kiffin:
It's nice to see Deion Sanders' success, Coach Sanders' success, how well he's done down there, how well he's done in recruiting. I don't know future plans on that, but that would be exciting.
Either wa Michigan vs. Ohio State Rivalry Gear y, Sanders will make sure his team is ready — starting with his linemen.