Three and out

What we learned

• This team might actually be for real. Since a dismal start and coaching change, Southern has gone 2-0 by gutting out two close wins over rivals away from home. The Jaguars are riding a wave of momentum, and there’s no telling how far they can go.
• Dray Joseph is the man. He played the whole way, and coaches never wavered despite a stagnant offensive start. He rewarded their confidence with another solid outing and big plays with the game on the line.

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Two weeks in a row, Southern has faced a hot quarterback and dominant receiver. While it can’t be said that they shut Florida A&M’s down, they did keep them from racking up points, and a late defensive touchdown made the difference in the ballgame. With the exception of a rough fourth quarter at Jackson State, this is looking like a resilient, bend-don’t-break unit that’s finding its footing.

Final thoughts

For the second straight week, the Jaguars went through sloppy periods, committed too many penalties and couldn’t get a running game going. But while there’s lots of room for improvement, it’s nice to see they can win games despite their faults.

—Mike McCall