JACKSON, Miss. — In a dominant performance, Irv Mulligan rushed for 187 yards and one touchdown, marking his fourth consecutive game with over 100 rushing yards, as Jackson State secured a convincing 51-14 victory against the winless Mississippi Valley State on Saturday. This matchup also served as the Tigers’ final home game of the season.

Currently ranked No. 20 in the FCS Coaches Poll, Jackson State improved to an impressive 8-2 overall and 6-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC). The Tigers have historically excelled against the Delta Devils, boasting 64 wins in their 71 encounters with them, who remain winless at 0-10 and 0-6 in the conference.

Gerardo Baeza got the scoring started for Jackson State with two first-quarter field goals, converting from 23 and 26 yards. However, Mississippi Valley State took the lead when Ty’Jarian Williams connected with Jakobe Thomas for a 12-yard touchdown, pushing the score to 7-6 at the end of the first quarter. Baeza then added a 28-yard field goal to bring Jackson State back to the lead, but Williams responded with a one-yard touchdown to make it 14-9 in favor of the Delta Devils. From that moment, Jackson State took control of the game.

Mulligan’s one-yard touchdown run gave the Tigers a 15-14 advantage, and Jacobian Morgan extended the lead to 23-14 with an eight-yard rushing touchdown just before halftime. The third quarter saw Travis Terrell Jr. score on a 24-yard run, and as the fourth quarter began, he added a second touchdown, sprinting 33 yards into the end zone.

Morgan had a solid outing, passing for 76 yards and a touchdown while completing 10 of his 23 attempts. Additionally, he rushed for 68 yards and another score. Backup quarterback Zy McDonald didn’t throw much but did connect on a single 29-yard pass to Errick Simmons for a touchdown in the final quarter.

On the other hand, Williams completed 12 of his 30 passes for Mississippi Valley State, accumulating 128 yards and one touchdown, but he also faced challenges with two interceptions.