Jackson State Still Controls Destiny: Coach T.C. Taylor Reflects On Tough Loss

JSU head coach TC Taylor gave his post-game comments at the Las Vegas HBCU Classic.

Las Vegas HBCU Classic - Postgame Coaches Speak | Jackson State Coach TC Taylor | JSU Athletics

Win or lose, Jackson State head football coach T.C. Taylor never shies away from answering postgame questions. Following his team's 26–24 loss to Grambling State in the inaugural Las Vegas HBCU Classic, Taylor praised his opponent and candidly explained what went wrong.

"We got our butts kicked tonight," Taylor said. "Hats off to Grambling. They came out and played a good game, period. We gave them hope early on, and we knew it was going to be a tough four quarters of football — and that’s exactly what it was.”

Although the Tigers outgained Grambling 448–365 in total offense and held a 25–20 edge in first downs, the offense struggled without starting quarterback JaCobian Morgan, who exited early with an injury.

Morgan with the TD 😎#GuardTheeYard #TheeILove pic.twitter.com/iPHyUcjvay

— Jackson State Football (@gojsutigersfb) October 25, 2025

“I really don’t know much yet," Taylor said of Morgan's condition. "I just know JaCobian couldn’t finish the game. Once I get back, I’ll meet with the training staff and doctors to see what’s going on. I did see him in a boot, but I don’t have a definitive answer on his foot injury right now."

Morgan left the game in the first half but not before engineering an impressive 10-play, 86-yard opening drive, capped by his own 7-yard touchdown run.

JACKSON STATE STILL CONTROLS DESTINY

Despite the loss, Taylor stressed the importance of keeping the team focused as they move forward in SWAC play.

“We still control our own destiny going forward.  We just have to finish strong," Coach Taylor noted. "I’m looking forward to getting back in the office tomorrow, reviewing this film, putting it behind us, and getting ready to go down to Tallahassee."

Before concluding his remarks, Taylor credited Grambling head coach Mickey Joseph for having his team well-prepared.

“Coach Joseph did a great job getting his guys up and ready for this game. In the end, they had one play and the opportunity to win — and their kicker executed.”

With Morgan sidelined, Taylor turned to quarterbacks Parker Stofa and Jared Lockhart to lead the offense.

"I thought Jared came in and did a heck of a job, gave us a chance to win late," Taylor said. "He went down there and found a way to get us ahead, and he’s been playing good football for us. Parker also played solid and did some good things, but we’ve got to find ways to finish in the red zone with touchdowns."

WHAT'S NEXT FOR JACKSON STATE?

Lockhart should get the start next week against Florida A&M in Tallahassee at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, if JaCobian Morgan remains on the Tigers' injury list.

"We'll get Jared in tomorrow, get him ready for next week, and decide who's going to start once we know more about JaCobian," Taylor added.

Reflecting on the defeat, Taylor was blunt about the team's self-inflicted mistakes.

“You can’t beat yourself, no matter who the opponent is,” he said. "We turned the ball over, and in the second half, they scored touchdowns on their first two drives while we didn’t score. If you play like that, you’ll end up in the loss column."

Despite the setback, Jackson State (5–1 SWAC East) remains tied with Alabama State atop the division standings.

The Tigers are preparing for their road game in Tallahassee. While Alabama State faces a tough challenge on the road against Prairie View A&M, which has a perfect 4–0 record in SWAC West play and 6–2 overall.

Sensational quarterback Andrew Body leads the high-powered Hornets offense against the conference's top-ranked Panthers' defense.

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