BATON ROUGE, La.  –  The Alabama State football team will battle the Southern Jaguars in an important Southwestern Athletic Conference game Saturday night.
 
The Hornets (6-3 overall, 6-2 SWAC) will face Southern (3-6, 2-5) at 6 p.m. in Baton Rouge, La. at Southern's
A.W. Mumford Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on WVAS 90.7 FM.
 
Alabama State is coming off one of their best practice weeks of the season and appear energized for Saturday night's game that has SWAC Eastern Division title implications. The Hornets can clinch the East with a victory over Southern AND a Jackson State loss vs. Alabama A&M tomorrow OR a JSU loss at Alcorn next week.
 
“They seem to be really focused and practicing with a lot of passion and focus, and enjoying and understanding the moment,” head coach Reggie Barlow said of his team following Friday's walkthrough at Catholic High School. “I really appreciate them for that. The guys had a lot spirit and energy today like they're ready to play, and that's' a blessing.”
 
The defense has played well in the past two outings, limiting Alabama A&M to its lowest rushing total in five years two games ago, and forcing a season-high six turnovers at Prairie View A&M last week. The performance of the defense will again be key against a Southern team that has the league's best passing game.
 
“With Southern leading the conference in passing (averaging 231.3 yards per game), there are going to be some opportunities to possibly get some tipped balls and interceptions, and we want to be able to get those,” Barlow said. “We made a high number of takeaways last week, and hopefully our guys understand there will be some opportunities Saturday night.”

GO HORNETS