Tempers were short following Jackson State’s 26-12 win over Alabama State on Saturday.
Jackson State coach Deion Sanders and Alabama State coach Eddie Robinson Jr. met at mid-field after the game. There was a handshake, then Sanders tried to hug Robinson, but the Hornets coach appears to shove Sanders away. Sanders, surrounded by police escorts, seemed aggravated by the gesture.
“I thought it was a lot of disrespect all week,” Robinson said after the game. “You know going to be disrespectful the whole week in the media. We didn’t talk in the pregame. I was out there the whole time at the 50 yard line. He walked around our offensive huddle and our whole end zone. He came the lone way around the get to his side of the field. I thought that wasn’t classy at all. …
“He ain’t SWAC. I’m SWAC. He ain’t SWAC.”
He went to say he hopes Sanders is till the coach next year and the two teams play again for homecoming next season.
“We ain’t friends,” he said. “There was no need for no embrace.”
Pro Football Talk’s Michael David Smith reports that Sanders made a comment this week suggesting that Alabama State would regret scheduling his team for homecoming, which could have been why Robinson reacted the way he did.
However, Robinson took exception to Sander putting his backup quarterback in and running pass plays, calling it disrespectful.
“Take a damn knee,” he said. “He’s trying to run a hitch and go.”
Jackson State forced an Alabama State punt with 1:06 remaining in the game. On first down from the Jackson State 33, J.P. Andrade threw a pass, which was broken up by Mikey Victor. Two more runs plays gained 25 yards before the game ended.
Shedeur Sanders threw three touchdown passes to lead Jackson State. Sanders, who was 30 of 46 for 332 yards passing, connected with Willie Gaines for 35 yards, Kevin Coleman Jr. for 25 and JD Martin for 16. The 12-straight Southwestern Athletic Conference win for the Tigers (5-0, 3-0) spoiled Homecoming for the Hornets (3-3, 1-2) and matched their best start since 1996.
Jackson State (5-0, 3-0) earned its 12th straight conference win, spoiling homecoming for the Hornets (3-3, 1-2) and matching their best start since 1996
Alabama State got on the board first with a 19-yard toss from Dematrius Davis to Kisean Johnson, but the extra point was missed. Sanders dropped a perfect ball into Gaines’ hands and a field goal put the Tigers on top 10-6 at the half.
The Tigers had 441 yards of offense and converted 9 of 15 third-down attempts while Alabama State had 177 yards and was just 4 of 12 on third down.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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