BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — A clash of Southwestern Athletic Conference rivals is projected to be a nail-biter when the Jackson State Tigers face the Southern Jaguars on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

Interstat’s game simulator forecasts a 34-33 victory for Jackson State, suggesting a high-scoring affair could be in store.

The Tigers (2-1) enter the contest with momentum after a dominant 30-0 win over Tuskegee on Sept. 13. Quarterback Jared Lockhart led the charge in that victory, throwing for 257 yards and two touchdowns while adding 32 yards and another score on the ground. Running back Ahmad Miller also contributed with 69 yards on eight carries. Jackson State’s other win was a 28-14 season-opening victory over Hampton, with its lone loss coming on the road against Southern Mississippi.

Conversely, the Jaguars (1-3) are looking to rebound from a difficult 56-7 road loss to Fresno State on Sept. 13. Southern’s offense struggled in that game, with quarterbacks Ashton Strother and Cam’Ron McCoy combining for just 131 passing yards. The team’s sole victory this season was a 34-29 win at Mississippi Valley State on Aug. 30.

The neutral-site game at LSU’s Tiger Stadium, though named for the Tigers, serves as the home venue for Southern in this matchup. The close projection sets the stage for a pivotal conference showdown as both teams continue their SWAC schedules.