BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — In a decisive upset defying pregame projections, the Prairie View A&M Panthers dominated the Southern Jaguars 24 to 3 on Saturday at Tiger Stadium, fueled by a 17-point second-quarter explosion and a stifling defensive performance.

The Panthers, improving to 4-2, controlled the game from start to finish, while the Jaguars, who had been installed as six-point favorites, fell to a disappointing 1-5. The outcome was a stark contrast to the expectations set by Interstat, whose game simulator had projected a Southern victory with a final score of 42-39 and gave the Jaguars a 52.9 percent probability to win.

The game remained a defensive struggle through a scoreless first quarter, but Prairie View A&M found its rhythm in the second period. The breakthrough came just 14 seconds into the quarter when running back Lamagea McDowell capped a sustained drive with a 15-yard touchdown run.

The Panthers’ offense continued to press its advantage. Quarterback Cameron Peters, a 6-foot-4, 207-pound junior from Missouri City, Texas, orchestrated another scoring drive later in the quarter, connecting with receiver Jyzaiah Rockwell on a 13-yard touchdown pass. The Panthers added a field goal before halftime to take a commanding 17-point lead into the break.

Southern’s lone response came in the third quarter, avoiding a shutout when kicker Nathan Zimmer, a local product from Central, Louisiana, converted a 36-yard field goal. The Jaguars’ offense, led by quarterback Ashton Strother of Memphis, Tennessee, struggled to sustain drives against a relentless Prairie View defense. The unit sealed the game in the fourth quarter when cornerback Kamren Amao of Houston intercepted a Strother pass.

Prairie View put the final exclamation point on the victory with just over a minute remaining in the game, as McDowell powered in for his second rushing touchdown from one yard out.

Peters finished an efficient day, completing 19 of 31 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown. He also added 17 yards on the ground. McDowell was the workhorse in the backfield, carrying the ball 16 times for 56 yards and two scores. Chase Bingmon provided a complementary rushing threat, gaining 64 yards on 13 carries.

For Southern, running back Trey Holly was a bright spot in an otherwise dim offensive showing, grinding out 99 yards on 21 carries. Strother was held to 81 passing yards on 12-of-21 completions and was intercepted once.

The Panthers’ defense was the story of the game, consistently pressuring Strother and limiting the Jaguars’ big-play opportunities. The unit’s performance ensured the combined point total of 27 fell well under the pregame over/under line of 46.5.

Prairie View A&M will look to build on this momentum when they return home to face Lincoln (California) on Oct. 25. Southern will attempt to regroup as they host Florida A&M on the same date.