JACKSON (Interstat) — Southern and Jackson State will meet Saturday in an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss.

Jackson State enters 3-0 and will be the home team. The Tigers have scored at least 26 points in each of their first three games and are coming off a 41-7 home victory over Tuskegee. Earlier this season, Jackson State beat Edward Waters 66-14 at home and defeated Tennessee State 26-24 on the road. The Tigers will look to remain unbeaten before opening a stretch of conference play.

Southern arrives at 2-2 as the visiting team. The Jaguars are coming off a 50-31 home win over Louisiana Christian. Southern opened the season with a 30-17 home loss to Alabama State, then beat Kentucky State 34-15 at home before falling 77-6 at Houston. The Jaguars have shown offensive flashes but have also allowed at least 30 points in two of their four games.

Jackson State and Southern are both looking to build momentum in the early portion of their schedules. The Tigers have been productive on offense and solid enough on defense through three contests. The Jaguars will try to carry the scoring surge from their most recent game into a road environment against an undefeated opponent.

The matchup features contrasting recent form. Jackson State has opened the season with three straight wins, while Southern has alternated results through four games. The Tigers will aim to maintain their home-field advantage, and the Jaguars will seek a statement win on the road against an unbeaten opponent.

The weather forecast for game time calls for a temperature near 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The conditions could affect tempo and fatigue, particularly for a Southern team playing away from home. Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium will host the matchup, with Jackson State seeking to protect its home field and Southern aiming for its first road win of the season.

Southern’s schedule after this game includes a home meeting with Arkansas-Pine Bluff, followed by road games at Prairie View and Texas Southern. Jackson State is set to visit Alabama A&M next, then travel to Grambling before hosting Florida A&M. Both teams remain in the thick of their conference race and will use this game as a measuring stick.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Jackson State 42, Southern 28. Interstat’s ELO system gives Jackson State a 98.1 percent probability to win. Southern has been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of +20.5. The over-under for the game is 57.5.