National eye on the Tigers

Two of the most historic college football programs in Louisiana are set to meet for the first time ever.

Grambling State (0-1) will make the trek to Tiger Stadium and meet No. 14 LSU (0-1) on Saturday, treating football fans in the state to a matchup years in the making.

After the schools officially inked the deal to play in 2020, the two Tigers will now clash as both programs are looking for week- two redemption from losses to open their respective seasons.

GSU head coach Hue Jackson knows it’s no secret this stage is bigger than any the G-Men have had in recent memory, but he told media on Monday that his preparation won’t change.

“We’re going to prepare just like we do every week. Our goal is to go out and win the game,” Jackson said. “Our players are going to put in the work. It’s LSU. We know they’re a fine program and have a great coaching staff, great players; we’ll be in their home stadium but again we’re going to play and play as well as we can. We have to continue to get better and we’re chasing a win and that’s not going to change for us.”

LSU has defeated every FCS opponent it’s played over the last decade, including a 65-7 win over Southern, Grambling’s SWAC rival, last season.

Since 1985, GSU is 1-7 against the Power Five (defeated Oregon State in 1985), but hopes to be the magical FCS over P5 story that’s happened every season since 2009.

Cue the Jim Carrey impression, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?”

Since 2009, an average of two FCS teams have beaten a P5 program per season, including five in the last two seasons.

Despite the talk of magic and miracle, ESPN’s FPI gives LSU a 99% chance to win the game, and the matchup doesn’t even have a public betting spread.

It leaves many wondering if the historic meeting is really worth it for the G-Men in what’s become known as money games for HBCU programs to take large payouts to play P5 teams.

Whether it’s the overall point or not, the fact is LSU is paying Grambling State $760,000 in addition to $20,000 to the GSU Foundation/Football account, according to the playing contract.

But Jackson doesn’t want the focus for Saturday to be on the payout or the the idea of scheduling a guarantee game.

“I don’t try to look at it that way,” Jackson said. “ Our players would love to play these types of games every week. Obviously, there’s a resource difference between the two schools. But from a player standpoint, a player wants to be tested, he wants to be challenged. He wants the best challenges he can have. This is another opportunity for our guys to display who we are and what we can potentially be.

“Everybody will be watching because everybody wants to see where Grambling is at right now and where LSU is at right now,” he added.

The stage will be bigger than what the GMen have been used to, with the Tigers’ three home games combined attendance at 29,363 last fall. The highest attended road/neutral site game for them was 62,337 fans at the Bayou Classic.

On the other side, Tiger Stadium averaged 100,596 fans per home game in 2022.

And the spotlight will be shined brighter on the players on the field, with GSU featuring 14 players from Baton Rouge playing on a field of what is considered by many to be a dream experience.

Jackson said GSU playing LSU brings a focus on the HBCU football brand in the state and gives recruits a chance to see what other options are out there once all of the P5 offers get dried up.

“I think it’s important for in-state recruiting,” Jackson said. “I think it’s important because there’s some tremendous football that’s played in the state. Obviously, we feel very comfortable and confident with where we’re going with our program. That program has won national championships as well, so I think it’s important that these schools play. It’s chance to display the school, the football brand.”

Myles Crawley, who showed out with 311 passing yards and two touchdowns in GSU’s loss to Hampton, is excited for the opportunity to show his talents in front of a national audience, but he isn’t going as a fan.

He wants to try and do what’s seen as impossible.

“To win,” Crawley said of his approach in the game. “My mentality every week is to win, so just because it’s LSU it’s the same thing – go win.”

Crawley became the first GSU quarterback to throw for 300 yards in a game since 2018 and looks to command the offense going forward after winning the quarterback battle with Julian Calvez in fall camp.

LSU head coach Brian Kelly spoke highly of the history of championships and NFL Hall of Famers at Grambling at his weekly press conference on Tuesday.

The second-year head coach of the SEC Tigers named Crawley and linebacker Lewis Matthews by name as players to contain.

“Cleary, an HBCU school like Grambling, one of the historic programs in college football,” Kelly said. “We all would identify Grambling with the great history of titles and national titles and certainly great players in (Buck) Buchanan, Doug Williams, and certainly the great Eddie Robinson – Hall of Famers in Willie Brown. I could go on and on. This is exciting. I know for anybody that covers college football, to top it off it’s a school in-state as well.”

Grambling State takes on No. 14 LSU at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Baton Rouge at Tiger Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and SEC Network+.