Jackson State defeats Tennessee State 26-24 in John Merritt Classic

Jackson State University defeated Tennessee State University 26-24 in the season-opening John Merritt Classic held in Nashville.

The game concluded with a dramatic finish in the fourth quarter. With 56 seconds remaining, Tennessee State attempted a 36-yard field goal to take a 27-26 lead, but a mishandled snap by the placeholder prevented the kick from being successful. Jackson State capitalized on the error and the lack of timeouts to secure the victory.

Jackson State's offense was led by quarterback Jared Lockhart, who threw for 222 yards and one touchdown, and running back Nate Blount IV, who recorded 101 rushing yards. Defensive standout Keith Bass Jr. contributed a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Freshman placekicker Andrew Ivaniciuc was also noted for his performance in the special teams unit.