Deion Sanders: Jackson State Focused Finishing Their Dominance
The Jackson State Tigers (12-0) football team are focused on recording the program's first undefeated season with a win against the North Carolina Central Eagles (9-2) in the 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl.
Dec. 16, 2022; Deion Sanders at the 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl Press Conference.
History is on the line for the Tigers, but Coach Prime doesn't feel there's pressure going into the contest.
"It's no pressure. This ain't pressure. This is fun. This is a game," Sanders told reporters at the 2022 Cricket Celebration Bowl Coaches Press Conference.
In the 2021 Cricket Celebration Bowl, Deion Sanders viewed returning to Atlanta as a homecoming - since his days with the Atlanta Falcons. How does he see the possibility of winning the 2022 HBCU National Championship in Atlanta?
"It's going to be fitting. And, I'm thankful that God would choose the city for us to do so." Confident and ready for the challenge.
Last season, the underdog South Carolina State Bulldogs spoiled his return. A superb defensive effort and surge in the second half destroyed the Tigers' magical ride in the 31-10 losing effort. In the end, Coach Buddy Pough hoisted the Celebration Bowl Trophy and claimed the 2021 HBCU Football National Championship.
Without excuses, Sanders knew it was a sound defeat.
"We were smelling ourselves last year," Sanders reflected. "So we were feeling ourselves. I'm not going to say we needed to be humbled. But we were feeling ourselves, and what happened was supposed to happen. Not once have we mentioned anything of that nature in any meetings this year. We don't result back and revert back to what transpired. We are forward thinkers. The mission was to dominate. We dominated. The mission was to win, and we won. We have not completed the mission. We have one more step to go."
Today, Jackson State has a chance to shed last season's loss and stay true to its 2022 slogan - DOMINATE.
Coach Prime and Jackson State have their minds on one thing alone: FINISHING.
"We were going to finish what we started. I can't tell a child to finish what he started, and I'm not.
Sanders came back to finish. What will that finish look like today?
We shall see in a few hours.