Southern football escapes with win over Grambling in Bayou Classic.
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Thousands of fans, Grambling State football and Southern alums, and everyone in between came together in the heart of Louisiana for one of the biggest rivalries in college football: the 52nd annual Bayou Classic.
The historic rivalry returned to the Caesars Superdome on Saturdy, Nov. 29, pitting the bitter rivals against each other with bragging rights — and all the glory that comes with them — on the line. For Southern, which had lost nine straight regular-season games, leaving the Dome without a win wasn’t an option. The Jaguars beat the Tigers 28-27 to snap their losing streak and end the year on a high note.
“For the seniors to go out like this, I’m just so proud of them. I’m proud that we got this one for them and just for the whole community,” Southern running back Barry Remo said. “I know it’s been a rough year for them, so it’s like a bittersweet end. It’s been rough the whole year, but this moment right here in this game, I’m just glad we were able to get this one for them.”
Leading the charge were the Jaguars’ stingy defense and timely explosive plays on offense. At the center of it was Remo. The sophomore never let the big stage shake him on his way to being named Southern’s Most Valuable Player. Defensively, it was a group effort as the Jaguars were flying around from kickoff, coming up with three sacks in the first quarter.
With both sides of the ball clicking and the resilience to overcome adversity, Southern will take the 2025 Bayou Classic trophy home for the fourth year in a row.
Playing all four quarters
If you’re a fan of defense-heavy football, this was the perfect game for you. It wasn’t just the Jaguars flying around — the Tigers’ defense was just as formidable. But it was Southern that ended the game with four sacks and two takeaways, one of them a game-sealing fumble recovery by defensive end Ckelby Givens.
“Words can’t really describe it, but one of my friends texted me and said, ‘You can end the story better when you can write a better story,’ and that’s what I did,” Givens said of his fumble recovery.
Along with Givens, defensive tackle Jerome Wallace and linebacker Jamarlo Campbell were key forces in the trenches for Southern. The duo combined for 12 tackles and two sacks, giving Grambling more than it could handle.
For the Tigers, defensive back Tyrell Raby was the standout, leading his team in sacks and grabbing their lone takeaway on an interception. Despite his efforts, there was no stopping the Jaguars’ run game in the second half with Remo and running back Trey Holly in the backfield. Remo’s 51-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter shifted momentum and the Jaguars never looked back.
“They played a full 60-minute ballgame and they didn’t give up,” Southern interim head coach Frank McNair said. “We were down at the half and they came back out in the second half and they fought. And that’s what we look for in our football program.”
While the Jaguars’ bittersweet end to the season gives them something positive to carry into the offseason, Grambling is headed back to the drawing board.
“I think we turned the corner and we’re heading in the right direction, but we need to continue to build inside and out,” Grambling coach Mickey Joseph said. “We’re building it and it’s just taking longer than I thought it was going to take because I don’t have patience, but I have to develop patience. But this team is going to be better when we show up in the spring.”
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Southern football escapes with win over Grambling in Bayou Classic.
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