The Grambling State Tigers closed the 2024 season with a 24-14 loss to Southern in the 51st annual Bayou Classic Saturday in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Grambling finished 5-7 overall and 2-6 in the SWAC in Mickey Joseph’s first season as head coach. Southern (8-4, 7-1) plays Jackson State Saturday in the conference championship game.
The victory was Southern’s third straight in the Classic.
Despite being outgained 397-148, Grambling State had a chance to win.
Trailing 17-7 after the third quarter, the Tigers got within three on a 4-yard run by Keilon Elder with 13:19 left to play. That capped an 89-yard, 11-play drive.
GSU twice forced Southern to punt twice after that. But both times the Tigers went three-and-out.
After GSU was forced to punt from its 5, Southern’s Kendric Rhymes ran 45 yards for the game’s final touchdown with 3:31 left. Rhymes finished with 110 yards rushing on 12 carries.
Kobe Dillon rushed for 81 yards with most of that coming on a 74-yard run.
Southern jumped out to a 10-0 lead. GSU got within three on a 94-yard kickoff return by Tylon Williams in the second quarter. The Jaguars led 10-7 at the half.
The only score of the third quarter was a 41-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Woods to Chandler Whitfield. Whitfield, who had five catches for 145 yards, was named the Classic MVP.
Woods completed 9-of-17 passes for 188 yards.
Grambling State quarterbacks Deljay Bailey and Myles Crawley, combined to complete 11-of-24 passes for 99 yards. Bailey was 5-of-8 passes for 65. Crawley was 6-of-16 for 34 yards.
Elder led the Tigers on the ground with 47 yards on 10 carries.
GSU didn’t convert a third down in 13 tries. Southern was just 2-of-14.
The Tigers hurt themselves with 15 penalties for 135 yards.