JACKSON, Miss. – The Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game between Southern and Jackson State was in the hands of backup quarterbacks from both teams.

Zy McDonald brought much more magic off the bench for the Tigers than C’Zavian Teasett did for Southern, holding the Tigers to 24 unanswered points to reverse the momentum in a 41-13 win at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Southern (8-5) ran well with Teasett starting the game because Jalen Woods was in the concussion protocol due to an injury he suffered in the Bayou Classic. His 1-yard TD run gave the Jaguars a 10-3 lead late in the first half, but it all ended thereafter for the upset Jaguars.

McDonald’s 36-yard run set up Emari Matthews’ 2-yard run with 1:15 left before halftime to tie the game, and the Tigers continued to power out of the locker room in pursuit of their 20th SWAC championship and securing third place in the four seasons. The Tigers (11-2) will play South Carolina State in the Celebration Bowl for the Black National Championship.

Teasett had a good first half, but ultimately had to retire with an interception in the fourth quarter.

Irv Mulligan’s 2-yard TD run made it 17-10 in Jackson State’s favor early in the third quarter, and a fumble by Jaguars wide receiver Tyler Kirkwood set up a 45-yard field goal by Gerardo Baeza. McDonald scored the decisive blow with a 23-yard touchdown run, making it 27-10 with 2:15 left in the third quarter.

Known more as a runner than starter Jacobian Morgan, McDonald scored the game-winning drive with a 36-yard run and ran eight times for 95 yards in the game while completing six of 11 passes for 75 yards and a score.

Southern tried to make it 27-13 with a 38-yard field goal late in the third quarter, but the Jaguars collapsed as the game wore on, allowing two more touchdowns, one after Kendric Rhymes punted at Southern 10-yard line and another after a partially blocked Southern punt.

Southern had held Jackson State to 76 yards until the game-winning TD drive and 284 yards after that. The Jaguars contributed to their own downfall with four turnovers.

Southern led 10-3 when the Tigers took the lead with 1:54 left in the first half. But the Southern defense suffered multiple burns on the 84-yard drive that lasted six plays.

Morgan threw a screen pass to Ja’Naylon Dupree that gained 21 yards. Morgan, who was badly hit by the game, left the game shaken. McDonald then ran 12 yards on a draw play, completed an 11-yard pass and got free on a 36-yard run. A penalty gave the ball into the Southern 2.

Matthews scored two plays later, not only taking the lead but also the momentum away from Southern. The South defense had played well up to this point. Horacio Johnson had an interception to stop a drive, and the Jaguars sacked Morgan three times in the first half.

Jackson State got on the field first after a 42-yard field goal by Baeza with 3:43 left in the first quarter. A fumble by Morgan and a sack by Derrick Williams halted the drive.

Southern tied the score on its next possession with a 38-yard field goal by Joshua Griffin. Teasett connected with Dupree Fuller on a 27-yard pass, bringing Southern to the Jackson State 19 before the 11-play drive stalled.

The Jaguars put together another 11-play drive that led to Teasett’s 1-yard TD run. Kobe Dillon punctuated the drive with a 32-yard run, and Teasett kept it alive with a 9-yard pass to Darren Morris and a 10-yard run on two third-and-9 plays.