With six seconds left and a four-point lead, Jackson State football lined up for what it and its fans thought would be the final play of the game against Alabama State.
Alabama State quarterback Andrew Body waited a beat before throwing a pass 20 yards downfield to wide receiver Dylan Djete. As time ticked off the clock, Levi Wyatt brought Djete down two yards short of the end zone. Or so everyone at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium thought on Oct. 11.
“I was just chasing the refs,” coach T.C. Taylor said postgame. “I was just trying to figure out how in the world did he have six seconds to hold it, throw it, travel through the air and catch it.”
The officials convened and decided to add a second back on the clock, giving the Hornets another chance to win.
Body took the snap, escaped the pocket to his left and tossed a pass out to running back Jamarie Hostzclaw. Hostclaw’s momentum carried him forward and closer to the sideline. Just before he crossed into the end zone, linebacker Ashton Taylor knocked Hostzclaw out of bounds a yard short.
“We were on the sideline when they put one second on the clock,” JSU defensive lineman Quincy Ivory said. “We knew the ball was going to be in Body’s hands. Once he made the play, we just had to full out execute.”
With the game truly over, the victory fireworks went off a second time, signifying the Tigers’ 38-34 win over the Hornets (4-2, 2-1).
After the game, Taylor said he was more worried for the Tigers (5-1, 2-0 SWAC) about there being time left on the clock than the players were. Taylor said they were the ones that told him to calm down, not the other way around.
When asked if he received an explanation from the officials on why more time was put on the clock, Taylor had no comment.
The offense also put its faith in the Tigers’ defense, entrusting them to get the job done and keep the Hornets out of the end zone for the second play in a row.
“Defense wins championships,” quarterback JaCobian Morgan said. “We’re automatically knowing, when it’s the defense on (the field) for the last play of the game, we’re feeling good. … I got full faith in my guys, if they was on the one, two, three inches away that they’re going to get the job done.”
Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@gannett.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How T.C. Taylor reacted to additional time in Jackson State football win vs Alabama State
