BATON ROUGE, La. – No. 2 Kentucky State football will continue their opening season-opening road stretch Saturday when the Thorobreds face FCS opponent Southern in the Pete Richardson Classic.
 
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET at A.W. Mumford Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The game will be broadcasted live on SWAC TV.
 
SERIES AT GLANCE
Saturday's meeting will be the second all-time matchup between the two and the first in 66 years. Southern won the inaugural meeting, 39-6, on Oct. 8, 1960 in Baton Rouge.

The trip also returns head coach Felton Huggins Jr. to his home state of Louisiana for the second time during his tenure with the Thorobreds.
 
THOROBREDS PULL AWAY FROM CENTRAL STATE IN SEASON OPENER
Kentucky State opened the 2026 season with a 41-14 victory over SIAC rival Central State.
 
After trailing 14-3, the Thorobreds scored 38 unanswered points and shut out the Marauders in the second half. Kentucky State produced 472 total yards, scored on all six red-zone trips and controlled possession for more than 39 minutes. Jaun Gainous and Denim Johnson combined for 282 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Darius Cyprian recorded eight receptions for 98 yards and a score.
 
CYPRIAN EARNS SIAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Senior wide receiver and Baton Rouge native Darius Cyprian earned SIAC Offensive Player of the Week Honors.
 
During the Thorobreds 41-14 win over Central State, Cyprian led the receiving core with 98 yards and a touchdown. He caught eight of his nine targets, averaged 12.3 yards per reception and added 33 yards after the catch.
 
THOROBREDS CLIMB TO NO 2 ON THE BOXTOROW DIVISION II COACHES POLL
Following the decisive week zero road win, the Thorobreds climbed four spots to No. 2 on HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW and earned first place votes.
 
SCOUTING SOUTHERN
Southern returns to Baton Rouge for its home opener after falling to Alabama State, 30-17, in the Birmingham Football Classic.
 
The Jaguars opened the Marshall Faulk era by building a 17-3 advantage during the first half, but Alabama State scored 27 unanswered points to complete the comeback. Southern finished with 335 yards of offense, including 174 through the air and 161 on the ground.
 
Quarterback Christian Johnson presents a dual-threat challenge. Johnson completed 17 of 27 passes for 174 yards and rushed 14 times for a team-high 81 yards and a touchdown against Alabama State.
 
Daejawn Smith led Southern's receivers with four catches for 76 yards, including a 41-yard reception. Mike Franklin added 34 yards on three carries and scored on a 29-yard run.
 
Defensively, Tay James and Bryson Jennings recorded nine tackles apiece. Ckelby Givens finished with two tackles for loss and Southern's lone sack.
 
Southern controlled the ball for more than 31 minutes in its opener but converted four of 14 third-down attempts, went 0-for-2 on fourth down and committed 10 penalties for 85 yards.
 
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Kentucky State's ability to control the line of scrimmage will be central to Saturday's matchup.
 
The Thorobreds averaged 4.9 yards per rushing attempt and allowed only one sack in their opener. Sustaining that efficiency would help Kentucky State manage the road environment, keep Southern's offense off the field and create opportunities for its playmakers on the perimeter.
 
Defensively, Kentucky State will be tasked with containing Johnson both inside and outside the pocket. The Southern quarterback accounted for 255 of the Jaguars' 335 offensive yards against Alabama State.
 
Finishing drives could also prove decisive. Kentucky State was perfect on six red-zone opportunities last week, while Southern was held scoreless in the second half and finished 4-of-14 on third down.
 
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