Jackson, Miss. — James Houston walked into the Tigers media room on Tuesday, shook a few hands and laughed a little bit before he sat down at the wooden table in front of the blue Jackson State backdrop. The JSU linebacker's energy was different.
After a week of off-the-field chatter and jokes from Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor—who poked fun at Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders as he navigates the healing process from his foot surgery by using a scooter—all the jokes became distant memories. All the conversation by Maynor aside, Jackson State (4–1) made a statement on the field and sealed the victory afterwards, leaving a pink scooter for Maynor and leaving Louis-Crews Stadium in a cloud of dust after a dominant performance.