The first Southwestern Athletic Conference home game for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff this fall will feature a team looking for better luck in close games.
UAPB will host Grambling State University on Oct. 18 at Simmons Bank Field. It will be the Golden Lions’ first home game of the season against an NCAA opponent.
GSU (5-7, 2-6 SWAC in 2024) finished tied with UAPB for last place in the SWAC West Division in Mickey Joseph’s first season in charge.
The Tigers only played competitive games in conference play. Six of their eight SWAC games were decided by one possession, with the other two finishing as 10-point games.
GSU went 1-5 in those one-possession conference games and split the other two, including a 31-21 win against UAPB (3-9, 2-6) which was a one-possession game until the final two minutes. The losses included a five-overtime defeat to Prairie View A&M, a 17-15 home loss to Alcorn State and a 24-21 defeat at Bethune-Cookman.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The Tigers started last season strong, going 3-1 in non-conference play with a 15-4 turnover margin in their favor. In SWAC play, that margin slipped to 12-11 in their opponents’ favor.
GSU seems likely to lean on the run game as it tries to turn things around in 2025. Joseph told the Ruston (Louisiana) Daily Leader during the spring he expects the Tigers to run the ball on 60 percent of their offensive snaps.
The Tigers lose their top three rushers from last year but bring back Dedrick Talbert, who rushed for 208 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Talbert will lead a group otherwise consisting of younger players as GSU tries to improve on being the eighth-ranked rushing offense in SWAC play last year.
The passing game taking a back seat comes as GSU must replace its starting quarterback and top three receivers.
Ashton Frye, who completed 4 of 7 passes for 9 yards, is the Tigers’ top returning quarterback after losing Myles Crawley and backup Deljay Bailey. Frye is competing with Southern transfer C’Zavien Teasett, who threw for 941 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions last year with the Jaguars. The Tigers also signed junior college transfer Ty Keyes.
On defense, GSU must replace five of its top 11 tacklers, including two of the top three.
First team All-SWAC linebacker Andrew Jones, who transferred to Ole Miss, led the team with 122 tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss. GSU brings back Brenden Barley and Jamal Jordan at that position, who combined for 70 tackles, six for loss.
Defensive lineman Bryce Cage is the leading returning tackler with 49 last year. He was second on the team in both tackles for loss (11) and sacks (four). Sacks leader Jon Horton was a graduate student last year after transferring from Virginia but still has one year of eligibility remaining.
The Tigers’ biggest loss in the trenches is All-SWAC second team selection Jaden Hardy.
In the secondary, Blake Davis is the top returner after tying for the team lead with three interceptions. He also made 41 tackles, broke up four passes and recovered a fumble. The Tigers lose three other key defensive backs but add Middle Tennessee transfer Tyrell Raby, who made 50 tackles with two interceptions last season.