JACKSON, Miss. – The journey has been long, but the destination has always been clear.

Now, 24 hours from kickoff, a date with destiny awaits.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff football team will face the Alabama A&M Bulldogs Saturday in the Cricket Wireless SWAC Football Championship Game presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar.

GAME INFORMATION:

·       Matchup: SWAC Western Division Champion Arkansas At Pine Bluff Golden Lions (4-0 overall, 4-0 SWAC) vs. SWAC Eastern Division Champion Alabama A&M Bulldogs (4-0,         3-0)

·       Game time, Stadium, Location: 2 p.m., Veterans Memorial Stadium; Jackson, Miss.

·       TV/Video: ESPN2 / ESPN App

·       Radio: UAPB Sports Network Pregame Show begins at 1 p.m. on KPBA FM 99.3 The Beat in Pine Bluff; KARN 920 AM The Sports Animal in Little Rock; Sirius XM ESPNU         Radio Ch. 84; OpenMic Broadcast Network

·       Online Audio: Free at uapblionsroar.com/live and on free UAPB Athletics App

·       Ticket Sales: Prices begin at $25 and can be purchased via the Veterans Memorial Stadium ticket site at www.uapblionsroar.com/swacgame 

·       Parking Sales: Prices begin at $15 and can be purchased via the Veterans Memorial Stadium ticket site at www.uapblionsroar.com/swacparking  

·       Live Stats: www.uapblionsroar.com/sidearmstats/football/summary

In an unprecedented SWAC football season moved to the spring due to a global pandemic, the road to the league's ultimate showcase has been completed, with both teams breaking through in undefeated fashion.

UAPB continued on its title path, building on a 6-5 mark in 2019 to the West title for the first time since 2012 under SWAC and HBCU National Coach of the Year Doc Gamble. Alabama A&M climbed the East Division mountain top after just missing the championship berth by one game in each of the two previous seasons under third-year head coach Connell Maynor.

The rematch of the 2006 title game, won by the Bulldogs 22-13, features the league's top two quarterbacks and arguably it's most explosive offenses with big-play defenses.

The Golden Lions took down historical SWAC West stalwarts Southern, Grambling and Prairie View A&M in the same season for the first time since 2012 behind a complimentary mix of dynamic offense, defense and special teams.

Second-team All-SWAC QB Skyler Perry has led the offense to score 30+ points three times, including a season-high 48 points at Grambling.  The defense has been consistent, sacking the quarterback five times in each of the last three games while forcing an average of four+ turnovers per game, led by first-team All-SWAC DB Jalon Thigpen. The special teams units are explosive in every area, highlighted by first-team All-SWAC, HBCU All-American and Return Specialist of the Year in Tyrin Ralph.

Alabama A&M has done it more so with big offense, averaging nearly 500 yards per game. First-team All-SWAC and conference player of the year QB Aqeel Glass leads the league in passing yards and touchdown passes.

The Bulldogs lead the SWAC in total offense (486.7 yards per game), passing yards (361.3 ypg), and first downs per game (25.0). Defensively, the Bulldogs have limited opponents to just over 20 points per game. In the return game, AAMU averages double figures in both punt returns and kickoff returns.