BATON ROUGE - As the summer days wind down and the intensity of fall camp heats up, that can only mean that football season is near on the Bluff.

Southern is preparing for their second year under head coach Terrence Graves, and they come into the season as the defending SWAC West Champions.

However, that is in the past and Coach Graves has his eyes set for more in 2025. 

The Jags will host five SWAC opponents for their home slate this season. Their home opener against Alabama State will not be classified as a conference game.

However, Coach Graves embraces the challenge an all-conference schedule brings. 

In our one-on-one conversation, Coach Graves broke down the entire team and where they stand in every position group. He also shared his thoughts on what he wants the program to improve on after having a season under his belt. 

Southern will start their season in a Week Zero game on Aug. 23 for the SWAC/MEAC Challenge. The game will air on WBRZ at 6:30 p.m. from Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta.