Jackson State Tigers and Lady Tigers

• Every late November, Jackson State plays in-state rival the Alcorn State Braves in the "Soul Bowl" (formerly the Capital City Classic).
• The Tigers play their Louisiana archrival the Southern Jaguars in the popular Jackson State–Southern University rivalry.
• The Tigers take part in the annual Southern Heritage Classic against the Tennessee State Tigers in Memphis, TN.

In 2007, the Tigers defeated the Tigers of Grambling State University 42-31 to lock up the 2007 SWAC Championship. As of 2014, the Jackson State Tigers are 1-4 in the championship game.

• Lem Barney
• Corey Bradford
• Robert Brazile
• Louis Bullard
• Leslie "Speedy" Duncan
• Harold Jackson
• Eddie Payton
• Walter Payton
• Jackie Slater
• Jimmy Smith

The Tigers have appeared in five NCAA tournaments: 1978, 1991, 1997, 2000, & 2007. As of 2015, the Tigers ranks 4th in the SWAC for number of NCAA appearances. All home games are held at the Williams Assembly Center.

• Lindsey Hunter
• Trey Johnson
• Ed Manning
• Audie Norris
• Purvis Short
• Dwayne Whitfield
• Gene Short
• Cleveland Buckner
• Cornell Warner
• Marcus Benard

JSU plays their home games at Braddy Field, constructed in 2006.

• Oil Can Boyd
• Robert Braddy
• Wes Chamberlain
• Dave Clark
• Dewon Day
• Howard Farmer
• Mike Farmer
• Curt Ford
• Marvin Freeman
• Kelvin Moore

The men's and women's golf teams have dominated the SWAC championships. The men have won 21 championships (1989–2006, 2008–09, 2011), include 18 consecutive, and the women have won nine (1996–97, 2001, 2005–09, 2012).[2]

Often accompanying the JSU athletic teams is the university's marching band and dance line. They are nicknamed the Sonic Boom of the South and Prancing J-Settes. The band was first organized in the early 1940s. As early as the mid-1920s, the University had a well-organized orchestra. The group was given the nickname, “The Sonic Boom of the South” by band members in 1971. In 1971, the majorettes abandoned their batons and became a dance team known as the Prancing J-Settes. In 1974, “Get Ready,” an old Motown favorite was selected as the band’s theme song. Also, during the mid-1970s, the “Tiger Run-On” was perfected. The “Tiger Run-On” is a fast, eye-catching shuffle step that blends an adagio step with an up-tempo shuffle (200 steps per minute), then back to adagio—a “Sonic Boom” trademark that brings fans to their feet during halftime performances. In 2003 the marching band was in enshrined in the NCAA Hall of Champions. Also, the marching band was filmed by Electronic Art Sports (EA Sports) for inclusion in the 2005 version of the video game "EA Sports NCAA Football 2005". The band performs at football and basketball games.

O'Neil Sanford is the head director of the band.

• Atlanta Falcons
• Detroit Lions
• New Orleans Saints
• New York Jets
• Houston Oilers
• Philadelphia Eagles
• Cincinnati Bengals
• Indianapolis Colts

• The 1991 NBA All-Star Game
• The Motown’s 30th Anniversary television special.
• The NAACP 34th Image Awards television special.