Grambling State wide receiver Julien Lewis, who was carted off the field after a third-quarter hit during Saturday’s Bayou Classic, was released from the hospital later that night, his father confirmed. John Lewis provided the update on social media, sharing a video of his son leaving the hospital.
“God is good,” John Lewis wrote in a Facebook post. “Thanks for your prayers. #Jue19 has been released from the hospital. God is a miracle worker. All scans were negative.”
The injury occurred with 12:18 remaining in the third quarter after a collision between Lewis and Southern safety Herman Brister III.
Grambling head coach Mickey Joseph gave an update on Lewis’ condition during his postgame press conference.
“He upgraded, he had a concussion and his memory, and everything came back,” Joseph said. “He’s OK.”
Brister was called for targeting on the play and ejected from the game. He will miss the first half of Southern’s upcoming SWAC championship game against Jackson State on Saturday.
Lewis, a graduate student from Buford, Georgia, had one reception for seven yards before the injury.
In the game itself, Southern (8-4, 6-1 SWAC) defeated Grambling (5-7, 2-5) 24-14 to win the 51st Annual Bayou Classic. The Jaguars, who have now won three consecutive Bayou Classics, jumped to an early lead and never relinquished it, capping off their regular season with a victory.
Jaguars running back Kendric Rhymes played a key role in the win, rushing for 45 yards and scoring a touchdown. A field goal from Griffin extended Southern’s lead to 24-14 with 3:31 left in the game.
“Like Coach Graves said, ‘It’s the state championship,’” Rhymes said after the game. “It’s for bragging rights, and it’s for recruitment, and as you can see, Southern is on top.”
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The win marked Southern’s third straight Bayou Classic victory, while Grambling wrapped up its season with a 5-7 record.
Lewis finished the season with 12 receptions for 83 yards. His most productive game came against Prairie View A&M when he caught six passes for 47 yards.
The Bayou Classic, known as one of the most iconic rivalries in college football, lived up to its reputation in front of a packed Caesars Superdome. Southern now shifts its focus to the SWAC Championship game against Jackson State on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m.
The Jaguars are set to compete against Jackson State in the SWAC Championship on Saturday, while Grambling looks ahead to the offseason after finishing with a losing record.