Braves Prevail Over Alabama State 21-18 in Season Opener

LORMAN, Miss. – In an early-season showdown between the top-two teams picked in the preseason poll from the SWAC East Division, the Alcorn State University football program held-on to a 21-18 victory over Alabama State on Saturday at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.
 
The Hornets (0-2, 0-1 SWAC) attempted a last-second 35-yard field goal to tie the game, but it was blocked by Alcorn (1-0, 1-0 SWAC) senior ERIC FOSTER.
 
Redshirt-freshman quarterback NOAH JOHNSON came into the contest for the Braves at half with the team trailing 10-7. He replaced junior LENORRIS FOOTMAN after an ankle injury. Johnson guided Alcorn to back-to-back scoring drives beginning late in the third quarter to put the team ahead, 21-10.
 
The Braves were seemingly in control until a big special teams play flipped momentum. ASU was punting from its own endzone when the ball hit the Alcorn return-man and was recovered by the Hornets. After ASU scored and converted the two-point conversion, it got the ball back again after an Alcorn fumble which inevitably led to the blocked field goal.
 
Both Footman and Johnson ended with exactly 62 passing yards. Johnson also ran for 61 yards on nine carries and a touchdown.
 
Junior running back MARQUIS WARFORD spearheaded the running game with 91 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Senior JABORIAN MCKENZIE was the team's leading receiver with 52 yards on five catches.
 
The Hornets saw quarterback Quinterris Toppings throw for a pair of touchdowns to Nigel Lee and Khalid Thomas. Darrel King rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown.
 
Defensively, senior MICHAEL HURNS notched a game-high 12 tackles. Senior DARIEN ANDERSON and junior MICHAEL BROOKS were also in double-figures with 11 tackles apiece.
 
PLAY-BY-PLAY SUMMARY
ASU threatened early in the game with a first-and-goal on the Alcorn three-yard line when a high snap sailed over Toppings' head and was picked up by Foster.
 
On the ensuing Alcorn drive, the Braves marched down the field 13 plays, 87 yards, capped by a 13-yard touchdown run by Warford. The drive included a 10-yard fake field goal pass by freshman kicker COREY MCCULLOUGH to sophomore TERRY WHITTINGTON for a first down on what would have been a 48-yard field goal try.
 
The Hornets responded with an 11-play drive, which ended with a nine-yard touchdown pass from Toppings to Thomas to even the score 7-7 with 13:42 left in the second quarter. ASU added on with a last-second 27-yard field goal by David Albert to take a 10-7 lead at the intermission.
 
In the third quarter, a great punt by senior HAIDEN MCCRANEY pinned the Hornets inside their own five yard-line halfway through the quarter. After the Braves defense held them in, Alcorn took over at the ASU 40-yard line on its next possession.
 
Junior DE'LANCE TURNER moved the chains twice after a first-down catch and run to set up a first down at the 17-yard line. Johnson, who was playing his second series at quarterback, scrambled up the middle for an 17-yard touchdown run to put Alcorn back on top 14-10 at the 2:49 mark.
 
After the Braves defense registered another three-and-out, Alcorn threw three screen passes to McKenzie resulting in 37 yards. The Braves finished off the drive with a three-yard rush by Turner after he got to the edge on the left side, increasing the lead to 21-10 with 12:54 remaining in the game.
 
ASU got back in the game after taking advantage on special teams as Alcorn touched a bouncing punt that the Hornets recovered. ASU capitalized on a five-play, 43-yard touchdown drive capped by a five-yard catch by Lee. The Hornets converted their two-point conversation on a pass to King to make it a 21-18 game with 5:59 left.
 
The Hornets forced a fumble and took over at their own 44-yard line. They ate up all the clock and put themselves in field goal range at the Alcorn 18-yard line when Foster got his hand on the field goal attempt.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter 
3:06 – 13-yard run by M. Warford (C. McCullough XP), 13-87-5:31, Alcorn 7-0
2nd Quarter
13:42 – 9-yard pass from Q. Toppings to K. Thomas (D. Albert XP), 11-75-4:24, 7-7
0:00 – 27-yard field goal by D. Albert, 19-70-6:48, 10-7 ASU
3rd Quarter
2:49 – 17-yard run by N. Johnson (C. McCullough XP), 7-40-3:07, 14-10 Alcorn
4th Quarter
12:54 – 2-yard run by D. Turner (C. McCullough XP), 11-54-3:10, 21-10 Alcorn
5:59 – 5-yard pass from Q. Toppings to N. Lee (Q. Toppings pass to D. King converted), 5-43-5:43, 21-18 Alcorn
 
NOTES
- The contest marked the 43rd meeting between Alcorn and Alabama State. Alcorn has now won the last three meetings to take the all-time lead, 22-21. Alcorn won 31-14 last year and 33-7 in 2014.
  
- Alcorn led the SWAC last season with 3,812 total rushing yards. It tallied a whopping 213 rushing yards in the contest.
 
- The Braves ranked first in the league in scoring defense, allowing just 22 points per outing last year. They remained true to that rank, holding the Hornets to 18 points.
 
- Junior CHARLES HUGHES brought down a 40-yard reception in the first quarter which was a career long. His previous long was 29 yards vs. Grambling in the 2015 SWAC Championship game.
 
- Hurns' 12 tackles doubled his career-high of six set on three different occasions previously.
 
- Alcorn's offensive line did not allow a sack in the game.
 
- On the Braves' fake field goal pass in the first quarter, it was McCullough's first career pass and Whittington's first career catch.
 
- Alcorn's captains were Hurns, senior DETONIO DADE and senior KENYON BRANTLEY. The Braves won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
 
- The Braves are off to a 1-0 start in conference play for the fifth year in a row.
 
Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"I'm just proud of the way the guys came out and played. The first half was kind of a penalty fest. We got a lot of penalties in the first half, but those guys just came out the second half and played a different ball game than we expected. Hats off to Alabama State, that's a good ball club over there. Overall, the guys will have to watch film tomorrow and find out what we need to work on to get these mistakes cleaned up. The guys played well and hard, I'm proud of them and the way they came out and fought in the second half and were able to get this victory."
 
On halftime talk
  "The biggest thing is that first half is gone. Forget about the first half. We got 30 minutes of football left. Those guys rallied. I don't have to make a big speech to these guys. They know my expectations of them and what goes on.
 
On first win as head coach
"Well, if you want to win one like that I'll take it. But, the coaching staff that I have I really appreciate them and the way they come out and work with these young men everyday not only in a football light, but academics as well. They try and get these kids where they need to be. This ball team I can't say enough about, the way they performed tonight I'm just very excited about their first win. Hopefully the rest of them will come easy.
 
On Footman's injury
"He has a minor ankle roll, and should be fine. We talk about next man up all the time, and that's where NOAH JOHNSON comes in."
 
Quoting senior ERIC FOSTER
On field goal block
 "I just give that one to my defense. They let it happen. Sometimes you might not get the chances that you want, but you just have to make the best of it. We just have to go with our next. Thanks to everybody on defense. Things are going to happen; some won't happen our way, but we just finished it up."
 
On how big of a play that was through his career
"Hopefully there is more to come, but I just can't wait for Arkansas Pine-Bluff."
 
Quoting redshirt-freshman NOAH JOHNSON
On his first scoring drive
"Coach was just calling up-tempo plays. It was either get off to the bubble, or hand it off to the back. It was really simple. We had numbers on the bubble, so I just took the bubble each time.
 
On being called to start second half
"Just be ready, next man up. Footman tells me every week go out there and be ready to go. When he went down I was just ready to go."
 
UP NEXT
To honor the service and dedication of the men and women of the United States Military, the Alcorn State University football program will host Military Day Thursday, Sept. 15. The Braves are set to take on the University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium. The game is slated to start at 6:30 p.m., and will be televised on ESPNU.
 
As part of the day's celebration, parking will be free and admission will be $5 as part of Family and Friends Day. Military personnel will have free admittance with a valid ID or uniform.
 
Fans are asked to sit on the visitor side for full presence on ESPNU's live telecast.
 
Alcorn State University would like to thank all military personnel once again for their tremendous support and dedication.

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