Alcorn, Grambling to Clash in Final Judgment Day
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Alcorn, Grambling to Clash in Final Judgment Day


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HOUSTON – The final SWAC Championship game will be a rubber match between the Alcorn State University football program and Grambling State University as the team's meet for the third consecutive year Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at NRG Stadium.
 
The Braves (7-4, 5-2 SWAC) won 49-21 in 2015 and the Tigers (10-1, 7-0 SWAC) won 27-20 last season. Senior quarterback Lenorris Footman started both games for the Braves, but he's split time with sophomore Noah Johnson this season.
 
Alcorn is playing for its 16th conference championship and the third in the last four years.
 
The Braves are the first team in the history of the league to play in four consecutive SWAC Championship games. They are the four-time defending SWAC East Division champions.
 
Senior running back De'Lance Turner needs 64 more rushing yards to break the single-season school record of 1,286 set by Rodney Thomas in 1998. Turner ranks second in the nation (FCS) in yards per carry with 7.64, and top-five in total rushing yards (1,223). Turner also leads the SWAC in all-purpose yards with 144.3 per outing.
 
At quarterback, Footman and Johnson have combined for 2,338 passing yards, 786 rushing yards, 13 passing touchdowns and 12 rushing touchdowns.
 
Defensively, Alcorn leads the nation (FCS) in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on just 59.3 percent of their trips inside the 20.
 
GSU is ranked No. 12 in the FCS Coaches Poll. The Tigers are on a 10-game winning-streak including an undefeated slate in conference. GSU survived a scare from Southern in its season-finale, but came back for a 30-21 win late in the fourth quarter.
 
Martez Carter, who was injured early in the fourth quarter, scored the go-ahead touchdown on an 11-yard run with 3:22 left. Carter ranks second in the league in all-purpose yards behind Turner with 128.9 per game.
 
Carter and linebacker De'Arius Christmas were named Co-MVP's after last year's SWAC Championship game.
 
The Tigers are quarterbacked by senior Devante Kincade who leads the league in passing with 219.0 yards per game. Kincade was named the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and has won three SWAC Offensive Player of the Week awards this year.
 
Alcorn and GSU won their divisions after being picked as the favorites in the SWAC Preseason Poll.

The conference announced prior to the season that it will forgo the championship game after this year. Saturday's game marks the 19th installment.
 
The game will be nationally televised on ESPNU. It can also be heard online for free on 91.7 FM or wprl.org with Charles Edmond as the voice of the Braves.
 
NOTES
- Alcorn head coach Fred McNair is among 18 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award which honors the FCS Coach of the Year.
 
- The Braves garnered nine All-Conference selections including four on the First-Team. Alcorn has placed at least four student-athletes in the First-Team four times in the last five years.
 
- In addition to red zone defense, Alcorn leads the SWAC in total offense (457.6 ypg) and rushing offense (241.3 ypg). GSU and Alcorn are the top two teams in scoring and both average over 30 points per game.
 
- Footman ranks No. 6 all-time in school history in career rushing yards with 1,964. He's also seventh in career touchdown passes (30) and ninth in career passing yards (3,927). Turner ranks sixth in rushing yards with 1,987.
 
- Sophomore Corey McCullough holds the school's single-season field goal record with 16 made this year. His 1.45 field goals made per game is third in the FCS. McCullough is also top-15 in the country in both punting average (42.7 yards) and points per game (8.0).
 
- Senior wide receiver Norlando Veals leads the SWAC in receiving yards per game with 81.6. He etched career-highs of 253 receiving yards and three touchdown catches against MVSU.
 
- Sophomore Javen Morrison has been a lockdown defender. He's top-five in the FCS in pass break ups per game (1.33) and has recorded a team-high three interceptions.
 
- Alcorn is 6-0 this year when leading at halftime and also unbeaten when scoring at least 30 points.
 
- The Braves rank No. 3 in the BOXTOROW HBCU Coaches Poll. Alcorn is second among SWAC teams behind Grambling State which is No. 2.
 
- Alcorn will carry-over a four-game home winning-streak into next season. The Braves went 5-1 at home this year and are 74-52 all-time at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium which wrapped-up its 26th season (first year was 1992).
 
- The Braves won 10 SWAC Player of the Week awards this year from nine different student-athletes. McCullough won both FCS National and SWAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors on Nov. 6 after drilling for field goals against AAMU and punting six times for 309 yards (51.5 yards per punt).
 
- Six different receivers have caught touchdown passes for Alcorn this season and 16 student-athletes have at least one reception.
 
#FearTheBrave
 
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