Alabama State Outlasts Alcorn in Five-Overtime Marathon

LORMAN, Miss. – The statistics didn't tell the tale of the tape Saturday as the Alcorn State University football program outgained Alabama State 530-240, but the Hornets survived 28-25 in five overtimes at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium on Homecoming.
 
The Braves (4-2, 2-1 SWAC) had the opportunity to win at the end of regulation, but a 28-yard field goal was missed wide-right with no time remaining.
 
Alcorn missed a field goal on the first possession of overtime, but sophomore Qwynnterrio Cole came up with an interception on the defensive side to keep the game alive.
 
Both teams missed field goals in double overtime.
 
In triple overtime, the Braves scored on a 22-yard rush by junior De'Shawn Waller and converted the two-point conversion to go up 22-14. Though, the Hornets (2-3, 1-1 SWAC) answered with a six-yard touchdown and a two-point conversion to tie it again 22-22.
 
Alcorn and ASU exchanged field goals in quadruple overtime before the Braves missed one on the opening possession of the fifth. The Hornets won the game on a 37-yard field goal by Hunter Hanson.
 
Waller, the reigning SWAC Newcomer of the Week winner, turned in a career day for the Braves with 214 rushing yards and two touchdowns. As a team, Alcorn rushed the ball 69 times including 20 carries for 94 yards by senior P.J. Simmons.
 
The Braves outrushed the Hornets 408-85.
 
Alcorn recorded five sacks defensively and won the time of possession battle 34:33-25:27.
 
Alcorn used two quarterbacks as junior Noah Johnson was 6-for-10 for 70 yards, while sophomore Felix Harper was 5-for-12 for 52 yards.
 
Alabama State was led by Ezra Gray who rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown. KHA'Darr Davis finished 20-for-36 with 155 passing yards and two touchdowns.
 
Darron Johnson wrapped-up a game-high 14 tackles. Cole led Alcorn with nine tackles and an interception.
 
The Hornets got off to a fast start, scoring the first two touchdowns of the game to go up 14-0 after a 16-yard touchdown reception by Joe Williams and a 45-yard run by Gray.
 
The Braves got on the board late in the first quarter. A 27-yard rush by Simmons got the Braves going, and a pass interference call moved the ball to the red zone. Alcorn scored on a seven-yard keeper by Simmons to trail 14-7 at the 3:04 mark.
 
Alcorn was close to leveling the score twice in the second quarter. However, a fumble at the one-yard line cost one opportunity, and an interception in the final minute of the half at the ASU 12 ended the other. Alabama State led 14-7 at the break.
 
Early in the third, the Braves started to put together a good drive after rushes of 14 and 19 yards by Waller got it started. Freshman Marquise Forman followed with a 17-yard rush, but the series stalled out at the ASU 27. Alcorn's 44-yard field goal attempt was then missed, wide-right.
 
 With the defense not giving up an inch, the Braves were still down just one score at the start of the fourth quarter. A 36-yard carry by junior Chris Blair moved the ball to the red zone, and a 10-yard rush by Waller put the ball at the one-yard line. Alcorn scored on a one-yard run by Waller to tie the game 14-14 with 14:51 left.
 
Alcorn got the ball back with 1:14 remaining in the game at its own 41. A 10-yard run by Waller and a 24-yard reception by freshman Juan Anthony put the ball at the ASU 8. After a false start, Alcorn ran the ball to the 11-yard line and called timeout with two seconds left to setup the field goal. Though, it missed wide-right.
 
The Braves will be back on the road next weekend when they head to Alabama A&M at 2 p.m. on its Homecoming. Alcorn is looking to beat the Bulldogs for the fifth straight year.
 
NOTES
- Alcorn saw its four-game winning-streak and six-game home winning-streak come to an end.
 
- The Braves are now 23-19 all-time against the Hornets. It was ASU's first win in the series since 2013.
 
- It marked the second time in three weeks that Alcorn faced a team off a bye week. Alcorn defeated Mississippi Valley State 56-20 previously.
 
- Waller's 214 rushing yards crushed his previous career-high of 54 yards set last weekend at Southern. It was his first multi-touchdown game as a Brave.
 
- Cole pulled down an interception for the second straight week. His nine tackles more-than doubled his previous best of four set two times.
 
- The Alcorn defense entered the game ranked top-five in the FCS in total yards, allowing just 242.4 per game. The Braves were right on par, giving up just 240 to the Hornets.
 
- Alcorn's captains were senior Sterling Shippy, junior Deonte Brooks and junior Corey McCullough. The Braves won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
 
Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"We just had a lot of drive killers. We threw a couple picks. We had turnovers. We had a fumble on the one-yard line that killed a drive. We just have to play better ball. We played mediocre." 
 
On Corey McCullough
"We just have to kick the next one and move on from that. We missed six field goals and that's tough. We rely on the kicker to win ball games, we just have to play better. We're not playing well. We had some good runs. We still have some things that we need to fix. We as coaches need to work on what we're doing on offense." 
 
On the play of Felix Harper
"He's a good quarterback. He just has to get the feel of it. We'll go back to the drawing board and see how our guys respond this week at practice. We have to find the guy that's going to motivate us on offense. We have to move the ball and execute better on offense. 
 
On De'Shawn Waller
"He's a great dynamic back. He's one of the guys we fortunately got back last week. He came out had some big runs and a touchdown. We just have to play better. We have another tough ball game against Alabama A&M next week. We're going into a hostile environment to take on the Bulldogs on their Homecoming." 
 
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