Alcorn Wins 2018 SWAC Championship with Big Fourth Quarter

LORMAN, Miss. – Down by one headed into the fourth quarter, the Alcorn State University football program scored the final 10 points of the game to win the 2018 SWAC Championship 37-28 over Southern on Saturday at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.
 
The go-ahead score was a 41-yard field goal by junior Corey McCullough with 11:31 left. The Braves (9-3, 6-1 SWAC) put the game away with a 14-yard touchdown run by junior De'Shawn Waller with 3:47 remaining.
 
Junior quarterback Noah Johnson, the 2018 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, was named the 2018 SWAC Championship Offensive MVP after the game. He threw for 135 yards on 18-of-25 passing, and rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns against the Jaguars (7-4, 6-1 SWAC).


 
The SWAC Championship Defensive MVP was honored to junior Brelion Hollis. He led the Braves with seven tackles including 0.5 sacks. Alcorn sacked SU quarterback Ladarius Skelton six times and junior Terry Whittington had 1.5.
 
Alcorn outgained SU 518-347 in total offense including 370-123 in rushing. Waller, the 2018 SWAC Newcomer of the Year, ran for a game-high 177 yards and three touchdowns including an 83-yard score.
 
Johnson connected with eight different receivers in the air. Senior Dayall Harris hauled in a team-high six receptions for 50 yards.
 
Back on defense, junior Javen Morrison grabbed an interception and returned it 38 yards. Sophomore Qwynnterrio Cole tied for a team-high seven tackles and also had a pair of pass break-ups. Both Morrison and Cole were All-Conference First-Team honorees.
 
Skelton was dangerous all night for the Jags as he totaled four touchdowns. He threw for 194 yards and a score and ran for 65 yards and three touchdowns. Trey Smith caught seven passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Jaguars got the ball first and started with good field position after the kick return was brought out to the SU 46. Skelton kept the first play on a QB-option run and picked up 15 yards to the Alcorn 39. SU was then situated with a 4th-and-1 at the Alcorn 30 and got the first down on a two-yard run by Benn. The Jaguars scored on the following play on a 28-yard run to the left by Skelton to take a 7-0 lead at the 12:26 mark.
 
On Alcorn's first possession, the Braves started with a 12-yard completion to Harris. Johnson then kept it himself on a dash to the right for a gain of 22 to the SU 42. The Braves advanced the ball to the SU 26 after a pass interference call, and a first down grab by freshman Juan Anthony Jr. on a screen setup Alcorn in the red zone at the SU 13. The Braves capped the series with a 13-yard touchdown run by Waller to the right to tie it 7-7 with 8:35 left.
 
The Braves started their second series at their own 17 when Waller took the carry, darted through the middle and was gone down the right side for a touchdown on the very first play. It gave Alcorn a 14-7 edge with 6:03 remaining in the first.
 
The Jaguars were on the move late in the first quarter after a 23-yard run by Devon Benn moved it to the Alcorn 26. SU even it 14-14 on a 22-yard pass to Smith with 2:43 to go.
 
The first turnover of the game went SU's way early in the second. It happened after the Braves were pushed back on a 3rd-and-30 after a pair of penalties, and the ball came loose after a short pass was fumbled and recovered by the Jaguars at their own 34.
 
The Jaguars moved backwards after the turnover. On second down, Skelton was sacked by senior Isiah Thomas and Whittington and came out of the game. On third down, John Lampley was sacked by sophomore Chris Monroe.
 
The Braves took over with about five minutes left and Johnson started it off with a 24-yard run to the Alcorn 49. A screen pass to junior Demetrius Lewis went for 17 yards to the SU 39. After a third-down pass come up short of the first down marker, the Braves went for it on 4th-and 2 and Waller ran it all the way in for a touchdown - however, there were flags on the field and it came back for holding. Alcorn was forced to punt and it went into the end zone for a touchback.
 
After a quick three-and-out by the defense, the Braves got the ball back at their own 35 with 1:50 remaining. Alcorn started it with a reverse to Blair who ran it to the 47 for a gain of 12. After a pair of short rushes by Waller, Johnson kept it himself on a QB-option to the left and took it to the house for a 44-yard touchdown run with 43 seconds left.
 
The Braves led 21-14 at the half.
 
Alcorn went three-and-out on its first series, but got the ball back after Morrison cut-off an intended receiver for an interception on a deep pass and ran it to the SU 25. Johnson's helmet came off on first down, and sophomore Felix Harper threw a missile to Anderson for 13 yards and a first down. The Braves punched it in on a one-yard run by Johnson as he jumped high and stretched the ball across the line. The extra point was blocked, but Alcorn was on top 27-14 with 11:12 remaining.
 
SU answered with a six-play, 73-yard drive for a touchdown. The big play was a deep pass from Skelton to Hunter Register for 42 yards. The scoring play was a one-yard run by Skelton which cut the deficit to 27-21 at the 8:46 mark.
 
After a punt, the Jaguars were on the move again after a pass was completed to Kendall Catalon for 17 yards to the Alcorn 38. On 3rd-and-10, Skelton nearly got sacked but escaped the pocket and scampered for 19 yards to the Alcorn 19. The Jaguars took the lead 28-27 on a four-yard run by Skelton with 3:56 left.
 
The Braves had the ball to start the fourth quarter and handed it to Waller for a gain of 24 to the Alcorn 39. The Braves kept moving in the right direction after a defensive pass interference call. A rush of 15 yards by Johnson moved it to the SU 29. After a bad snap resulted in 3rd-and-long, the Braves kicked a 41-yard field goal by McCullough which was good to go back on top 30-28 with 11:31 to go.
 
Skelton had to come out of the game for the second time after he was taken down on a 15-yard horse collar penalty. Lampley came in and threw a 30-yard strike to Jeremias Houston to the Alcorn 35. Skelton returned at quarterback on a 4th-and-7 play at the 32, but a pass down the left sideline was incomplete with 8:50 remaining.
 
The Braves kept it on the ground to start the ensuing series and moved the chains on a rush by Johnson to the Alcorn 46. A second third-down conversion was made on a screen to Harris to the SU 42. Johnson kept it himself on a 25-yard rush to spot the ball at the SU 14. A 14-yard touchdown run by Waller through the middle capped the drive and gave the Braves a 37-28 advantage with 3:47 left.


 
Skelton was sacked twice on Southern's final possession, once by Whittington and once by junior Theron Bonds.
 
Up next, the Braves will play for the HBCU Championship when they take on North Carolina A&T from the MEAC in the 2018 Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. (CT) in Atlanta.
 
NOTES
- The Braves won their 16th conference championship in school history and the third in the last five years.
 
- Alcorn became the first-ever host institution for the SWAC Championship and also the first-ever school to play in five consecutive SWAC title games.
 
- The Braves have beaten Southern in six of the last seven meetings including the 2014 SWAC Championship where Alcorn won 38-24. The Braves swept the season-series this year after spoiling Southern's Homecoming 20-3. Alcorn improved to 38-27-2 all-time against the Jaguars.
 
- Alcorn entered the game leading the FCS in both sacks per game (4.09) and tackles for a loss per game (9.2). The Braves will improve their tallies with 6.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for a loss.
 
- The Braves improved to 13-0 when leading at halftime over the last two seasons.
 
- Alcorn improved to 5-1 at home this year and 79-53 all-time at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.
 
- Johnson, a finalist for the Walter Payton Award which goes to the best player in FCS, moved up to No. 9 all-time at Alcorn in career passing with 3,980 yards. He passed Tim Buckley who threw for 3,963 yards from 2006-09.
 
- Waller has rushed for at least 100 yards in six of the last seven games. His three touchdowns were a career-high. Waller's 83-yard touchdown rush was the second-longest in SWAC Championship history, only behind an 84-yard run by former Alcorn standout Darryan Ragsdale.
 
- Morrison's interception was his fourth of the year and 10th in his career. He's led Alcorn in interceptions three years in a row.
 
- Harris caught six balls which marked a career-high. It topped his previous high of five receptions at New Mexico State.
 
- The Braves led the league with 12 All-Conference selections including 10 on the First-Team. It was the most First-Team honorees for Alcorn since 1977.
 
- Alcorn entered the game leading the league in total offense (471.3) and rushing (274.3 ypg). The Braves submitted 518 total yards and 370 rushing.
 
- The Braves entered the game ranked No. 2 in HBCU Top-10 Poll and are receiving 127 votes in the FCS Coaches Poll. Southern is No. 3 in the HBCU Poll.
 
- Alcorn's captains were senior Chris McCrea, McCullough and senior Sterling Shippy. The Braves won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.


 
Quoting SWAC Coach of the Year Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"Coming into this ball game, it was what we thought it was going to be, a tough ball game. I give this Southern team a lot of credit. They played a hard game. I can't say enough about this whole group we have here at Alcorn and the way we played this game. We finally put together a 60-minute ball game. We've been expecting this the whole year and it's been a long time coming. They went out there and executed. At times, we got set behind the chains but we did a great job of fighting through adversity. The defense played a heck of a ball game. They got big stops when we needed them. I just can't say enough about this coaching staff and this ball club. This is the way this senior class wanted to go out. They got a chance to make history on their own grass."
 
On winning a championship as a head coach after playing at Alcorn as a student-athlete
"I thank God for the opportunity to coach here. I can say enough about this opportunity to be the head coach at this University and helping these young men grow up, not only as players but also as adults."
 
On Noah Johnson's growth 
"Noah has been growing since day one. Against Georgia Tech, we stumbled a little bit, but he fought through and persevered. He's just an excellent player and he has a great teacher in Pat White."
 
On North Carolina A&T
"We haven't even seen film on them. We have to dissect the film, break it down, and see what they do. I think it should be a great match up. I'm excited, the guys are excited and the coaching staff is excited."
 
On his halftime message
"I was short and sweet with them. Looking at the first half, all I really wanted them to do is play another solid 30 minutes of ball. We just needed to finish drives. We had some penalties that pushed a few drives back. I just told them to just finish drives and execute."
 
Quoting junior quarterback Noah Johnson
On his games against Southern this year 
"We looked back at the film and saw some of the things we did wrong in the previous match-up. Tonight, we weren't going to be denied. Like Coach said, we played our first 60-minute ball game tonight. That feeling on our home turf with my teammates was amazing. I didn't care who walked into this building tonight, we were not going to be denied."
 
On his emotions during the game 
"When you get a chance to win a championship at home, there are always going to be emotions. Coach told us all week to control your emotions. When I got in that end zone all those emotions just came out. It was a dog fight. Shout out to Southern, that's a great ball club. We knew it would be a fight. After our emotions finally settled down, we finally got the offense going and we finished strong. 
 
Quoting junior linebacker Brelion Hollis
On the defense
"The coaches stressed all week about the little stuff. We just had to come out in the second half and hold our own because the first half was a little rocky. I want to give all thanks to the coaching staff for putting us in the position to win this ball game."
 
On winning the SWAC Championship 
"Well, we just want to be humble, but being in this situation is amazing. It makes you want to go out and work even harder. It's an amazing feeling and it's hard to put in words."
 
#FearTheBrave