Football | 12/13/2018 10:33:00 AM

Alcorn Battles N.C. A&T for HBCU National Championship at Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl

Alcorn Game Notes | NC A&T Game Notes | Watch Live | Live Radio | Live Stats

ATLANTA – A nationally televised game on ABC will feature the SWAC champion Alcorn State University football program against the MEAC champion North Carolina A&T Aggies at 11 a.m. (CT) Saturday in the 2018 Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
 
The Braves (9-3, 6-1 SWAC) will have to get through the Aggies (9-2, 6-1 MEAC) in order to win their sixth Black College National Championship and the first since 2014. Alcorn won its 16th conference championship in school history and the third in the last five years. The Braves are the five-time defending SWAC East Division champions.
 
Alcorn earned the right to play in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl by beating Southern 37-28 in the SWAC Championship. The Braves controlled the fourth quarter and scored the final 10 points of the game to win. Alcorn became the first-ever institution to host a SWAC Championship game, and also the first school to play in five consecutive SWAC title games.
 
The Braves have outscored the opposition 96-42 in the fourth quarter this year.
 
Junior quarterback Noah Johnson, the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, was named the SWAC Championship Offensive MVP. Johnson is one of four finalists for the HBCU Player of the Year award and one of 25 finalists for the Walter Payton Award, distributed to the best player in FCS. Additionally, Johnson was one of four finalists for the C Spire Conerly Trophy which was awarded to the best player in the state of Mississippi.
 
Fellow junior De'Shawn Waller, the SWAC Newcomer of the Year, tallied a game-high 177 yards and three touchdowns in the SWAC Championship. He broke loose for an 83-yard touchdown run which was the second-longest in the history of the SWAC Championship game. Waller started the season as the No. 3 running back on the depth chart.
 
SWAC Coach of the Year Fred McNair has the Alcorn offense leading the SWAC total offense (475.2 ypg), scoring (33.5 ppg), rushing (282.3 ypg), first downs per game (23.4) and time of possession (33:06). The 33:06 time of possession ranks sixth in the country, the 281 first downs is seventh and the 282.3 rushing yards per game is eighth.
 
Three of Alcorn's starting offensive linemen were named HBCU All-Americans including senior Chris McCrea and juniors Kevin Hall and Mustaffa Ibrahim. Also on the HBCU All-America Team were Waller, junior Terry Whittington and sophomore Qwynnterrio Cole.
 
McNair's defense ranks first in the FCS in both sacks per game (4.25) and tackles for a loss per game (9.3). The defense is also top-five nationally in both total yards (288.7 ypg) and rushing (95.7 ypg).
 
The Braves have held the opposition to three points or less three times this year. The defense has not allowed a touchdown in four games (against Prairie View A&M, the only touchdown came on a special teams play).
 
Cole, who has only started in six games this season, catapulted to the top of the Alcorn tackles list. He leads the Braves with 68 on the season. He recorded interceptions in back-to-back games against Southern and Alabama State, and also got one at PVAMU.
 
The Aggies won their third MEAC title in the last four years. Their senior class holds a 40-7 record with three MEAC Championships, two Celebration Bowl wins and two HBCU National Championships.
 
NC A&T, led by MEAC Coach of the Year Sam Washington who is in his first season, has won 13 straight games away from home. Prior to being promoted to head coach, Washington served as the Aggies defensive coordinator and secondary coach for seven years.
 
Seven Aggies made it onto the All-MEAC First-Team. Senior running back Marquell Cartwright has rushed for 1,002 yards this year and 2,780 in his career which is top-five all-time in school history. Senior Lamar Raynard quarterback's the team and has thrown for 1,630 yards and 18 touchdowns.
 
Saturday's game on ABC will be called by Mark Jones, Dusty Dvoracek and Jay Walker with Molly McGrath on the sidelines. The game can also be heard on 91.7 FM or wprl.org with Charles Edmond on the call.
 
NOTES
- Alcorn is 1-1 all-time against North Carolina A&T. The last meeting came in the inaugural Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl where the Aggies finished on top 41-34 in 2015. The only prior meeting was a 16-13 Alcorn win at home in 2004.
 
- Alcorn dominated the All-Conference teams and won three of the individual awards. Fred McNair won Coach of the Year, Johnson earned Offensive Player of the Year and junior running back De'Shawn Waller was tabbed the Newcomer of the Year. Alcorn won three individual awards (Coach, Offensive and Newcomer) in the same season for the first time since 1992 when Steve McNair won Offensive, Marcus Hinton won Newcomer and Marino Casem won Coach.
 
- Of the league-leading 12 All-Conference honorees from Alcorn, 10 were named to the First-Team. It's the most First-Team selections for the Braves since 1977. Along with Johnson and Waller on the First-Team were offensive linemen Chris McCrea, Kevin Hall and Mustaffa Ibrahim, defensive linemen Terry Whittington and Sterling Shippy, linebacker Solomon Muhammad and defensive backs Javen Morrison and Qwynnterrio Cole. Alcorn was represented on the Second-Team by offensive lineman Deonte Brooks and tight end Jaquaveon Boles.
 
- In three seasons, Johnson ranks eighth all-time in school history in touchdown passes (30), ninth in passing yards (3,980) and 11th in rushing yards (1,747). This year, he's thrown for 2,079 yards and 15 touchdowns, and has rushed for 960 yards and nine touchdowns. Johnson ranks fourth in the nation in rushing yards per carry (7.4) and top-10 in completion percentage (.641).
 
- Waller ranks top-10 in the FCS in rushing (116.4), 18th in rushing TD's (12), 22nd in all-purpose yards (126.9 ypg) and 23rd in total rushing yards (1,048). He's rushed for at least 100 yards in six of the last seven games including the SWAC Championship where he tallied a game-high 177 yards and three touchdowns.
 
- Junior kicker/punter Corey McCullough has very quietly been having a historic season. He's made 14 field goals this year and is chasing his own single-season school record of 17 set last season. McCullough is also eyeing the all-time record at Alcorn for most field goals made of 34 set by Wilfredo Rosales from 1877-80. If McCullough makes four field goals vs. N.C. A&T, he would break both the school's single-season and career records.
 
- Morrison leads Alcorn in interceptions for the third consecutive year. He has 10 on his career with four this year including one in the SWAC Championship. Morrison ran back his second career pick-six earlier this season against Grambling State.
 
- Junior linebacker Brelion Hollis was tabbed the SWAC Championship Defensive MVP. He led the Braves with seven tackles including 0.5 sacks. Alcorn sacked SU quarterback Ladarius Skelton six times.
 
- Whittington was nationally recognized on Oct. 22 when he won FCS Defensive Player of the Week. He also won HBCU National Player of the Week and SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Whittington notched career-highs of 15 tackles, 6.0 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks and a forced fumble in a 33-26 win over Grambling State. He came close to the single-game school record of 5.0 sacks set by Bryant Mix in 1995 against Texas Southern.
 
- The Braves are 13-0 when leading at halftime over the last two seasons.
 
- Alcorn finished 5-1 at home this year and is 79-53 all-time in Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium after 27 seasons.
 
- Saturday marks a game between the top-two teams in the HBCU Poll. The Aggies are in the No. 1 spot, while the Braves are No. 2. N.C. A&T is ranked No. 11 in the FCS Top-25, while the Braves are receiving 127 votes.
 
- Alcorn won 10 SWAC Player of the Week awards for the second straight year. Whittington, Hollis and Morrison won Defensive Player of the Week. Waller won Newcomer of the Week three times. Johnson and junior Raidarious Anderson each won Offensive Player of the Week. McCullough and senior Johnathon Hauer have earned Special Teams Player of the Week.
 
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