Football | 9/21/2018 10:49:00 AM

Braves Travel to MVSU for First Conference Game

Alcorn Game Notes | Live Radio | Live Stream | Live Stats

ITTA BENA, Miss. – Both the Alcorn State University football program and Mississippi Valley State will kick-off league play Saturday when they square off in a 6 p.m. game at Rice-Totten Stadium.
 
Alcorn (2-1) is coming off back-to-back wins over Louisiana College 78-0 and Texas Southern 27-15. The TSU game was a non-conference affair. MVSU (0-2) had a bye week last week but dropped its first two games to North Dakota 35-7 and Jacksonville State 71-0.
 
Junior Noah Johnson has taken the majority of the snaps at quarterback for the Braves and ranks 13th in the country in completion percentage (.684). He's throw for 457 yards and four touchdowns, and has rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns this year.
 
After Alcorn's victory over TSU, the program was honored with a trio of weekly awards. Junior Javen Morrison was named both the HBCU National Player of the Week and SWAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree, while junior Raidarious Anderson was tabbed the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week winner.
 
Morrison grabbed two interceptions against the Tigers and has led the team in interceptions in each of the last two seasons. Anderson turned in a career game with eight catches for 168 yards and a touchdown. He accounted for more-than half of Alcorn's passing yards in the win.
 
Anderson has been Alcorn's top target this year as he's hauled in 12 catches for 255 yards and two touchdowns. He averages 85 receiving yards per outing. Senior P.J. Simmons, the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has led the team on the ground with 145 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
 
The Braves have been one of the top teams in the country in the red zone this year on both sides of the ball. The offense is one of 21 teams in the FCS to score on 100 percent of its trips inside the 20. The defense ranks fifth in red zone scoring, limiting teams to put up points on 50 percent of their trips.
 
The Alcorn offense also ranks fourth in the nation in fewest sacks allowed, surrendering just one in three games.
 
The Delta Devils will look to regroup after their bye week. Vincent Dancy is in his first year as head coach after serving as the program's defensive coordinator since February 2015. MVSU's lone touchdown this year came on an eight-play, 70-yard drive against North Dakota that was capped by a 29-yard touchdown pass from Christopher Fowler to Demarcus Frazier.
 
Fowler is 37-for-67 passing for 404 yards with one touchdown and one interception. His go-to receiver has been Steven McIntosh who's caught nine passes for 123 yards. Jemaurri Bailey leads the defense with 20 tackles on the year.
 
It's the first of back-to-back road games for the Braves who head to Southern on Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.
 
NOTES
- The Braves are 44-15-1 all-time against the Delta Devils and are looking for their sixth straight win in the series. Alcorn has outscored MVSU 262-58 over the last five games.
 
- Alcorn is looking to win its conference opener for the seventh year in a row. Last season, the Braves beat Southern 48-31 at home. The last time they started 0-1 in conference was in 2011 when the fell to Grambling State 21-14 at home.
 
- As a team, the Braves rank first in the SWAC in rushing (200.7 ypg), sacks (8), most points in a single game (78), fewest points allowed (18.7), fewest yards allowed (291.0 ypg), fewest rushing yards allowed (137.7 ypg), fewest passing yards allowed (153.3 ypg), fewest sacks allowed (1) and fewest first downs allowed (16.0 pg).
 
- In the win over TSU, Alcorn raced out to a 27-0 halftime lead which was too much for the Tigers to overcome. The Braves posted their seventh straight win over TSU in the series.
 
- In Alcorn's home-opener, the team broke a Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium scoring record by defeating Louisiana College 78-0. It was the second-most lopsided score in school history, only behind a 101-0 victory over Paul Quinn in 1967. Alcorn won its home opener for the sixth year in a row.
 
- Alcorn is riding a six-game home winning-streak which carried over from last season. The program is 76-52 all-time at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium which is in its 27th season as the home of the Braves. Alcorn's next home game is Oct. 6 against Alabama State at 2 p.m. on Homecoming.
 
- The Braves have won three SWAC Player of the Week honors in three weeks this year. Prior to Morrison and Anderson winning, senior Johnathon Hauer was tabbed the SWAC Newcomer of the Week after the win against LC.
 
- Alcorn is 8-0 when leading at halftime over the last two seasons.
 
- The Braves moved up a spot to No. 4 in the HBCU Poll and were receiving votes in the Preseason FCS Poll.
 
- Alcorn assistant coach Pat White will be inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday. He will not be present for his induction when the Mountaineers host Kansas State since he will be with the Braves at MVSU. White's brother Coley will be present on his behalf.
 
#FearTheBrave