MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Lightning struck several times Saturday, and after a four hour weather delay, the Alcorn State University football program came out of the gates on fire to put away Alabama State 35-7 at ASU Stadium.
The huge first half for the Braves (4-2, 3-0 SWAC) included two passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns and four turnovers forced. Alcorn held a 239-64 edge over the Hornets (2-3, 1-1 SWAC) in first half yards, including 156-0 in rushing to lead 28-0 at the half.
For the game, junior
Felix Harper threw for 146 yards and three touchdowns, and also rushed for a touchdown. The two-time reigning SWAC Offensive Player of the Week winner threw passing touchdowns to senior
Raidarious Anderson, senior
Nigel Wood and junior
LeCharles Pringle.
Freshman
Niko Duffey rushed for a game-high 101 yards and a touchdown. Alcorn outrushed Alabama State 213-67.
On defense, senior
Solomon Muhammad picked off two passes. Also with interceptions were senior
Javen Morrison and sophomore Keyron Kinsler.
The Braves spread around the tackles with junior
Juwan Taylor, junior
Nichel Herron and junior
Mikail Webb each wrapping-up six apiece. Alcorn also notched five sacks as a team.
Alabama State's KHA'Darris Davis threw for 161 yards, but four interceptions. Ezra Gray was the team's leading rusher with 49 yards. Colton Adams led the Hornets defensively with a game-high nine tackles.
The Hornets were coming off a bye week.
The Braves will return to Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium at 2 p.m. next weekend for Homecoming against Savannah State. It's just the second-ever meeting between the two programs, as the Braves won 34-6 in 1970.
PLAY-BY-PLAY SUMMARY
The Braves opened the game with a 24-yard rush by Duffey to cross midfield. Though, after they were forced to punt, McCullough planted one at the ASU 6.
Alcorn quickly got the ball back in great field position after Muhammad intercepted a pass over the middle of the field at the 15-yard line. It led to points, as Harper found Pringle open for an eight-yard touchdown to put the Braves up 7-0 early.
On Alabama State's next possession, a botched pitch play resulted in a fumble and Kinsler scooped it up and returned it 14 yards to the ASU 42. The Braves got backed up after a sack, but on 3rd and 18, Harper connected with sophomore Juan Anthony for 18 yards and a first down at the ASU 20. Again facing a third down, Harper dropped back to pass, but the middle of the field was wide open and he sprinted into the end zone himself untouched for an 18-yard run. Alcorn led 14-0 with 4:47 remaining in the first quarter.
The Hornets were threatening late in the first as they moved into Alcorn territory at the 30-yard line after a 15-yard facemask penalty. However, the Braves again came up with an interception as Kinsler picked off a high pass deep over the middle.
Midway through the second quarter, Alcorn was driving after a big 36-yard reception by Pringle down the left side moved the ball to the ASU 8. After the Braves got backed up on a penalty, Wood was left wide-open on the left side and scored on an 18-yard pass to increase the lead to 21-0 with 5:51 left.
Alcorn's defense quickly got the ball back for the offense, and the Braves wasted little time. They made it a 28-0 game after Duffey took off through the middle and could not be caught from behind on a 67-yard touchdown run.
Late in the half, the Hornets tried get something going offensively, but a deep pass was intercepted by Morrison. The Braves were ahead 28-0 at the break.
To begin the third quarter, the Hornets marched down the field and scored. It came on a 29-yard pass to Michael Jefferson in the far-left corner of the end zone. It trimmed the deficit to 28-7 with 11:06 to go in the third.
After a three-and-out by the Alcorn offense, the Hornets again drove it down to the field. They got all the way to the Alcorn 4 when the Braves defense forced a 4th-and-goal situation. After a false start, the Hornets still kept the offense on the field from the 9-yard line but threw an interception to Muhammad in the end zone.
Early in the fourth quarter, Alabama State faced a 4th-and-1 at the Alcorn 45 when a combined tackle by Webb and Holbert stopped them short for a turnover on downs.
The Braves used the defensive stop and turned it into points. A 14-yard rush by sophomore
Trey Turner got it started, and a high pass on the left side to Anderson was hauled in for a 22-yard touchdown pass. It put Alcorn up 35-7 with 9:54 left in the game.
NOTES
- Alcorn improved to 24-19 all-time against Alabama State, and 3-1 under head coach
Fred McNair.
- The Braves are now 16-2 against SWAC East Division opponents over the last five seasons. McNair carries a 19-7 career SWAC record, and 14-6 in night games.
- With a touchdown in the fourth quarter, Alcorn has outscored the opposition 56-24 in the fourth quarter this year. It came after it outscored the opposition 102-42 in the fourth quarter in 2018.
- The Braves improved to 17-0 when leading at halftime since 2017.
- Over the last three games, Harper has thrown for 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.
- Duffey entered the game ranked top-20 in the country in total touchdowns with six. His 67-yarder in the second quarter was his seventh of the year, and also a career long.
- Morrison's interception was the 11th of his career. He led the Braves in interceptions the last three seasons.
- Herron and Holbert both set career-highs with six tackles apiece. Herron's previous best was four, set four times. Holbert's previous high was three, set last weekend against Mississippi Valley State.
- Senior
Corey McCullough entered the game as the reigning SWAC Special Teams Player of the Week winner. He did not have a field goal attempt, but was five-for-five in extra points. He also punted six times for 267 yards, including a 54-yarder. Three of his punts landed inside the 20, including one that was downed at the two-yard line.
- Alcorn entered the game leading the league in fewest points allowed (24.4 ppg) and total defense (354.0 ypg). The Braves will improve on both marks after allowing just seven points and 258 yards.
- Alcorn's captains were senior
Demetrius Lewis, senior
Darrell Henderson and McCullough. The Braves won the toss and elected to receive.
Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"Well, I was kind of disappointed in the second half with the way we played. We didn't play a complete football game. We got off to a great start after the four hour delay, but second half we didn't do as well. We let up a touchdown to start the half, and then we had a three-and-out offensively. We didn't close it out the way we should have, and it's something we'll address."
On the four hour weather delay
"We always talk about 'no distractions.' I want to thank Alabama State and its coaches for allowing us to eat in the cafeteria during the delay. That meal definitely energized us. It's always tough to get these kids back up after they're ready to play but can't. We just wanted to get them back on the field, and get them loose for the first half. We did a great job at the beginning of the game."
On the play of Felix Harper tonight
"He played as expected. He's been doing it the last few weeks. He's come in behind
Noah Johnson and has done a great job filling in as a back-up. We always talk about 'next man up', and he's done an outstanding job preparing himself.
On the defensive performance
"The defense did a great job during the week getting themselves ready to play this game. Coach
Cedric Thornton and his staff did really well in preparing our defense this week."
On the importance of this game
"This was a big game for us, and we talked about it during the course of the week. Our guys knew the importance and they responded well. We take it one week at a time, and now we'll turn our attention to Savannah State."
Quoting running back Niko Duffey
On his 100-yard rushing night
"I felt good tonight. I had to redeem myself for last week because I didn't think I played my best brand of football. I wanted to try and make up for it tonight."
On the offense scoring 35 points
"It all started on Monday at practice. We were locked in and determined to play well. The guys kept talking about last year's game, and we knew we had to be focused and locked in this week. We knew the importance of this game in terms of staying on top in the division."
On what the team was saying to each other during the four hour delay
"We just wanted to stay focused on the task at hand. We didn't let the delay throw us off our game. We knew we had to come out ready to play."
Quoting linebacker Solomon Muhammad
On the defense holding Alabama State to just seven points
"Coach Thornton and the coaches came up with a great game plan and we came out and executed it. It was an all-around team effort."
On his two interceptions
"We knew coming in that Alabama State would be throwing the ball. I dropped back when it was needed, and God blessed me with two picks."
On what the team was saying to each other during the four hour delay
"We kept our composure really well and didn't let it distract us. Coach McNair emphasized 'no distractions' and that's what we've stuck to the entire season."
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