Football | 11/18/2022 10:50:00 PM
LORMAN, Miss. – Alcorn Football looks to keep its Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Western Division hopes alive on Saturday when the Braves welcome in-0state foe No. 5/10 Jackson State to Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium for a 2 p.m. kickoff. The game is being streamed via ESPN+.
Alcorn vs. No. 5/10 Jackson State
Nov. 19, 2022 | 2 p.m. CT
Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium | Lorman, Miss.
WPRL 91.7 FM (Radio) | Sirius XM (Radio) | ESPN+
Twitter: @AlcornStateFB |
@BravesSports
Facebook: /AlcornStateSports
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Alcorn 5-5 (4-3 SWAC)
Roster |
Coaches |
Schedule & Results |
Stats |
Game Notes
Jackson State 10-0 (7-0 SWAC)
Roster |
Coaches |
Schedule & Results |
Stats |
Game Notes
Game Day Hashtags
#JSUvsALC | #BeatJSU | #ForgingAhead | #TogetherWeRise
Story Lines –
• Running back
Jarveon Howard was named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List, in addition to recently being selected to the 2022 C Spire Conerly Trophy. On the season, he leads the SWAC with 1,174 yards rushing, as well as 11 rushing touchdowns and an average of 117.4 yards per game on the ground within the "Trident" offensive backfield for Head Coach
Fred McNair.
• Seven Braves have 30-or-more tackles on the season in the form of
Terreance Ellis (72),
Claudin Cherelus (52),
Keyron Kinsler Jr. (51),
Ernest Woods III (37),
Tavarian McCullum (36),
Trevor James (32) and
Malachi Bailey (30). This despite James missing one game, and Kinsler not playing the first half at home against UAPB.
• Quarterback
Tre Lawrence started just his second-ever collegiate game last weekend against Bethune-Cookman.
• Wide receiver
Tevarrius Adams saw action behind center for the Braves at quarterback last weekend, finishing the game with a single incompletion, as well as 19 yards on four rushing attempts.
•
Andrew Smith's 50-yard interception last weekend was the first of its kind since Taurance Wilson in 2019 vs. Southern.
Series Notes –
• Jackson State leads the all-time series against Alcorn by a margin of 45-29-1...
• Under Head Coach
Fred McNair, the Braves are 3-2 against the Tigers...
• Since 2000, Jackson State holds an 11-10 edge in the series between the two schools...
• Over the course of the last 10 wins for the Braves against Jackson State, the average margin of victory is 14.5
points...
• Alcorn's longest winning streak in the series occurred twice when the Braves won four (4) games consecutively
between 1991-1994, and again from 2003-2006...
The Broadcasts –
The game will be carried live on ESPN+ and the WatchESPN app on all mobile devices for streaming, while also being carried live via the Braves Radio Network in the form of WPRL 91.7 FM as Charles Edmond (play-by-play) operates alongside Cedric Bush (color) and Cedric Tillman (sidelines).
The Coach –
Head Coach
Fred McNair is now in his sixth year at the helm of the Alcorn Football program. McNair touts an overall record of 41-29 at the helm of the Braves program. The Alcornite of 1992 enters the weekend sporting a 3-2 overall record as a head coach against Jackson State.
The Weather –
Projected temperatures on game day: Lorman – 50/32 (freeze warning at night). Jackson, Miss. – 52/32.
#HighFive –
1. Senior running back
Jarveon Howard has recently been selected as a nominee for the 2022 C Spire Connerly Trophy.
2. Head Coach
Fred McNair registered his 41st collegiate victory last weekend against Bethune-Cookman.
3. With quarterback
Aaron Allen sidelined for the remainder of the season with injury, quarterback
Tre Lawrence has been joined by receiver
Tevarrius Adams under center for the Braves.
4. Jarveon Howard enters Saturday's game needing 228 yards to become Alcorn's all-time single season rushing leader, looking to surpass De'Lance Turner (1,401 yds / 2017).
5. Sophomore punter/kicker
Noah Kiani has 12 fi eld goals made this season. He is just five (5) back of tying for the school-record in a single season for that category.
A Win over Jackson State Would –
• Give Head Coach
Fred McNair his 42nd overall career win...
• Allow
Fred McNair his fourth win as a collegiate head coach against Jackson State...
• Be the first of its kind for
Fred McNair in head-to-head games as a head coach against Deion Sanders...
• Allow Alcorn to finish the 2022 SWAC season with a league record of 5-3...
#TogetherWeRise –
• The hashtag and motto for Alcorn State University Football in 2022 is #TogetherWeRise…
• Head Coach
Fred McNair and the team always say "As Braves...Together We Rise" before concluding every meeting and/or practice throughout the 2022 playing season…
Andrew Smith Named SWAC Newcomer of the Week –
• It was announced Monday afternoon that
Andrew Smith has been selected as the Southwestern Athletic
Conference (SWAC) Newcomer of the Week for the period of November 14-20, as announced by the league office from its headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama.
•
Andrew Smith, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound junior transfer from Cisco Community College, is a native of Mansfield, Texas. The Mansfield Legacy High alum came up with, arguably, the biggest defensive play of the game for
Alcorn over the weekend against Bethune-Cookman. He stepped in front of a Jalen Jones pass in the fourth quarter, intercepting it and returning it 50 yards for the game-winning touchdown.
• The Braves would go on to defeat upset minded BCU by a score of 17-14. Smith also registered three tackles
against the Wildcats including two solo stops, while also forcing a fumble to go along with a pass breakup.
Howard Added to Walter Payton Award Watch List –
• Alcorn Football's
Jarveon Howard is one of 20 new student-athletes named to the most recent Walter Payton
Award Watch List, as announced by Stats Perform. Howard, a redshirt senior from Columbia, Mississippi, transferred into Alcorn over the summer from Syracuse.
• The 5-foot-10, 210-pound running back joins a list of seven additional running backs, eight quarterbacks, three wide receivers and two offensive linemen named to this year's watch list, respectfully. On an Alcorn Homecoming weekend against Texas Southern, Howard rushed for a game-high 135 yards and a
touchdown against Texas Southern on an Alcorn Homecoming weekend in Lorman. He also caught a pass out
of the backfield for 16 yards and a receiving touchdown (the first of its kind for the East Marion High alum this
season).
Howard leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) with 1,045 yards rushing. He is fourth in
• scoring with 66 points, while also second in rushing touchdowns (10). He also sits 13th in the league in total
offense (116.1 yards/game).
More players can join the watch list before a national media panel selects the winner following the regular season.
• First awarded in 1987, the Payton has watched past recipients such as Steve McNair, Tony Romo, Brian Westbrook, Jimmy Garoppolo, Cooper Kupp and Trey Lance move on to the NFL. Also, this season, Stats Perform will present the Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year), Jerry Rice Award (FCS freshman player of the year), Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year) and FedEx Ground Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Mississippi Moon Keep on Shining –
• Head Coach
Fred McNair and his staff have made it a rule to lock down the "Magnolia State" when
it comes to recruiting, despite efforts from larger schools such as Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss.
• There are total of 48 players from Mississippi on this year's roster.
• The state of Mississippi has always been a huge recruiting trail for the Braves in the past with names such as Jack Spinks, Steve McNair,
Fred McNair and Cedric Tillman all coming to Alcorn from the "Magnolia State".
30 Sacks, 30 Turnovers –
• The goal at the start of the season is for the Braves defense to make 30 sacks and force 30 turnovers. That would be a significant production hike from the two previous years of the current coaching regime that resulted in 12/18 in 2021.
• In 2019, the Braves defense chipped in with 35 turnovers, but amassed just 25 sacks to fall just short of the 30/30 mark.
• Last season, it was Jackson State leading the SWAC with 54 sacks, while Mississippi Valley State led the league with 13 interceptions from the Delta Devils defense.
Scoop 'N Score for Tyler Smith –
• Towards the end of the game against Mississippi Valley State, Alcorn defensive lineman
Tyler Smith scooped up a Delta Devils fumble and charged 35 yards with it for his first collegiate touchdown. For Smith, after an emotional week with the loss of his mom and sister, he was presented with the game ball – the actual ball that he scored the touchdown with and was surrounded by the team immediately after scoring.
Felix Harper Signs with Montreal of the CFL –
• Former Alcorn quarterback Felix Harper signed a professional contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the
Canadian Football League (CFL) over the weekend, becoming one of three American players signed in the past three days by the Quebec-based organization.
• Harper, a 5-10, 180-pound quarterback, was known simply as "Trigger Man" for the Braves during his time in
Lorman, Mississippi. The Fairburn, Georgia native enjoyed a stellar career with the Purple and Gold, where he
completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 5,619 yards and 55 touchdowns. He exited Alcorn sitting in the Top 10 in several offensive categories amongst some memorable names in Alcorn Football history.
• Serving as a regular starter for the Braves during the 2019 and 2021 seasons, respectively, Harper was named as the 2019 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 2,954 yards and 33 touchdowns en route to leading the Braves to the league crown and the school's third Cricket Wireless Celebration Bowl appearance. As a redshirt senior in 2021, Harper accounted for 2,478 yards through the air with 20 touchdowns, helping Alcorn to a 6-5 overall mark and a second place showing in the SWAC Western Division with a 5-3 conference record.
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– #BeatJSU –
