Friday Night Lights Edition of Alcorn Football

Football | 11/3/2022 12:52:00 PM

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas – It's "Friday Night Football" in Texas on November 4, as Alcorn travels to Prairie View A&M for a western division battle of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) when the Braves and Panthers square-off at PVAMU Football Stadium at Blackshear Field in an ESPNU-televised game kicking off at 6:30 p.m.
 
Alcorn at Prairie View A&M
Nov. 4, 2022 | 6:30 p.m. CT
PVAMU Football Stadium | Prairie View, Texas
WPRL 91.7 FM (Radio) | Sirius XM (Radio) | ESPNU
 
Twitter: @AlcornStateFB | @BravesSports
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Alcorn 3-5 (2-3 SWAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats | Game Notes
 
Prairie View A&M 5-3 (4-1 SWAC)
Roster | Coaches | Schedule & Results | Stats
 
Game Day Hashtags
#ALCvsPVAMU | #BeatPVAMU | #ForgingAhead | #TogetherWeRise
 
Story Lines –
• Redshirt senior wide receiver CJ Bolar enters the weekend having caught at least one pass in 14 consecutive games for which he has appeared dating back to the 2021 season.
• Running back Jarveon Howard was named to the Walter Payton Award Watch List. On the season, he leads the SWAC with 920 yards rushing, as well as nine rushing touchdowns and an average of 115 yards per game on the ground within the "Trident" offensive backfield for Head Coach Fred McNair.
• Four Braves have 30-or-more tackles on the season in the form of Terreance Ellis (42), Keyron Kinsler Jr. (39) and Trevor James (32). This despite James missing one game, and Kinsler not playing the first half at home against UAPB.
• Quarterback Tre Lawrence saw his first action of the season last weekend at Grambling State, entering the game in the second quarter and completing 7-of-15 passes for 82 yards and a touchdown.
• Alcorn is scoring at an 80 percent clip inside the red zone this season, including 10 touchdowns in 20 possessions.
 
Series Notes –
• Alcorn leads the all-time series against Prairie View A&M by a commanding 44-15 record...
• Under Head Coach Fred McNair, the Braves are 4-1 against the Panthers...
• Prairie View had its longest winning streak in the series when the Panthers won six consecutive (2007-12)…
• Alcorn won 22 consecutive games in the series from 1977 to 1999...
• The Braves have won the last four meetings between the two teams...
 
The Broadcasts –
The game will be carried live on ESPNU 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 Emmanuel Barnes (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 39-29 at the helm of the Braves program. The Alcornite of 1992 enters the weekend sporting a 4-1 record as a head coach against Prairie View A&M, including a pair of wins in the "Lone Star State".
 
The Weather –
Projected temperatures on game day: Lorman – 83/61. Prairie View, Texas – 84/56 (70% chance of rain).
 
#HighFive –
1. Defensive lineman Malachi Bailey enters Friday night's game tied for 44th nationally in the FCS with an average of 0.62 quarterback sacks per game…
2. Alcorn is just 7-13 in its last 20 games played away from Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium…
3. Running back Jarveon Howard is tied for 21st in the FCS for total touchdowns (10), sitting second in the SWAC for that area behind Prairie View's Trazon Connley (11)…
4. The Braves defense, as a unit, is ranked amongst the top 30 in the FCS in four categories including sacks (T-6th), tackles for loss (T-14), total defense (26) and passing defense (27)…
5. Alcorn enters Friday night's game seeking its fifth consecutive in the series against the Panthers…
 
A Win over Prairie View A&M Would –
• Give Head Coach Fred McNair his 40th overall career win...
• Allow Fred McNair his fifth win as a collegiate head coach against Prairie View A&M...
• Advance Alcorn's all-time record against Prairie View to 45-15...
• Improve Alcorn's league record to 3-3 in the SWAC...
 
#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…
 
The Trident Backfield –
• The "Trident" offensive backfield with running backs Jarveon Howard, Niko Duffey and Javonta Leatherwood has produced 1,461 yards between the three ball-carriers this season.
• Howard enters the weekend tied for 17th in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) for rushing touchdowns (9), while also ranked eighth in rushing yards (920).
• Meanwhile, Duffey has 293 yards, averaging 4.4 yards per carry, adding a touchdown as well. And Leatherwood has 248 yards with a touchdown, averaging 5.2 yards per carry for the year with a score.
 
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.
 
Playoffs and the SWAC –
• Despite the introduction of the Celebration Bowl in February 2015, a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) still has the possibility of participating in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Playoffs. A member would have to accept an at-large bid to the playoffs, which last happened a season ago when Florida A&M visited Southeastern Louisiana in the first round, and Jackson State accepted the Celebration Bowl.
 
Next Up –
• Alcorn returns home for the first of two games to conclude the 2022 regular season, as the Braves welcome Bethune-Cookman to Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the HBCU Go network…
 
Alcorn Football Weekly Media Press Conference –
• Alcorn State hosts weekly media press conferences featuring Head Coach Fred McNair and selected Braves student-athletes. The press conference, which begins at 1 p.m., is held every Wednesday throughout the football season inside the media room of Jack Spinks – Marino Casem Stadium. A link to the complete posted press conference will be made available through the Alcorn State Sports YouTube channel immediately afterwards.
 
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