ITTA BENA, Miss. — Alcorn State University responded from its open week with one of its most complete offensive performances of the season, piling up 585 yards of total offense and scoring 45 unanswered points as the Braves rolled past Mississippi Valley State University, 52-17, Saturday afternoon at Rice-Totten Stadium. The victory improved Alcorn to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, while Mississippi Valley State fell to 3-6 overall and 2-3 in league action.

After Mississippi Valley State opened the scoring, Alcorn answered with touchdowns on three consecutive possessions and never looked back. The Braves led 14-10 after the opening quarter, erupted for 21 unanswered points in the second and carried a commanding 35-10 advantage into halftime. Alcorn continued to pour it on after the break, scoring 17 more unanswered points in the third quarter to build a 52-10 advantage. The Braves finished with 323 passing yards and 262 rushing yards, averaging an impressive 9.1 yards per play while recording 26 first downs.

Quarterback Jaylon Tolbert turned in another strong performance, completing 23-of-29 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. Tolbert also rushed for a touchdown as he accounted for four of Alcorn's seven trips to the end zone. Armon Wright led the receiving corps with a game-high eight receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown, including a 57-yard reception. Fredrick Robertson continued to provide Alcorn with big plays, rushing for 81 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries while adding two receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown. Robertson finished with 168 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns.

Ernest Temple provided another explosive element in the ground game, rushing four times for 79 yards and a touchdown, averaging 19.8 yards per carry. His 54-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter capped Alcorn's scoring and pushed the Braves past the 50-point mark.

Mississippi Valley struck first, moving 79 yards on its opening possession as quarterback Josh Brown connected with Jaylen King for a 40-yard touchdown, giving the Delta Devils a 7-0 lead with 10:55 remaining in the first quarter. Alcorn immediately answered with a seven-play, 60-yard drive as Tolbert completed six passes, including connections with Tyree Kelly, Wright, Damien Jones and Malachi Augustus, before finishing the possession himself with a one-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 with 7:55 remaining.

After Alcorn's defense forced a three-and-out, the Braves took over at the Mississippi Valley 45 and needed just five plays to grab their first lead. Joshua Tate contributed a 13-yard run before Tolbert connected with Wright for a 22-yard touchdown, putting Alcorn ahead 14-7. Mississippi Valley answered with a 40-yard field goal from Luka Sari with 21 seconds remaining in the first quarter, trimming Alcorn's lead to 14-10, but that would be as close as the Delta Devils would get.

On the second play of the second quarter, Tolbert found Robertson for a 78-yard touchdown, immediately stretching the Braves' lead to 21-10. Alcorn's defense took control from there, with Jakel Houston-Irving and Kenneth Andrews recording back-to-back sacks on Mississippi Valley's next possession to help force another punt. The Braves capitalized on the field position as Robertson broke loose for a 37-yard run before scoring from five yards out two plays later, extending the advantage to 28-10 with 5:01 remaining in the half.

Alcorn's defense then stopped Mississippi Valley on fourth down at the Delta Devils' 27, giving the offense another short field. Tate carried four times on the ensuing possession, while Tolbert converted a fourth-and-one with a three-yard run before finding Elijah Griffin for a one-yard touchdown, pushing Alcorn's lead to 35-10 with 1:23 remaining before halftime. The Braves nearly added three more points before the break, driving from their own 30 to the Mississippi Valley 27 in just 52 seconds, but Kenyon Bowyer's 44-yard field-goal attempt was unsuccessful as time expired.

Alcorn wasted little time resuming its scoring in the second half. Robertson opened the third quarter with a 19-yard run and later added a 13-yard gain as the Braves marched 65 yards in nine plays. He capped the possession with a two-yard touchdown run, his third total touchdown of the afternoon, to extend the lead to 42-10. Mississippi Valley responded with its best drive since the opening quarter, moving into the Alcorn red zone, but the Braves' defense held and Sari missed a 37-yard field goal.

Alcorn turned the defensive stop into another scoring drive as Temple ripped off a 24-yard run to move the Braves into the red zone before Bowyer connected on a 27-yard field goal to make it 45-10 with 2:40 remaining in the third. The Braves needed only two plays to score again on their next possession. After a one-yard completion to Jones, Temple exploded through the Mississippi Valley defense for a 54-yard touchdown run, giving Alcorn a commanding 52-10 lead with 22 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Mississippi Valley ended Alcorn's run of 45 unanswered points with a six-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter, but the Braves responded by controlling the football for the remainder of the contest. Alcorn took possession with 7:56 remaining and methodically drained the clock with an 11-play, 65-yard drive, keeping the football primarily on the ground before Bryan Wilson completed a three-yard pass to Noel Butler on the final offensive play to close out the 52-17 victory.

The Braves finished the afternoon with 585 yards on just 64 offensive plays, averaging 8.2 yards per rushing attempt and 10.1 yards per pass attempt while converting 7-of-10 third-down opportunities. Defensively, Alcorn limited Mississippi Valley to 295 total yards, including 173 through the air, while recording five tackles for loss and two sacks and holding the Delta Devils scoreless in both the second and third quarters.

Timothy Jasper led Alcorn with seven tackles, while Dillon Crowell finished with six tackles and a team-high two tackles for loss. Jayden Davis added five stops, while Houston-Irving and Andrews each recorded a sack.
 
Notes

• Alcorn improved to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in SWAC play.
• The Braves returned from their open week with a 52-17 road victory.
• Alcorn scored 45 unanswered points after Mississippi Valley took an early 7-0 lead.
• The Braves scored 38 consecutive points after Mississippi Valley cut the Alcorn lead to 14-10 late in the first quarter.
• Alcorn led 35-10 at halftime and 52-10 after three quarters.
• The Braves scored on eight of their first 10 offensive possessions, including seven touchdowns and a field goal.
• Alcorn finished with a season-high 585 yards of total offense.
• The Braves accumulated 323 passing yards and 262 rushing yards.
• Alcorn averaged 9.1 yards per offensive play.
• The Braves averaged 8.2 yards per rushing attempt.
• Alcorn recorded 26 first downs, including 13 rushing and 11 passing.
• Jaylon Tolbert completed 23-of-29 passes for 320 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
• Tolbert added a rushing touchdown to account for four total touchdowns.
• Armon Wright recorded a game-high eight receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown.
• Fredrick Robertson rushed nine times for 81 yards and two touchdowns.
• Robertson also caught two passes for 87 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 168 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns.
• Robertson's 78-yard touchdown reception was Alcorn's longest play from scrimmage.
• Ernest Temple rushed four times for 79 yards and a touchdown, averaging 19.8 yards per carry.
• Temple's 54-yard touchdown run was the Braves' longest rushing play of the afternoon.
• Joshua Tate added 43 rushing yards on seven carries.
• Elijah Griffin caught five passes, including a one-yard touchdown.
• Alcorn had seven offensive touchdowns — four rushing and three passing.
• Kenyon Bowyer converted all seven of his extra-point attempts and made a 27-yard field goal.
• Alcorn converted 7-of-10 third-down opportunities and its only fourth-down attempt.
• The Braves did not commit a turnover.
• Alcorn's defense held Mississippi Valley to 295 yards of total offense.
• The Braves allowed just 122 rushing yards and 173 passing yards.
• Timothy Jasper led the defense with seven tackles.
• Dillon Crowell finished with six tackles and two tackles for loss.
• Jayden Davis recorded five tackles.
• Jakel Houston-Irving and Kenneth Andrews each recorded a sack.
• Alcorn finished with five tackles for loss and two sacks.
• Omarion Blakes returned two punts for 40 yards, including a 29-yard return.
• The Braves outgained Mississippi Valley 585-295, a difference of 290 yards.
• Saturday's announced attendance at Rice-Totten Stadium was 5,600.

How It Happened
First Quarter

• Mississippi Valley opened the game with an eight-play, 79-yard scoring drive.
• Brown connected with King for a 40-yard touchdown, giving the Delta Devils a 7-0 lead with 10:55 remaining.
• Alcorn answered with a seven-play, 60-yard possession.
• Tolbert completed six passes on the drive before scoring on a one-yard quarterback run, tying the game at 7-7.
• After the Alcorn defense forced a three-and-out, the Braves took over at the Mississippi Valley 45.
• Tate rushed for 13 yards before Tolbert connected with Wright for a 22-yard touchdown, putting Alcorn ahead 14-7.
• Sari connected on a 40-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining to trim Alcorn's lead to 14-10.

Second Quarter

• Tolbert connected with Robertson for a 78-yard touchdown on the second play of the quarter, extending the lead to 21-10.
• Houston-Irving and Andrews recorded consecutive sacks on a Mississippi Valley possession to force a punt.
• Robertson broke loose for a 37-yard run before finishing the drive with a five-yard touchdown, giving Alcorn a 28-10 advantage.
• Alcorn's defense stopped Mississippi Valley on fourth down at the Delta Devils' 27-yard line.
• The Braves converted the short field into another touchdown, with Tolbert finding Griffin for a one-yard score with 1:23 remaining.
• Alcorn drove into field-goal range in the closing seconds, but Bowyer's 44-yard attempt was unsuccessful.
• The Braves carried a 35-10 lead into halftime after scoring 21 unanswered points in the second quarter.

Third Quarter

• Robertson rushed for 19 and 13 yards during Alcorn's opening possession of the half.
• Robertson capped the nine-play, 65-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown, extending Alcorn's advantage to 42-10.
• Mississippi Valley drove to the Alcorn 19, but Sari missed a 37-yard field-goal attempt.
• Temple broke free for a 24-yard run on Alcorn's ensuing possession.
• Bowyer connected on a 27-yard field goal with 2:40 remaining to make it 45-10.
• After another Alcorn defensive stop, Temple exploded for a 54-yard touchdown run with 22 seconds remaining.
• Alcorn scored 17 unanswered points in the quarter and entered the fourth with a 52-10 advantage.

Fourth Quarter

• Mississippi Valley put together a 15-play, 65-yard drive that carried over from the third quarter.
• The Delta Devils scored on a six-yard touchdown run with 7:56 remaining, cutting the Alcorn advantage to 52-17.
• Alcorn responded by controlling the football for the remainder of the game.
• Tate rushed for consecutive six-yard gains to begin the final possession.
• Anthony Morgan carried six times on the drive, including gains of 15 and six yards.
• Butler added a 10-yard run to convert a third down.
• Wilson connected with Butler for three yards on the final offensive play.
• Alcorn ran out the remainder of the clock to secure the 52-17 SWAC road victory.

Up Next
Alcorn State returns home to Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, when the Braves host SWAC foe Florida A&M University for Military/Service Workers Day. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. CT.