MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- The Alabama State football team routed Grambling State 52-21 Saturday night as the Hornets win for the first time in New ASU Stadium.Alabama State (2-2 overall, 2-1 SWAC) ran 97 plays and gained 667 yards total offense in beating Grambling (0-4, 0-2) for the third straight time for the first time in the series history.
Isaiah Crowell rushed 14 times for 129 yards and two touchdowns, and Malcolm Cyrus ran 19 times for 84 yards and two touchdowns as Alabama State won its second straight game.
"I'm excited for our players and our coaches," head coach Reggie Barlow said. "They worked really hard all summer, and working hard to put on a performance like this. It's a blessing that we are in the position to be able to coach these guys. They've been working really hard. This team has a lot of character. We've had a lot of adversity, but we stayed with it and we're proud of them."
After The Tigers scored on its second possession to take a 7-0 lead, Alabama State scored 28 consecutive points. On their final possession of the first quarter, the Hornets drove 45 yards in seven plays, all on the ground. Cyrus capped the drive with a five-yard run to tie the game at 7-7 with just over a minute to play in the period.
Alabama State scored three touchdowns in a span of just over 5 ½ minutes in the second quarter. The Hornets put together back-to-back 70+yard scoring drives. Myles Everett caught a 28-yard touchdown pass to end a five-play, 75-yard possession to give the Hornets the lead. Crowell capped off a 10-play, 79-yard drive with a three-yard touchdown run. LB Daerius Washington's 19-yard interception return completed the flurry of points and gave Alabama State a 28-7 lead it would take to halftime.
In the second half, Grambling scored a pair of touchdowns in less than a minute to cut its deficit to 28-21 midway through the third period. However, Alabama State regained control on the ensuing drive, a six-play, 76-yard possession capped by a 26-yard Cyrus scoring run to give the Hornets a 35-21 lead they would take to the final period.
Alabama State scored on its first three possessions of the fourth quarter. Crowell added a 28-yard touchdown run, Arsenio Favor scored from one yard out, and Bobby Wenzig added a 22-yard field goal for the final margin.
"We just played with passion," Barlow said. "We talked about it before the game that it was important to get off to a fast start. When you feel like you are better than a team, you have to force your will on them and take their will away. That's what these guys did today. They played fast, they played physical. Our defensive front got after the quarterback, running game-wise, we ran it well."
The Hornets host Alcorn State next Saturday at 5 p.m. at the New ASU Stadium.
COURTESY ALABAMA STATE UNIVERSITY SPORTS INFORMATION
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