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| ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS |
The Braves (5-2, 3-0 SWAC) trailed 14-0 at the end of the first quarter when they came back and scored 34 unanswered points to take control. Alcorn led PVAMU (2-4, 2-2 SWAC) 24-14 at half and 34-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Alcorn used both of its quarterbacks as senior Lenorris Footman threw for 138 yards, and sophomore Noah Johnson registered 90 passing yards, one passing touchdown and two rushing touchdowns. Footman also ran for 38 yards and a score.
Senior Jalen Walker led the aerial attack with 100 receiving yards which more-than doubled his previous career-high. He caught eight passes with a long of 22 yards.
Defensively, seniors O.J. O'Neal and Quintin Smith each wrapped-up seven tackles. Junior Trae Ferrell tallied a sack, two tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The Panthers were guided by quarterback Neiko Hollins who tossed 291 yards and three touchdowns. Two of his touchdowns were caught by Khadarel Hodge who etched 132 receiving yards.
On the first series of the game, the Braves were faced with a pair of third downs when Walker caught passes of 12 and 14 yards, respectively, to move into PVAMU territory. However, on a 4th and 1 attempt, the Panthers got a stop on a rush to the left side at the 33-yard line to force a turnover on downs.
PVAMU came back with a quick four-yard drive to go up 7-0 which included a nine-yard touchdown pass to Darius Floyd on the left. The big play was a 45-yard pass to Floyd as he broke a tackle and scampered down the right side.
The Panthers went up 14-0 on their next series after a 46-yard touchdown pass was caught by Hodge on a seam route through the middle. The Braves forced and recovered a fumble on the drive, but were flagged for offsides on the play so PVAMU kept possession.
Early in the second quarter, Alcorn's defense backed the Panthers up to their own one-yard line, which resulted in a punt and good starting field position for the Braves at the PVAMU 44. Footman completed a pass to sophomore Tavares Johnson for 16 yards, and a targeting penalty resulted in an ejection against the Panthers and put Alcorn at the eight-yard line. Noah Johnson came in and scrambled eight yards to the left for the touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-7 with 9:31 left in the half.
After a three-and-out by the Braves defense, Alcorn again started a drive in PVAMU territory at the 43. The Braves were situated with a 3rd and 22 when Footman found senior Charles Hughes over the middle for a gain of 24 yards and a first down. Footman followed it up with an 11-yard rush to the PVAMU 6. Noah Johnson re-entered the game, and kept it himself on a quarterback-option play to the left for a two-yard touchdown run. It evened the score 14-14 with 4:16 remaining.
On the ensuing kickoff, a huge hit by freshman Nichel Herron popped the ball loose and junior Isiah Thomas recovered at the PVAMU 18. Alcorn took the lead 17-14 on a 39-yard field goal by sophomore Corey McCullough with 2:46 to go.
Another quick three-and-out by the defense got the ball back for the Alcorn offense with 1:29 left. The Braves extended the lead to 24-14 after a 12-yard pass from Noah Johnson was caught by Hughes in tight coverage on the left side. Hughes also made a 15-yard grab earlier in the series.
On the last play of the half, sophomore Javen Morrison recorded an interception and returned it to the PVAMU 16, but time ran out; Alcorn led 24-14 at the intermission.
To open the second half, the Panthers moved the ball to the Alcorn 34 when they were looking at a 4th and 5. PVAMU decided to go for it, but great coverage by Quintin Smith resulted in an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.
On Alcorn's first drive of the third quarter, Noah Johnson completed passes to Turner, junior Corbin Johnson and Walker to get the Braves to the red zone. McCullough nailed a 34-yard field goal to extended Alcorn's advantage to 27-14 at the 8:42 mark.
The Braves added-on early in the fourth quarter after a 12-play, 86-yard drive resulted in a seven-yard touchdown rush by Footman. It increased the edge to 34-14. Junior P.J. Simmons started the drive with a pair of 10-yard rushes, and Turner followed by pounding it up the middle. Footman also competed passes on the series to Hughes junior Marquis Warford and Walker.
PVAMU had a quick response as a two-play, 58-yard drive ended with a 22-yard touchdown catch by Hodge. The first play was a 36-yard rush around the left by Jalen Morton. It made it a 34-21 game with 11:59 to go.
With 3:40 remaining, the Panthers had to go for it on a 4th and 13 when Ferrell came through with a strip-sack. Ferrell then returned it 49 yards, but fumbled at the one-yard line as the ball went through the back of the end zone for a touchback.
Up next, Alcorn travels to Grambling State on Saturday for a 2 p.m. start.
NOTES
- The Braves improved to 3-0 in league play for the third time in the last four years.
- Alcorn is now 41-15 all-time against PVAMU with a point differential of 1673-996 (+677).
- The Braves improved to 72-52 all-time at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium which is in its 26th season (first year was 1992).
- Alcorn is now 5-0 this season when it runs for over 100 yards as a team. The Braves etched 123 yards, led by senior De'Lance Turner's 60.
- The Braves dominated in time of possession 40:12-19:48.
- Footman remained at No. 7 all-time in school history in both career rushing yards (1,934) and touchdown passes (30). He also stayed at 10th in career passing yards with 3,843 yards. Footman entered the game leading the SWAC and ranked top-25 in the FCS in both passing and total offense.
- The Braves entered the game ranked top-10 in the FCS in third down conversions at 47.6 percent. Alcorn was 7-for-14 (.500) in the contest.
- McCullough has now made 10 field goals this year. He's chasing the single-season school record of 13 13 set by Wilfredo Rosales in 1980 and David McConnell in 2003.
- Walker's previous career-high in receiving yards was 48 yards against Grambling State in the 2016 SWAC Championship game.
- The Braves were without their leading receiver Norlando Veals due to injury. His status is week-to-week.
- Alcorn's captains were Footman and Turner. The Panthers won the coin toss and deferred to the second half.
Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"Prairie View is a tough team, but I thought we came out flat in the first quarter. We just were not doing the things we normally do. The second quarter we kind of settled in and did the things that an Alcorn Braves football team should do. We executed and played solid defense. This team could be really good if we can piece it all together for a complete game. We just have to continue working."
On coming back from a 14-point deficit
"I always tell the team that it's not about what the other team does but what we do. If we do things right then we can play. Though, it shows you what kind of character these kids have on our team. These guys have a lot of fight in them."
On his quarterbacks
"Footman did a whole lot of scrambling there in the first and the second quarters so he got a little fatigued. That's why we have a number two guy. He is as good as the number one guy. Noah plays hard. I see it out of him every day in practice. His execution and determination shows that he wants to be a starter. I thank him for his leadership and the things he helps Footman with. They just come together and execute the offense. He knows the offense in and out. We don't miss a beat when he comes in. Now, other teams have to prepare for two quarterbacks."
On the defense
"They are playing relentlessly. They don't give up much. It's a bend but don't break rule. Coach [Cedric]Thomas and the defensive staff have those guys playing. You should see them at practice. The way they practice is the way they play. It's really coming along, and the run defense is there."
On preparing for Grambling State
"We've seen them a lot of times. We are so familiar with them now. We are just going to do what we do and we should be okay. We haven't played a complete football game yet."
Quoting quarterback Noah Johnson
"I just wanted to move the ball and execute the offense. When I look at the score I see 0-0 every time. I go into every week as if I'm the starter. When I go into the game I'm just calming myself down so there's no jitters, and I just play. Everybody believing in each other is huge, and we still haven't played our best game yet."
Quoting defensive back O.J. O'Neal
"We just started off sluggish. It was our first 2 p.m. game so we just had to settle down and focus on the task at hand. From then on, we just buckled down and got after them."
BOX SCORE
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