LORMAN, Mississippi -- A 27-0 halftime lead for the Alcorn State University football program was too much for Texas Southern to overcome Saturday as the Braves won 27-15 in a non-conference match at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.The Braves (2-1) scored on their first two possessions of the game to take control early. They got it started with a 1-yard touchdown run by senior Noah Johnson, and then he connected with junior Raidarious Anderson for an 8-yard touchdown to go up 14-0.
Alcorn scored two more times in the second quarter. The scoring plays were a 1-yard rush by senior P.J. Simmons and a 28-yard pass to junior Chris Blair to lead 27-0 after a blocked extra point.
The Braves outgained TSU (1-2) 477-294 in total yards, including 166-0 in rushing.
Johnson was 22-for-33 in the air for 311 yards and two touchdown passes. He also rushed for a game-high 74 yards and a touchdown.
Simmons, the SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, ended with 69 rushing yards and a touchdown. Anderson turned in a career day receiving with 168 yards and a touchdown.
BOX SCORE
On the other side of the ball, junior Javen Morrison shined with two interceptions. Senior Myshawn Smith led the team with six tackles. The Braves sacked TSU quarterback Glen Cuiellette five times.
Cuiellette was 24-for-45 throwing with two touchdowns and 292 yards. Both of his touchdown passes were to Bobby Hartzog who hauled in 103 yards.
On the opening series of the game, Johnson completed a 45-yard pass to Anderson to quickly move into TSU territory. Johnson then rushed for 12 yards, and Simmons followed with an 18-yard spurt to move into the redzone. The Braves inched their way to the goal line, and Johnson finished it off with a 1-yard dive on third down.
Alcorn's second series was more of the same as Johnson completed a 16-yard pass to Anderson and a 19-yard pass to Blair on the first two plays. A 15-yard dash by Simmons moved the Braves into scoring position, and the drive ended with an 8-yard pass to Anderson.
The Braves started with good field position at its own 48-yard line midway through the second quarter. Johnson aired it out to Anderson for a big 48-yard completion which set up first-and-goal. Simmons capped the drive with a 4-yard drive to go up 21-0 at the 5:49 mark.
Alcorn regained possession on an interception by Morrison who returned it for a touchdown, but was brought back to the Alcorn 46-yard line after a penalty. Alcorn's first play was a 26-yard pass to Anderson, which followed by a 28-yard touchdown to Blair to make it 27-0.
The Tigers tried to get back in it after scoring on their first possession of the second half. The big plays were a 26-yard reception by Roylain Oliver, and a 23-yard touchdown catch by Hartzog.
A defensive battle ensued for much of the second half. Neither team scored until late in the fourth when Cuiellette threw a touchdown pass to Hartzog with 1:07 left in the game.
TSU attempted one last onside kick, but it was recovered by senior Johnathan Hauer who is the reigning SWAC Newcomer of the Week.
Alcorn will open SWAC play next weekend when it travels to Mississippi Valley State for a 6 p.m. road game. The Braves are 44-15-1 all-time against MVSU and are looking to defeat the Delta Devils for the sixth straight year.
NOTES
- The Braves extended their home-winning streak to six games. It's their longest home streak since they carried a seven-game spurt from 2013 into 2014. Alcorn improved to 76-52 all-time in Spinks-Casem Stadium.
- Alcorn posted its seventh consecutive win over TSU. The Braves now lead the all-time series 35-18-1. It was the second straight year the teams played in a non-conference game.
- Anderson more-than doubled his career-high in receiving with 168 yards. His previous best was 80 yards against McNeese State on Sept. 16, 2017.
- Coming into the game, Alcorn had allowed just one sack in two games, the fewest in the SWAC. The Braves did not give up a SWAC tonight.
- Alcorn entered the game as one of just 34 teams in the FCS to score on 100 percent of their red zone trips this year. The Braves were a perfect three-for-three in the red zone tonight.
- The Braves allowed the Tigers to score on just one-of-three red zone opportunities. On the season, Alcorn has allowed the opposition to score on just four-of-eight (50 percent) of red zone chances. It came after the Braves ranked top-five in red zone defense last year at 64.5 percent.
- The Braves improved to 8-0 when leading at half over the last two seasons.
- Morrison now has eight career interceptions. It was his first two-interception game. Morrison has led the team in picks in back-to-back years.
- Alcorn entered the week ranked fifth in the HBCU Poll.
Quoting Alcorn head coach Fred McNair
Opening Statement
"The biggest thing is we got a win, but I'm not very happy with it. I thought we played a good first half. The second half we came out and it seemed like we've never seen a football before. Penalties killed our drives and the second half was basically a flag fest."
On the penalties in the second half
"When you get flags thrown against you it kills the momentum of the drive. That was the whole deal. Every drive it seemed like there was something against us. Either it was a holding, a personal foul or whatever it may be. Those things can't happen. That's what you call selfish, and doing things of that nature will cause you to lose. Hats off to coach [Michael] Haywood and his team, they played an excellent second half. They played great in the second half and we didn't."
On the defense
"The defense did a great job. We had a couple of picks and were doing the things we need to do to win ball games. We put a lot of pressure on them the first half and came out in the second and did some of the same stuff. There were a couple big plays going down the seam that we gave up but we bounced back from that. In the last few minutes of the fourth quarter we gave up a touchdown, and I thought our defensive back was in position but he just misjudged the ball; I thought he was going to pick it off but it went through his hands. Though, the story of this game just goes back to us having to execute better on offense in the second half."
On what's next for the program
"We have to go into Itta Bena and play better football. We have to come with our 'A' game every week because you never know what can happen. People are out to get you, especially when you have won four division championships in a row. We have to play better than we did tonight."
Quoting Raidarious Anderson
On his big performance:
"We just went out and executed on offense. We talk about executing every week, all week. We're just playing our game. We worked it all summer, and its finally paying off. We've been working at it and we're finally starting to see what we have going."
Quoting Javen Morrison
On his two interceptions
"Those two picks would not have happened without my defensive line. We have the best D-line if you ask me. All the credit for those picks go to them and I wouldn't have gotten those without them. I just happened to be in the right place at right time, but again that's definitely because of the D-line."
ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS
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