After that terrible Georgia Tech loss last week the Alcorn State Braves (1-1, 1-0) were looking to redeem themselves and they did just that when they began Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) play this week against the Alabama State Hornets (0-2,0-1).
The Braves took on the Hornets in the New ASU Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama and didn’t show any mercy. Alabama State scored first at the 10:28 mark in the first quarter when Ellis Robertson scored on a 37 yard run and with David Albert’s extra point the score was 7-0 just like that. But the Braves would not be denied because 6 minutes and 16 seconds later Darryan Ragsdale scored on a 2 yard run and with a Hayden McCraney extra point the score was 7-7. With 1 minute and 7 seconds left in the first quarter the Hornets scored yet again when Khalid Thomas scored on a 1 yard run and with a David Albert extra point the score was now 14-7, Hornets, to end the quarter.
The second quarter the Braves came out swinging when at the 9:42 mark quarterback John Gibbs Jr. scored on a 3 yard run and with a Hayden McCraney extra point the score was now tied at 14. With 1 minute and 12 seconds left in the second quarter Hayden McCraney kicked a 29 yard field goal to make the score 17-14 at the half.
The Braves came out of halftime with a fiery passion. Darryan Ragsdale scored on a 25 yard run at the 5:06 mark in the third quarter and with a Hayden McCraney extra point the score was now 24-14. This was the beginning of the end for the Hornets because mid way through the third they look deflated and defeated. To add insult to injury the Braves tacked on another score at the 1:15 mark when Tollette George scored on a 62 yard pass from John Gibbs Jr. and with a Hayden McCraney extra point the score was 31-14 to end the third quarter.
There was no scoring during the fourth and final quarter and none was needed because the Braves had nothing else to prove by stomping the Hornets and getting their first SWAC victory of the season by a final score of 31-14. The Braves will have their home opener on Saturday, September 19, at Spinks-Casem Stadium in Lorman, Mississippi at 4:00 pm.