The Alcorn State University Braves (2-0, 2-1) showed why they’re ranked number one in the SBN Black College Football Poll by dominating the Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils (0-2, 0-3) 55-14 at the season home opener at Spinks-Casem Stadium.
The Braves decimated the Delta Devils in all aspects of the contest which began in the first quarter when Jordan Payne scored on a 62 yard pass from quarterback John Gibbs Jr. and with a Hayden McCraney extra point the score was 7-0 Braves. Then with only a minute and 34 seconds elapsing from the previous score the Braves scored yet again when Daman Watkins recovered a fumble and scampered into the end zone for the 24 yard score and with a McCraney extra point the score was now 14-0 Braves. With only 7 seconds left in the first quarter John Gibbs Jr. scored on an 8 yard run and with a McCraney extra point the score was 21-0, Braves.
The second quarter was virtually a mirror image of the first as the Braves scored yet again when John Gibbs Jr. scored on a 72 yard run with 10 minutes and 38 seconds remaining in the second quarter and with a McCraney extra point the score was now 28-0 Braves. The Delta Devils finally got on the scoreboard at the 4:08 mark on a Booker Chambers’ 8 yard run and with a Ruben Piraquive extra point the score was now 28-7. With 2 minutes and 1 second remaining in the second quarter the Braves’ Marquis Warford scored on a 31 yard run and with a McCraney extra point the score at halftime was 35-7.
At the beginning of the third quarter the Braves were in the driver’s seat for their second Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) win of the young football season. But the Braves remained diligent as they scored yet again at the 5:55 mark when Arron Baker scored on an 8 yard run but the extra point attempt was failed by McCraney therefore making the score 41-7. Arron Baker scored yet again with only 55 seconds remaining in the third on a 2 yard run and with a successful McCraney extra point the score to end the third was 48-7.
In the fourth quarter Alcorn’s Coach Jay Hopson decided to play his second and third stringers to evaluate his future talent and they didn’t disappoint him. At the 6:47 mark the Delta Devil’s Jerrell Moore caught a 23 yard pass from quarterback Ruban Thurston and with a Ruben Piraquive extra point the Delta Devils were on the scoreboard again for the first time since the second quarter making the score 48-14. But on the ensuing kickoff the Braves’ Lamarvin Ashley scored on a 90 yard kickoff return and with a McCraney extra point the score was 55-14 which is the way the contest ended.
The Braves’ next action will be on Saturday, September 26, at Spinks-Casem Stadium against non conference opponent Concordia College out of Selma, Alabama with a 2:00 pm start time.