Tigers stop Braves’ surge for 2nd consecutive title
No one expected a punt to be the most decisive play of the game.
With 54 seconds remaining in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game, Grambling State downed a punt at Alcorn State’s 2-yard line. The Braves had just one timeout left and were down eight points.
The punt put Alcorn State in a tough spot, and the Tigers were able to squelch the Braves’ late rally to win 40-32 on Saturday at NRG Stadium and capture their second consecutive SWAC championship.
Grambling State (111) came out strong early against the Braves, surging out to a 38-10 first-half lead before Alcorn State (7-5) clawed back with 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
It was the teams’ third consecutive season meeting in the SWAC title game.
“It was definitely two playoff teams playing here tonight,” Grambling State coach Broderick Fobbs said. “I knew they would make a run at some point because that’s the type of program that they have, but I thought us being so explosive in the first half really kind of put them on their heels. At the end of the day, I think they just ran out of time.”
Grambling quarterback Devante Kincade was in the driver’s seat most throughout the first half. He capped off the sevenplay, 90-yard opening drive with a 14-yard scoring run.
Riding the SWAC’s second ranked ground attack, Alcorn State responded the next drive when running back De’Lance Turner slipped into the end zone for the game-tying score.
The Tigers found holes in Alcorn State’s throughout the half. After exchanging field goals, Grambling State pushed ahead on a 5-yard touchdown run by Martez Carter in the second quarter.
Kincade, a Mississippi transfer and the SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns, adding 75 yards and two more scores on the ground en route to being named the game’s offensive MVP.
Grambling State scored its only points of the second half when a host of black jerseys swallowed Turner in the end zone for a safety at the start of the fourth quarter.
“We came out flat in the second half. Anytime momentum ends up in the other team’s favor those kinds of things happen,” Fobbs said. “But we were able to finish it off and get the victory and win the conference championship for the second year in a row.”
Lenorris Footman was 20-of-33 passing for 307 yards and a touchdown for Alcorn State. Turner ran for 137 yards and a score.
A last second-drive in the final seconds of the game came up short when, from about midfield, Footman’s desperation pass was batted to the turf.
The Tigers will face undefeated North Carolina A&T (11-0) in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 16 in Atlanta.