SWAC juggernaut spoils Panthers’ homecoming
PRAIRIE VIEW — Alcorn State has won the SWAC Eastern Division the last four years and is on track for another first-place finish. Prairie View A&M came into Saturday’s conference game a half game out of the top spot in the West.
But the Panthers’ path to playing in the league championship game hit a bump Saturday, with the Braves coming away with a 27-13 victory to spoil PV’s homecoming before 14,250 at Panther Stadium.
“This was a huge loss, but it’s not going to change who we are and what we do every day,” Prairie View A&M first-year head coach Eric Dooley said. “I was pleased with the turnout and the fans showing their support, but we have to give them a better show.”
The Panthers’ Aaron Townsend forced and recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff at the Alcorn State 11-yard line, but the drive resulted in a short missed field-goal attempt.
Bernard Goodwater returned a second-quarter kickoff 81 yards for a score, but Prairie View could not generate an offensive touchdown in a matchup of the league’s top two offenses. Goodwater’s return and the extra point by Zach Elder gave the Panthers their final lead at 10-7.
Making of a long day
Prairie View (3-5, 2-2 Southwestern Athletic Conference) was outgained 512235 in yards. Defensively, the Panthers could not get off the field, with the Braves converting seven of their 14 third-down situations.
Prairie View quarterback Jalen Morton was 16of-33 passing for 174 yards, but he was intercepted twice, once in the end zone.
“We beat ourselves,” Morton said. “We didn’t score. We were in the red zone multiple times and didn’t capitalize. That’s on us.”
The Panthers’ Dawonya Tucker came into the game leading the conference in rushing. He ran for 60 yards, giving the junior running back 872 yards on the season. As a team, PV managed only 61 rushing yards on 33 carries.
“We didn’t establish the run enough,” Dooley said. “When we get inside the (red) zone, we’ve got to be able to run the football. We didn’t do that effectively.
“They won the battle in the trenches, and when you win that, most likely you have an opportunity to win the game.”
The loss is the second in a row for the Panthers, who have conference games remaining with Jackson State, Alabama State and Texas Southern.
“We have to win out. That’s the only other option,” Morton said.
Noah Johnson threw two touchdowns and passed for 263 yards for Alcorn State (7-2, 5-1), which led 20-10 at the half. The Braves’ De’Shawn Waller rushed for a game-high 120 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown with 1:34 remaining to complete the scoring.
Tale of two halves
For nearly two quarters Prairie View A&M played Alcorn State close. But the Braves got some clearance in the final minute of the second quarter, scoring on a 44-yard pass from Johnson to Dayall Harris with 24 seconds remaining. Johnson avoided a tackle on his 45 before throwing to an uncovered Harris inside his 10, where he easily jogged in for the score.
The extra-point try by Corey McCullough, who was successful on two of four field-goal attempts, put the Braves up 20-10. Elder also was successful on two field-goal attempts for the Panthers.
Prairie View defensive end Willie Green had a productive game, collecting a sack among his 3½ tackles. But his second-quarter fumble recovery was nullified because of an offside penalty. Anthony Stubbs and Drake Cheatum had a team-high 7½ tackles for the Panthers.
“The defense played well, but there were more plays we could have made,” Green said. “They’re a high-powered offense, and we gave it everything we had. We just fell short.”
Saturday was the third opponents’ homecoming of the year for Alcorn State, which also spoiled the special day for Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M.