HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP
No Result
View All Result
HBCU Sports
No Result
View All Result
Home Football

It’s A Celebration: Alcorn State Crushes Grambling State, Wins Back-To-Back SWAC Championships

Kendrick Marshall by Kendrick Marshall
December 5, 2015
6
alcorn
1.6k
VIEWS

HOUSTON — On his first carry of the SWAC championship game, Alcorn State senior running back Darryan Ragsdale raced through a large gap created by Braves offensive line and was in the secondary.

As a Grambling State defender approached, Ragsdale lowered his shoulder and exploded through the attempted tackle and sprinted 57 yards before he was caught at the Grambling 16 yard line.

The run was an indication that the Braves would be the aggressor, as the offense piled up 411 rushing yards and forced five turnovers on defense en route to a 49-21 win and a second consecutive conference championship at NRG Stadium.

Alcorn State will play MEAC co-champion North Carolina A&T in the AFR Celebration Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia on Dec. 19.

ASU (9-3) is the second school to win back-to-back SWAC championship since Grambling State won three straight from 2000-2002.”These are great moments when you’re able to win championships,” Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson said. ”I’m just proud and blessed to be a part of this journey and to be around these young men. It’s truly been the greatest blessing of my life. Just humbled and appreciate everyone that’s associated with our program. Great win today.”

The Braves rewrote the record books offensively, setting new SWAC championship game all-time highs in total offense (613), rushing yards (411) and points scored (49).

”We have a good team,” Ragsdale said. ‘‘I knew coming into this game we were all on the same page and we knew everyone had one mindset. We just accomplished that.”

After both teams traded punts to open the game, the defending champions struck first as a 84-yard sprint to paydirt by Ragsdale to help the Braves jump out to a 7-0 lead.

With the run – his third attempt of the game – Ragsdale broke the SWAC championship game record for most rushing yards as well as the longest rush in the game’s history.

Ragsdale ended the day with 15 carries for 188 yards.

The ensuing Tigers’ drive ended in two plays, thanks to a 24-yard pick-six by Alcorn State cornerback and SWAC championship game Defensive MVP Warren Gatewood that lifted the Braves a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

Grambling State responded on its possession, when an Alcorn State roughing the passer penalty helped to sustain a drive that ended with a 14-yard touchdown run by Johnathan Williams on the first snap of the second quarter.

The Braves responded with a six-play, 72-yard drive that Lenorris Footman capped with an 11-yard scoring toss to SWAC Newcomer of the Year Marquis Warford.

Grambling State returned serve as Williams dropped in a 24-yard scoring toss to Verlan Hunter to punctuate an eight-play, 96-yard march with 9:14 left in the second quarter.

Alcorn State used some trickery to jumpstart its next scoring drive, as a 33-yard rush by Warford on a jet sweep reverse put the Braves in GSU territory. The Footman-to-Warford connection took care of the rest with a 28-yard score with 2:32 left in the half to put the Braves ahead 28-14.

The teams traded turnovers in the third quarter, when a fumble by Grambling’s Martez Carter was scooped up by Alcorn State’s Eric Foster, who returned it to the GSU 16-yard line. However, a holding penalty wiped out a Ragsdale score and on the next play, Grambling State’s Troy Roach forced a fumble that was recovered by Derwyn Butler to stave off a potential score.

The Tigers’ following drive ended when Gatewood picked off his second pass of the evening, but the Braves couldn’t take advantage of it. On the ensuing punt, a muffed catch was pounced on by Alcorn State, setting the Braves up at GSU’s 28 yard line. Seven plays later, the Braves cashed in thanks to a 9-yard touchdown scamper by Footman that put them ahead 35-14 with 2:31 left in the quarter.

Alcorn State added to its lead with a five-yard pitch and catch from Footman to Corbin Johnson.

Grambling State responded with a touchdown with 7:53 left in the game with a 1-yard plunge by Jestin Kelly, and Alcorn State put up the final score of the night with 4:03 remaining on a 37-yard touchdown run by Warford, who scored three times in the game and accounted for 200 all-purpose yards, third-most in SWAC championship game history.

”It’s no secret what happened tonight,” Grambling State coach Broderick Fobbs said. ”Alcorn State did a really good job, they had a good plan. Jay Hopson – my hats off to him, his staff and players. Definitely worthy of repeating. I thought they did a tremendous job of taking advantage of some mistakes we made.”

Gatewood picked off three passes, which tied the SWAC Championship Game record for most interceptions. Footman threw for 202 yards on 15-of-24 passing and three scores. He also rushed for 101 yards and another score.

Williams was held in check to the tune of 225 yards on 19-of-38 passing. He also rushed for 34 yards to lead the Tigers. Chester Rogers caught seven passes for 61 yards, and Guy Stallworth made 15 tackles, one shy of the SWAC championship game record.

“It’s more about Alcorn, just to give these guys a championship … it’s not so much about (getting revenge against) Grambling. Those guys are so talented over there. … It’s more gratifying for us as a team,” Gatewood told the Clarion Ledger. “We’re so tight. That’s definitely the most gratifying feeling (about this win).”

SWAC.org contributed to this report

Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall

Kendrick Marshall is an award-winning journalist and a graduate of Jackson State University.

Related Posts

See the HBCU athletes who qualified for the NAIA Track and Field Championships

by Jarrett Hoffman
May 16, 2025
0
See the HBCU athletes who qualified for the NAIA Track and Field Championships

Here is a comprehensive list of every HBCU athlete who qualified to compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Men Emmanuel Idris, Huston-Tillotson Event: 100m 100m...

Read moreDetails

South Carolina State football schedule: How many games will the Bulldogs win?

by HBCU Sports
May 14, 2025
0
Here are the South Carolina State Bulldogs 2024 game-by-game predictions

Coming off a dominant 2024 campaign that saw South Carolina State capture the MEAC championship,  expectations for the Bulldogs in the second season under Chennis Berry are high....

Read moreDetails

Undrafted HBCU defensive playmaker signs NFL contract after rookie minicamp

by Kendrick Marshall
May 13, 2025
0
Morgan State football player and Baltimore-area bank collaborate on NIL deal

The Minnesota Vikings officially announced Monday the signing of defensive lineman Elijah Williams, a standout from Morgan State University, after he impressed coaches during the team’s rookie minicamp....

Read moreDetails

Santonio Holmes, former Super Bowl MVP, joins HBCU football coaching staff

by Chris Stevens
May 12, 2025
0
Santonio Holmes, former Super Bowl MVP, joins HBCU football coaching staff

A former Super Bowl MVP will be trusted with developing an HBCU football team's receiving core. Santonio Holmes, MVP of Super Bowl XLIII for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was...

Read moreDetails

SWAC football power rankings 2025: Post-spring look at all 12 teams

by HBCU Sports
May 12, 2025
1
Jackson State QB named SWAC Newcomer of Week after first college start in three years

Spring football gives way to fall optimism, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference landscape for 2025 is taking shape. The conference remains fiercely competitive, with perennial powers and emerging...

Read moreDetails
Next Post
Alabama State, Tuskegee Renew Series Beginning 2017

Playoffs More Intense Than Turkey Day Classic, Says Tuskegee Quarterback

Comments 6

  1. Chocalate_topaz says:
    9 years ago

    The first sentence of this piece should have been, “I was wrong.”…

    Reply
    • Erskine says:
      9 years ago

      I am waiting for “I was wrong” statement also.

      Reply
  2. Erskine says:
    9 years ago

    I am waiting for that statement also.

    Reply
  3. Kendrick Marshall says:
    9 years ago

    Mississippi Valley State has a better chance of making the SCG before that happens.

    Reply
    • Kaarma says:
      9 years ago

      You’re the definition of a hater.

      Reply
      • Kendrick Marshall says:
        9 years ago

        I made the dictionary? my parents would be so proud.

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe

RSS HBCU Sports Forums

  • 2025 Transfer Portal 2 (Juco Included)
  • Damn FAMU….
  • Juan Soto back at Yankee Stadium
  • IronHeart on Disney+
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • Lighten the Mood XIV
  • The 22nd thread about *rump
  • Jackson State University News
  • Basketball Player Facing Death Penalty
  • 2025 All SWAC Softball Awards

  • TERMS & CONDITIONS
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • COMMENT POLICY
  • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
 CONTACT US

© 2025 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP

© 2025 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • SECTIONS
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Track & Field
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Bowling
    • Other Sports
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Features
  • BANDS
  • VIDEOS
  • AWARDS
    • Support the HBCU Sports Awards
    • Donor Wall
  • FORUMS
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • DONATE
  • SHOP

© 2025 RASHAD MEDIA - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PARTNER OF IONE DIGITAL / CASSIUS NETWORK

X