If Alcorn State is going to claim another division title and SWAC championship, they will have to navigate the road to do it.
On Saturday, the Braves will start a stretch that features four consecutive games away from Lorman when they visit streaking Mississippi Valley State.
Alcorn State (3-2, 2-0 SWAC), currently tied for first place in the SWAC West with Prairie View, is already 1-1 in true road games this season, not including its Week 0 loss to North Carolina Central in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge.
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The Braves have a road-heavy fall schedule is due to the program’s unexpected decision to opt-out of the spring season due to COVID-19 concerns.
As a result, the SWAC rearranged the conference slate that placed Alcorn State at Southern, Mississippi Valley State and Alabama A&M — all the schools that lost home games after Alcorn State decided to not pursue spring competition.
These decisions, the conference said at the time, were made in accordance with previously agreed-upon league policies as it related to cancelations and scheduling.
But Alcorn State head coach Fred McNair said Monday that the team has embraced playing on the road.
“It doesn’t bother us,” McNair said. “We have to leave on Friday and play on Saturday. These guys are used to that. I like being on the road myself. It gets these young men away from some of the distractions they may face.”
Despite the dearth of home games this season, the Braves can take solace in that they are 8-1 in SWAC play since 2019, something that bodes well for them as the team embarks on a schedule that features one home game over the last six weeks of the regular season.
“Our team has been good at doing what they’re supposed to do to play on Saturday,” said McNair.
