With the potential to cement themselves in the SWAC championship game, the Alcorn State Braves turned in their worst performance of the season in a 44-10 loss to Texas Southern in Houston on Saturday.
Texas Southern explosively got on the board when quarterback Jace Wilson, who also completed 17-of-23 passes for 288 yards, connected with Trenton Leary on a 67-yard scoring strike that put the Tigers up 7-0.
When Alcorn’s next drive fizzled out, Texas Southern took over at their own 41. After a 41-yard completion to Quay Davis set the Texas Southern offense up at the Alcorn 11, three plays later, LaDarius Owens scampered in from 10 yards out to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead.
Alcorn State responded, putting together a 6-play, 73-yard drive that sliced the lead in half at 14-7 when Jarveon Howard took it in the endzone from 7 yards out.
Texas Southern extended the lead to 21-7 when Trenton Leary found C’ing Blanton on a 15-yard scoring toss. Taking over after an Alcorn missed field goal, the Texas Southern offense marched 68 yards, getting in the endzone on a 4-yard run from Jacorey Howard that pushed the advantage to 28-7.
On the next Alcorn State possession, Aaron Allen’s pass was picked off by Ja’Cor Benjamin, giving the ball back to the Texas Southern offense. The Tigers offense, now in a rhythm, needed just four plays to take advantage of the takeaway when Owens scampered in from 4 yards out for his second score of the afternoon, and the rout was on at 35-7.
A Romero Gustavo 24-yard field goal stretched the Texas Southern lead to 38-3 and was the only scoring in the third quarter.
The Braves were able to grind out a 9-play. 70-yard drive that ended in a 22-yard field goal off the foot of Noah Kiani that put them double figures and brought the score to 38-10.
LaDarius Owens’ electrifying 62–yard scamper put Texas Southern up 44-10 and closed out the scoring on the day.
Texas Southern stopped the Alcorn running game
Entering Sunday’s game, Alcorn State averaged 154 yards per contest. The Tigers held the third most prolific run game in the SWAC to just 59 yards on 26 carries and just 2.3 yards per attempt. With their bread-and-butter running game largely stymied, the Braves became a one-dimensional attack, having to rely on their passing attack, which on the day did not complete 50% of its passes (19-40) and is sixth in the conference at 203.7 yards per contest.
A big day from LaDarius Owens
The leading rusher in the SWAC ran for 211 yards on 24 carries and three touchdowns. Owens gashed the Braves defense for a 62-yard touchdown romp.
