Alcorn rolls past Arkansas Baptist 63-7 in a homecoming victory

LORMAN, Miss. (VDN) —

Story from Alcorn Athletics:

Alcorn State University celebrated Homecoming in dominant fashion Saturday afternoon, scoring in all three phases and rushing for 323 yards as the Braves rolled past Arkansas Baptist University, 63-7, before 14,502 fans at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.

The Braves scored the game’s first 14 points, carried a 28-7 advantage into halftime and erupted for 35 unanswered points after the break to improve to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play.

Alcorn controlled the game on the ground, piling up 323 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 53 attempts. The Braves finished with 446 yards of total offense, averaged 6.9 yards per play and recorded 24 first downs. Defensively, Alcorn limited Arkansas Baptist to 206 total yards, including just 74 through the air.

Carl McDonald Jr. led a balanced Alcorn rushing attack with 88 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Fredrick Robertsonadded 58 yards on nine attempts, while quarterback Jaylon Tolbertrushed for 48 yards and a touchdown, including a 30-yard scoring run. Joshua Tate scored twice on the ground, and Anthony Morganadded a fourth-quarter touchdown.

Tolbert was efficient through the air, completing 7-of-9 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. Armon Wright led the Braves with three receptions for 52 yards, while Tyree Kelly hauled in a 48-yard touchdown reception.

Alcorn’s special teams and defense also found the end zone. Omarion Blakes returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter, while Kaidon Whidby forced and recovered a fourth-quarter fumble and returned it 10 yards for another score.

After forcing Arkansas Baptist to punt on its opening possession, the Braves needed just six plays to travel 51 yards for the game’s first score. Robertson opened the drive with a 25-yard run before McDonald capped it with a two-yard touchdown, giving Alcorn a 7-0 lead with 9:19 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Braves doubled the advantage on their next possession. Alcorn drove 68 yards in seven plays, with Tolbert breaking free for a 30-yard touchdown run to put the Braves ahead 14-0 with 4:08 remaining in the first.

Arkansas Baptist answered with its lone scoring drive, moving 71 yards in 10 plays before Terrell Weathers scored from eight yards out five seconds into the second quarter to cut Alcorn’s lead to 14-7.

The Braves responded with a methodical 12-play, 62-yard drive that consumed nearly five minutes. Tate finished the possession with a two-yard touchdown run, restoring Alcorn’s two-score advantage at 21-7.

Alcorn’s special teams delivered the next big play. With 2:21 remaining in the half, Blakes fielded an Arkansas Baptist punt at the Alcorn 30 and raced 70 yards for a touchdown, extending the Braves’ lead to 28-7. Blakes finished with 104 yards on two punt returns.

The Braves wasted little time adding to the lead after halftime. Tolbert connected with Wright for 27 yards before finding Kelly for a 48-yard touchdown, completing a three-play, 76-yard drive just 1:07 into the third quarter.

Alcorn’s defense then began creating short fields.Tyreke Snowforced and recovered an Arkansas Baptist fumble at the visitors’ 10-yard line. Two plays later, Tate scored his second touchdown of the afternoon on a five-yard run, increasing the advantage to 42-7 with 9:33 remaining in the third.

McDonald added his second touchdown later in the period, finishing an eight-play, 50-yard possession with an eight-yard run to send Alcorn into the fourth quarter leading 49-7.

The defense joined the scoring early in the final period. Whidby sacked Arkansas Baptist quarterback Jayden Young before forcing a fumble on fourth down. Whidby recovered the loose ball and returned it 10 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 56-7 with 9:17 remaining.

After another Arkansas Baptist punt, Alvin Dinkins broke off a 13-yard run before Morgan scored on a 15-yard touchdown run, providing the final margin at 63-7 with 6:43 remaining.

Alcorn’s defense finished the afternoon with 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, three takeaways and three pass breakups. Jordan Daniel led the Braves with 11 tackles and two tackles for loss, while Mahamadou Diarra and Jaeden Spelmon recorded nine tackles apiece. Whidby finished with four tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and the 10-yard fumble return touchdown.