Alcorn State outlasts Southern to win Toyota SWAC Football Championship
LORMAN, MS. – In a thrilling back-and-forth affair, Alcorn State rallied late and controlled the fourth quarter to outlast Southern 37-28 to claim their third SWAC Football Championship in the past five seasons and 16thconference title overall on Saturday at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium.
The Braves (9-3) advance to the Celebration Bowl as Alcorn State will represent the SWAC in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl against MEAC representative North Carolina A&T, who also won their conference. The historic match up will take place on Saturday, Dec. 15 from Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga. with a kickoff set for noon ET / 11 a.m. CT.
In front of a capacity crowd of 22,500 fans, redshirt junior quarterback Noah Johnson combined for 282 yards as he completed 18-of-25 passes for 135 yards and ran 16 times for 147 yards with two rushing touchdowns. Johnson was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player.
Brelion Hollis tied the team-high in tackles with seven and also had a half a tackle for a loss of three yards with half a sack to lead the Braves. The junior linebacker from Monroe, La. was named the Defensive Most Valuable Player of the Game.
It also marked the first SWAC Championship title in three seasons for head coach Fred McNair, who has made it to the big game in all three seasons at the helm.
[Story courtesy of Peter Holehan and the SouthWestern Athletic Conferenc]
[Photo Credit : Mike Jones]
