MEMPHIS – A fourth quarter touchdown and a late defensive stand saw the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff overcome its Memphis demons Saturday night.
UAPB defeated Alcorn State 24-20 at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, winning the Southern Heritage Classic for the first time on its third try.
Coach Alonzo Hampton said it felt great to finally win the Classic.
“We talked about our word of the year being ‘Finish,'” Hampton said. “We had to finish that in the fourth quarter. So, it feel good. Our kids deserved it. We knew coming in the game it was going to be a fourth quarter game, and we were able to come out on top.”
Alcorn State (0-4, 0-1 SWAC) led 20-17 early in the third quarter after running back Jacorian Sewell scored a rushing touchdown. It was Sewell’s second rushing touchdown on a day in which he rushed for 228 yards on 23 carries. As a team, the Braves rushed for 272 yards.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Sewell missed the next three Alcorn drives, and the UAPB defense held the Braves in check with him on the sideline. The Golden Lions held Alcorn to 7 rushing yards in the fourth quarter.
In the fourth, UAPB (2-2, 1-0) drove 79 yards in 13 plays before quarterback Christian Peters kept the ball himself for a 1-yard, go-ahead touchdown run with 5:39 to play.
Peters said the play was an adjustment after Alcorn had stopped the previous three run plays on the goal line.
“They kept bringing an extra hat outside, and we kept going backside away from it,” Peters said. “I’m like, we might as well face him and let me just read him. Because as soon as he crashes down, I’m pulling. I’m getting outside.”
The UAPB defense had a great start to the next drive and forced a third down and 28, but the Braves converted with a 50-yard pass from quarterback Jaylon Tolbert to Jamar Kaho. Alcorn later reached the UAPB 14-yard line. Running back Reggie Davis seemed to score a go-ahead touchdown, but it was negated by a holding flag.
UAPB linebacker Derron Moore broke up Tolbert’s third down pass, and Na’il Johnson broke up the fourth down pass in the end zone to get UAPB the ball back with 1:43 to play. Peters converted a third down with a quarterback keeper, and the Golden Lions kneeled out the clock.
The Braved had 262 rushing yards after Sewell’s third quarter touchdown. UAPB held Alcorn to 10 rushing yards the rest of the night. Alcorn had two first downs in the fourth quarter.
Hampton said he spoke to the defense after Sewell’s touchdown and challenged them.
“You got them to the sideline, and I looked them in the eye,” Hampton said. “I said, ‘Man, listen. Is this what you want to be known as? You want to be known as a soft bunch of guys?’ People just want to run the ball, and we haven’t been able to stop it. … So, what you saw is some determined guys say, ‘You know what? I’m not going to let my teammates down.'”
This was UAPB’s first win in the Southern Heritage Classic, first win in a SWAC opener since the spring 2021 season, and first win against Alcorn since 2016.
Peters completed 20 of 32 passes for 323 yards and a touchdown while rushing eight times for 30 yards and a score. Kareem Burke caught six passes for 102 yards, while true freshman Ellis Stewart caught six for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Running back Jaylen Jennings rushed 18 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Hampton said after the game preseason second team All-SWAC running back BJ Curry, who the Golden Lions had hoped to get back for this game, suffered a minor setback in his recovery from a preseason leg injury. He hasn’t played this season.
Hampton also said running back Za’Marion Webber and wide receiver Josh Richards are both out for the season with torn ACLs.
UAPB scored first with a 30-yard field goal from Trey Glymph, but Tolbert hooked up with Kaho for a 24-yard touchdown pass on the ensuing Alcorn possession. The Braves were threatening again late in the first quarter when Memphis native Zach Williams intercepted a Tolbert pass in the end zone.
Williams said it felt great to win in his hometown.
“Team executed,” Williams said. “We did what we was supposed to do. Faced adversity early, hey, but we got the win.”
