LORMAN, Miss. — Alcorn State built a 22-point second-half advantage, watched Texas Southern storm all the way back to force overtime, then delivered the final blow.
The Braves defeated the Tigers 43-40 in overtime Saturday at Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium, improving to 2-0 in SWAC play while Texas Southern dropped to 0-2 in conference play.
Fredrick Robertson provided the game-winning touchdown, scoring on a 1-yard run in overtime after Texas Southern had taken a 40-37 lead on Miguel Arana’s 48-yard field goal.
But getting there was anything but easy.
Alcorn State led 34-12 late in the third quarter ad appeared to be poised to cruise to a comfortable victory, however Texas Southern scored 25 of the next 28 points in regulation to force overtime.
The Scoring Plays
First Quarter
10:36 — Texas Southern 3, Alcorn State 0
Miguel Arana opened the scoring with a 40-yard field goal.
9:10 — Alcorn State 7, Texas Southern 3
Jaylon Tolbert connected with Fredrick Robertson for a 27-yard touchdown pass. Kenyon Bowyer added the extra point.
0:34 — Alcorn State 13, Texas Southern 3
Tolbert found Elijah Griffin for a 14-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was missed.
Second Quarter
7:39 — Alcorn State 13, Texas Southern 9
Cam’Ron McCoy hit Fatu Mukuba for a 37-yard touchdown pass. The extra point was blocked.
3:27 — Alcorn State 20, Texas Southern 9
Robertson scored his first rushing touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run.
1:49 — Alcorn State 20, Texas Southern 12
Arana connected on a 37-yard field goal.
0:37 — Alcorn State 27, Texas Southern 12
Robertson scored again, this time on a 2-yard rushing touchdown, giving him three touchdowns in the first half.
Third Quarter
5:30 — Alcorn State 34, Texas Southern 12
Carl McDonald Jr. powered into the end zone from 2 yards out to push the Braves’ lead to 22 points.
The touchdown came after Alcorn State’s Jaylen Mcroy forced and recovered a fumble by Texas Southern’s Roriyon Richardson.
2:53 — Alcorn State 34, Texas Southern 19
McCoy found Daveon Walker for a 34-yard touchdown pass. Arana converted the extra point.
Fourth Quarter
9:36 — Alcorn State 34, Texas Southern 26
McCoy broke loose for a 34-yard rushing touchdown, cutting the deficit to eight points.
4:37 — Alcorn State 34, Texas Southern 34
McCoy scored again, this time on a 5-yard rushing touchdown. Texas Southern then converted a two-point play with Athean Renfro throwing the conversion pass, tying the game.
The Tigers had erased a 22-point deficit.
0:27 — Alcorn State 37, Texas Southern 34
Kenyon Bowyer gave Alcorn State the lead with a 35-yard field goal.
0:00 — Texas Southern 37, Alcorn State 37
With three seconds remaining, Arana calmly knocked through a 25-yard field goal to force overtime.
Texas Southern got into position after McCoy connected with Fatu Mukuba for a 54-yard completion to the Alcorn State 8-yard line.
Overtime
OT — Texas Southern 40, Alcorn State 37
Arana opened overtime with a 48-yard field goal, giving the Tigers their first lead since the opening quarter.
OT — Alcorn State 43, Texas Southern 40
Robertson finished the thriller.
After Tolbert converted a fourth-and-1 with a 2-yard run, Robertson took the ball from the 1-yard line and scored the game-winning touchdown.
Robertson Comes Through
Robertson finished with 105 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns on 29 carries, while adding five receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown.
That gave him four total touchdowns in the victory.
Tolbert completed 26 of 41 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. He also rushed for 79 yards.
McCoy Leads the Comeback
Texas Southern quarterback Cam’Ron McCoy nearly engineered an incredible comeback.
He completed 20 of 31 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, while rushing for 86 yards and two touchdowns.
Daveon Walker added seven catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, while Mukuba finished with two receptions for 91 yards and a touchdown.
Final Score by Quarter
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | Final |
| Texas Southern | 3 | 9 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 40 |
| Alcorn State | 13 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 43 |
What We Know
- Final: Alcorn State 43, Texas Southern 40 (OT)
- Venue: Jack Spinks-Marino Casem Stadium
- Alcorn State: 3-2 overall, 2-0 SWAC
- Texas Southern: 1-3 overall, 0-2 SWAC
- Biggest lead: Alcorn State led by 22 points
- Comeback: Texas Southern erased a 34-12 deficit
- Game-winning score: Fredrick Robertson, 1-yard TD run in overtime
- Robertson: 105 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs; 70 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD
- Tolbert: 332 passing yards, 2 TDs
- McCoy: 319 passing yards, 2 passing TDs; 86 rushing yards, 2 rushing TDs
- Walker: 110 receiving yards, 1 TD
- Arana: Four made field goals, including the 25-yard game-tying kick and 48-yard OT kick (SI)
The Bottom Line
Texas Southern came all the way back from 22 points down and appeared to have the momentum after taking a 40-37 lead in overtime.
Alcorn State had one answer left.
Fredrick Robertson’s 1-yard touchdown run completed a wild 43-40 overtime victory and kept the Braves perfect in SWAC play.
