The Alabama State University football team posted its third consecutive winning season in 2012, again tying for the best record in the Southwestern Athletic Conference's Eastern Division.

The Hornets (7-4 overall, 7-2 SWAC) opened the season with a 38-28 loss to Bethune-Cookman in the MEAC-SWAC Challenge. Alabama State got off to a fast start with touchdowns on its first two drives and eventually took a 21-0 second-quarter lead but could not make it hold up in the loss.

Alabama State rebounded the following week with a 29-7 home win over Mississippi Valley State in the conference opener. QB Greg Jenkins and RB Isaiah Crowell each rushed for a pair of first-half touchdowns, while the defense limited the Delta Devils to only 242 total yards and just 2 of 16 on third-down conversions. FS Kejuan Riley became the career leader in interceptions with 18, making his record-setting pick in the third quarter.

The Hornets then hit the road and rallied for a 19-18 come-from-behind win at Grambling. Trailing 13-12 in the fourth quarter, a critical 14-yard run on fourth-and-2 from the ASU 38 by punter Bobby Wenzig sparked the game-winning drive. Three plays later, Jenkins knifed through the Tigers' defense on a 29-yard touchdown run with just over four minutes to play.

Alabama State returned home and lost to eventual SWAC Champ Arkansas-Pine Bluff 24-21 in a Thursday night contest at Cramton Bowl. The Hornets tried to capture some of that late-game magic it did one week earlier, as Alabama State mounted a fourth-quarter comeback. Trailing by 10, ASU drove 69 yards in seven plays, capped off by tight end Justin Robinson's 17-yard touchdown catch with just over three minutes remaining. The defense made a big stop, getting the ball back to the offense one minute later, setting up the offense to tie or win the game late. However, Bobby Wenzig's 44-yard field goal attempt was wide right with 56 seconds remaining.

The Hornets responded with a rain-soaked 54-14 win at Alcorn State. The defense and special teams combined to score three touchdowns as Alabama State took advantage of five Braves' turnovers. Winton Steward recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown, DeAndre Rashada returned an interception 16 yards for a touchdown, and Corey Schofield recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for another score.

ASU opened October with a 45-0 home win over Texas Southern. RB Isaiah Crowell ran for a career-high 149 yards and two touchdowns, scoring on runs of 63 (career-high) and 34 yards, while the defense made five takeaways for the second straight game. Darius Knox had a career-high two interceptions and the defense allowed just 133 yards.

The following week, the Hornets lost a hard-fought 37-34 contest to Jackson State in the final game at Cramton Bowl.
Trailing 27-20 after three quarters, Alabama State rallied with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns. Crowell's four-yard scoring run on the first play of the period tied the score at 27-all. The Hornets' special teams came up with a big play on the next series, as Winton Steward blocked a 35-yard field goal attempt by Jackson State. That led to a four-play, 61-yard scoring drive, keyed by a 41-yard catch by DeMario Bell. Crowell's 11-yard TD run three plays later gave Alabama State a 34-27 lead with 10:02 remaining. However, JSU scored the final 10 points to claim the win. 

After a bye week, ASU pounded Alabama A&M 31-13 in the State Farm Magic City Classic.  Offensive MVP  Jenkins accounted for 276 yards and two touchdowns, while defensive MVP Jimmy Daniels made two sacks and three tackles for loss. Crowell scored a pair of touchdowns , and Bell had a 62-yard touchdown catch as the Hornets beat the Bulldogs for the second time in three seasons.

Alabama State kept up its winning ways with a pair of road victories to open November. Daniel Duhart rallied the Hornets from a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to win at Prairie View 35-21 in a storm-delayed game. Duhart came off the bench for an injured Jenkins and completed 22 of 31 passes for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while the defense came up with six big turnovers.

The Hornets won their final SWAC game of the season at Southern, holding on for a 31-30 win.  Malcolm Cyrus (11-126-1) and Crowell (17-103-1) each went over the century mark in rushing yards for the Hornets, who gained 456 yards. Jenkins completed 19-of-29 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns, a 55-yarder to DeMario Bell in the first quarter, and a 6-yard scoring pass to Robinson in the second quarter.

Alabama State opened the New ASU Stadium on Thanksgiving Day with a 27-25 loss to Tuskegee in the Turkey Day Classic. Crowell scored the first touchdown in the new facility on a three-yard first-quarter run to give the Hornets the lead. The Hornets' rallied from a 12-point deficit with touchdowns by Jarrett Neely (five-yard reception) and Crowell (one-yard run) sandwiched around a TU field goal. However, a game-tying two-point conversion pass was knocked down with just over two minutes to play in the game.

A total of seven Hornets earned All-SWAC honors. Riley, Crowell, Daniels, Wenzig, OL Terren Jones and  LB Brandon Roberts earned first-team honors, while WR T.C. McWilliams earned second-team accolades.  Crowell was also named the SWAC Newcomer of the Year.  The six first-team All-SWAC selections by Alabama State is the most since the Hornets had eight in 2001. Riley, Jones, Crowell, and Wenzig were each named to at least one All-American team.

-GO HORNETS-