Oct. 16, 2005

Final Stats

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama State has rarely had trouble dispatching Prairie View A&M, losing only once in the 70-plus years since the two teams first met.

But after three quarters against the Panthers, the Hornets found themselves in more trouble than most were expecting. It took three fourth quarter touchdowns to break a 13-all tie and give ASU its sixth consecutive victory, 34-13, in front of more than 6,000 at Cramton Bowl.

ASU (6-1 overall, 6-0 SWAC East) enters its bye week needing a win over Alabama A&M on Oct. 29 to wrap up the Eastern Division title and earn a trip to the SWAC Championship Game for the third consecutive season. Head coach Charles Coe, though, felt that maybe his team was looking ahead to the Magic City Classic instead of focusing on Prairie View.

"I knew it was going to happen," Coe said. "You could just feel it coming on. You could just tell that we weren't taking this team as serious as we should've been. I can't put my finger on why I feel that way, but you could just tell."

The somewhat close call for Alabama State overshadowed some strong individual performances. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson threw for 245 yards and three touchdowns, wide receiver Alvance Robinson had another 100 yard receiving day, linebacker Billy Gresham had a season-high 13 tackles and placekicker Anthony Johnson set the school scoring record on his first extra point.

From the outset, it looked as if the Panthers would be no match for the Hornets. After a missed field goal, the Hornets quickly made Prairie View pay. Jackson and Robinson connected on a 44-yard touchdown pass - a high-arcing strike that Robinson caught in stride - that gave Bama State an early 7-0 advantage.

"We worked on that play all summer," said Robinson, who had six catches for 143 yards. "I know where he's going to put it. I just have to go get it."

But things soon went downhill for the Hornets. Jackson was forced out of the game with an eye injury after taking a shot to the head from a Prairie View defender. The hit knocked his helmet into his eye and forced him out of the game for the remainder of the first half.

"It just came up and hit me right in the eye," Jackson said. "After that, I had double vision in my left eye. It took me until there was about two minutes left in the half before it got better."

An offense that had averaged 500 yards per game went stagnant with backup Clinton Smith in the game. Prairie View, though, took advantage. A 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Michael Hill tied the game before Johnson and Panthers kicker Mario Sanchez traded field goals to send the game into halftime tied at 10.

Jackson returned in the third quarter but it was Johnson and Sanchez each putting three points on the scoreboard that had the game tied with 15 minutes remaining.

But it was all ASU in the last period. Thanks to an outstanding 59-yard reception by Robinson, the Hornets capped a four-play, 75-yard drive with a 1-yard scoring run by Robert Randolph to give Bama State the lead for good. Jackson would add touchdown tosses to tight ends Jarod Alford and Clifton Cotton to round out the scoring.