MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Over the next five weeks, Alabama State will face all four Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) East Division foes beginning with defending conference champion Alcorn State Saturday afternoon at ASU Stadium.

Kick is set for 2 pm and the game will be carried on the Hornet Sports Network beginning with pregame at 1:30 pm. The game will feature several themes throughout the day including Breast Cancer Awareness and Connection Day.

Alabama State (2-2, 1-0 SWAC) sits just a game back in the win column of Alcorn State (3-2, 2-0 SWAC) five weeks into the 2019 season. The Hornets come into the contest off a bye week after defeating Grambling State 23-20 two weeks ago, while Alcorn State enters the contest with back-to-back wins over Prairie View A&M and Mississippi Valley State.

The two teams met last season in Lorman (Miss.) with Alabama State winning a five-overtime thriller, 28-25, on a Hunter Hanson field goal in the fifth and final overtime.

The Series
Alcorn State leads the all-time series 23-21, with the Hornets winning the last contest in 2018. Prior to the win last season by the Hornets, Alcorn State had won the previous four meetings.

Alabama State and Alcorn State have each won seven consecutive games in the series, with the Braves winning their seven straight from 1980 to 1986. Meanwhile, Alabama State had their streak last from 2003 to 2009.

Game Notes
Since 2001, Alcorn State and Alabama State have represented the East Division nine times in the conference championship game. Alabama State has represented the division four different times (2001, 2003, 2004, 2010) and Alcorn State five different times (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018).

Two of the last three meetings have been decided by three points or less in the series, with Alabama State winning last year 28-25. Alcorn State won 21-18 in 2016 – with both games played in Lorman.

The two teams met for the first time in 1934, playing back-to-back years before not playing again until 1939. Following that contest, the two teams took a break until 1977 and have played each year since.

Alabama State is 1-1 after a bye week under head coach Donald Hill-Eley following the 2018 season. The Hornets won against Alcorn State last season following a bye week, and dropped a game against Alabama A&M.

Michael Jefferson and Jeremiah Hixon have each caught 18 passes this season, leaving each just 30 catches short of the top 12 single-season marks in school history. They are marching toward Reggie Brown (1990) and T.C. McWilliams (2012) who stand at 48 receptions each.

Alabama State is third in the nation in passing yards allowed (136.8) and eighth in red zone defense (.611) through five weeks of the season.

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