MONTGOMERY, Ala. | Alabama State closes the 2019 season at home, hosting the annual Turkey Day Classic against Prairie View A&M Thursday afternoon.
Kick is set for 2 pm, and the game will be carried on the Hornet Sports Network, beginning with pregame at 1:30 pm. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 334-229-4551, visiting BamaStateSports.com and by stopping by the Ticket Office at ASU Stadium.
This will be the first time the two teams have met in the Turkey Day Classic in the history of the event but will be the second consecutive time that the Hornets have hosted a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) team in the contest. They defeated Mississippi Valley State in the regular season finale last season at ASU Stadium.
Both teams enter the contest at .500 on the season overall, with Alabama State (5-5, 4-2 SWAC) one win away from locking up second place in the SWAC East Division and locking in their first winning season since 2015. Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M (5-5, 3-3 SWAC) enters the contest having won their last two contests.
The Series vs. Prairie View A&M
Alabama State leads the all-time series with Prairie View A&M, 25-9-1; however, the Panthers won the last meeting in Texas 66-13.
The Panthers have won the last five meetings dating back to 2014, and eight of their wins in the series have come since 2007.
Alabama State dominated the series early (beginning in 1931), winning 21 of the first 22 meetings; including winning 16 consecutive wins from 1989 to 2006. Their last winning streak came from 2010 until 2013, winning four consecutive games.
Game Notes
Since 1999, Alabama State has represented the East division four different times (2001, 2003, 2004, 2010) in the SWAC Championship game.
The Hornets recorded their first shutout of the season against Mississippi Valley State three weeks ago, and their first since 2012 – a 45-0 victory over Texas Southern.
Alabama State won back-to-back games for the first time this season with their win over Texas Southern, and for the first time since the 2017 season.
Michael Jefferson has caught 42 passes heading into the 11th game of the season. He is just six catches short of the top 12 all-time in a single season, as Reggie Brown (1990) and T.C. McWilliams (2012) each caught 48.
The Hornets have had five players rush for 100 yards under head coach
Donald Hill-Eley since he took over the program, with three of those coming this season –
Duran Bell (10-112) and
Ezra Gray (23-104 / 24-154) – which happened on the same field against UAB earlier this season.
Alabama State had their first 100-yard runner and 100-yard receiver in the same game.
Ezra Gray finished the day with 154 rushing yards, while
Michael Jefferson recorded 102 receiving yards against Texas Southern.
The Hornets recorded 8.0 sacks against Texas Southern in their last victory and recorded 15.0 tackles for loss in their last win. They also boast a passing defense ranked inside the top 10 in the nation at the FCS level.
Alabama State will honor their senior prior to the contest Thursday, a senior class that has helped the Hornets to 18 wins in their career.
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