Alabama State University Athletics

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Alabama State University football team did all it could on defense to maintain a fighting chance, but it was ultimately washed off of Larry Kelly Field at Daytona Stadium by the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 16-10, in a low scoring, Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) contest on Saturday evening.
 
Similar to the 75 minute stall at the end of the first quarter due to lightning in the area, the Hornets (3-2, 1-1 SWAC) seemed to be halted throughout the game, not building much off of its handful of breakthrough plays, and while the Hornets offense had a great final shot prior to the two minute timeout, the Wildcats (3-2, 1-0 SWAC) picked up its first win in over a decade against the Old Gold and Black.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The dry portion of the game lasted three drives, two of which were Hornets efforts that came up empty. The Wildcats'  lone drive before the weather resulted in a short field goal, utilizing the momentum it had after stopping ASU on its opening drive, and once the home team came back on the field for its second drive, a steady rain forced them to lean a bit more on the run game.

Unfortunately for Alabama State, the opposing ground game proved to be successful. Before the moisture, the Wildcats averaged 11.4 yards per carry, while it continued to pound the rock to the tune of three and a half yards per carry once the rain started. The drive ended with another chip-shot field goal, while the Hornets ran a pair of plays in its second drive before the lightning delay suspended play.

Junior tailback Jamarie Hostzclaw emerged from the storm and turned a short catch into a 27-yard gain on the first play back, and the Hornets had a steady drive going until a midrange field goal sailed outside of the uprights to keep the score 6-0.

The Hornets were able to take control of momentum in the moments that followed, halting the Wildcats on a three-and-out before gaining chunks of yards on several plays in the middle of the second quarter on the legs of Hostzclaw, TJ Ramsey, and Aaron Frye. Several BC stops halted the drive, forcing a punt on what was initially a promising drive.

An excellent punt from Trevor Bywater pinned the Wildcats inside the five-yard line, and the defense got away with another great stand before back-to-back rushes put the opponent up around the 40-yard line. The Hornets did eventually get the ball back, and were able to capitalize and come away with a field goal at the end of the period.

A short time after Bethune-Cookman received the ball coming out of the locker room, Omari Russell took the ball away to give the offense a chance. However, the Hornets' drive was short-lived, as the BC defense once again held up and forced a punt and stretched the ensuing drive out with mid-range runs to run down the clock before it reached the end zone for the first time of the night.

The Wildcats ran a handful of plays late in the third and early in the fourth to set up a field goal that made the game 16-3. On the ensuing return, Preseason First Team All-American kick returner Nehemiah Hixon ran back 65 yards to set the offense up well within Bethune-Cookman's territory. Three big plays later, Hostzclaw scored his fourth touchdown of the season, making it a one score game with just under 12 minutes to play.

With six and a half minutes remaining in regulation, Alabama State received the ball back after a punt on its own 33-yard line, and efficiently ran the ball six times deep inside opposing territory, only to be stopped up on fourth-and-1 to give the ball back on downs. Bethune-Cookman almost ran the clock entirely down, and while the Hornets were given nearly a minute to put together a last-ditch effort, a routine effort by Frye was overturned and called a fumble to seal the team's fate.