Box Score Box Score
Updated Season Stats
LORMAN, MS - The final score read 52-10, but don't be deceived. Alcorn State's win over Louisiana College Saturday in Lorman, Mississippi didn't come quite that easily.
 
In its first ever matchup against a Division I school, the Division III Wildcats had the home crowd of 6,999 at Spinks-Casem stadium a little nervous when they jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter.
 
"We came out fearless," senior linebacker Landon Henry said. "Everybody saw how we reacted to those boys."
 
After getting a 20-yard field goal from senior Adan Olivares to score first in the game, the Wildcats defense, which had already forced a fumble, made another huge play when senior cornerback Ira Jewitt tipped a John Gibbs, Jr. pass and then gained control for an interception. Jewitt worked his way to the sideline and returned the pass 56 yards for a touchdown to give LC the 10-0 with 7:15 left in the first quarter.
 
"That was a route we've been going over all year," Jewitt said. "We see it every day in practice. I actually ran the route for him and finished it. When I did, I just kind of tipped it – when I caught it, I hit the sideline and tried to outrun the big guys."
 
"We had run a blitz – I hit the quarterback and the next thing I know, I look back and Ira's running down the field," Henry said. "That was a big momentum push for us."
 
Unfortunately, for the Wildcats, it was momentum they could not sustain. The Wildcats offense, which played brilliantly at times in the season-opening win over Huntingdon, struggled to move the ball consistently against the speedy Alcorn State defense.  LC finished with only 145 yards on 60 plays and had just 14 first downs.
 
Nearly half those yards came on LC's best offensive effort of the game - a 13-play 77-yard drive early in the first quarter that was capped by the Olivares field goal. The Wildcats had come within a yard of scoring a touchdown before having to settle for the kick. After that, however, the longest drive the Wildcats would put together was 16 yards.
 
Coming off one of the best performances of his young career, sophomore quarterback Easton Melancon struggled against the Braves. He finished 18 of 34 for 136 yards with no touchdowns and a costly interception. Melancon was sacked six times for a loss of 51 yards – a big reason why the Wildcats managed just nine yards net rushing for the game. Alcorn State's pressure, especially in the second half, took its toll on the LC quarterback who would be replaced by Matt Bridges on the game's final drive.
 
Melancon's interception came late in the first quarter with the Wildcats leading 10-3. Alcorn State linebacker Damon Watkins stepped in front of the Melancon pass at the LC 32 and returned it 24 yards to the 8-yard line. As the second quarter got underway, ASU tied the game on a 5-yard score by running back Anthony Williams.
 
The Braves took the lead for good later in the second quarter on a big special teams play. LC junior Tim Willett's punt was fielded by Anthony Williams, Jr. at his own 18-yard line. Williams made several Wildcats miss their tackles as he returned the punt 82 yards for a touchdown that put Alcorn State up for good, 17-10. Williams finished the game with four returns for 149 yards – but that long return marked a big momentum change in the contest.
 
The Braves would add two more scores in the first half – the most painful, perhaps, coming on Gibbs' pass to the end zone from 34 yards out as time expired. LC cornerback Richard Jefferson battled Alcorn receiver Jordan Payne for the football before Payne came away with it for the touchdown to give his team a 31-10 lead at the break.
 
"The game started to turn when they started to get their depth in and started running us," Jewitt said. "We started getting tired and worn out."
 
In the second half, the Wildcats were completely shut down – touching the ball for just four possession and gaining just 21 total yards. Alcorn State added three more touchdowns to give them the final margin of victory.  
 
"We were really fired up, coming in to play a D1 school for the first time," said senior receiver Kyle Galyon, who led the Wildcats with seven catches for 68 yards. "We just wanted to come out, have some fun and give it everything we had. We started out good, but it all kinda went down hill from there."
 
The Wildcats defense, which did force two turnovers, saw a strong start turn into a long afternoon on the field. Alcorn State ran 17 more plays and kept the ball nearly six more minutes than the Wildcats. Senior linebacker Beau Brewer finished as the Wildcats leading tackler with 10. He also forced a fumble and broke up two passes.
 
"We got down a little bit," Henry said. "We have to do a better job of picking ourselves up and coming out with some swag about ourselves. That's going to be improved. I promise that. We're gonna do work, and we're gonna come out with something to prove, man."
 
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 1-1 on the season, though this game will not factor into any future Division III playoff scenarios. What will factor is LC's next game, Saturday, Sept. 13 when they host Texas Luthern University at 1 p.m. at Wildcat Stadium in Pineville.
 
"The experience was great," Galyon said. "It definitely showed us where we're at. We're going to go back, watch film and learn from our mistakes and then prepare for TLU next week."