GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University football team took advantage of a pair of turnovers and exploded for 28 first-half points in a 35-6 rout of Alcorn State in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Saturday afternoon at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium.

"I am excited, not just for the team, but I am also excited for our fans," Grambling State head coach Hue Jackson said. "I think our fans have hung in there with us. They showed up again, we can hear them and can feel them. I just can't thank them enough for being there. It's great to win here at home. 

"I think our players deserve it and we've been so close the last couple weeks. We were looking for the break through and we knew it was coming and we just didn't know when. The coaches did well to prepare our guys and we were able to come through with the victory."

Alcorn State (3-5 overall, 2-3 SWAC) received the opening kickoff, but fumbled the football, allowing Grambling State to begin the game in good field position at the Braves' 22. Five plays later Maurice Washington scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, giving Grambling State an early 7-0 lead with 11:53 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Tigers' special teams played significant part for the second consecutive game as Patrick Marshall blocked a punt, setting up GSU at the Alcorn State 17. Three plays after the blocked punt, Chance Williams punched in the score from the Braves' 1 as Grambling State extended its lead to 14-0 with 9:56 left.

GSU's defense accounted for the next points Aaron Allen was intercepted by Myron Stewart and went 68 yards down the left sideline for the pick-six score as the Tigers built a 21-0 advantage with 7:01 remaining in the half.

The Tigers (2-6, 1-4) put an exclamation mark on the first half as Julian Calvez scored on a 2-yard keeper as Grambling State extended the lead to 28-0 with just under two minutes left in the second period.

Alcorn State broke into the scoring column with 19 seconds left in the third when Tavarious Griffin caught a 4-yard touchdown pass from Tre Lawrence, but the extra point failed as GSU led, 28-6.

Grambling State answered on its next drive as Antonio Jones returned the kickoff 47 yards and a personal foul penalty moved the ball to the Alcorn State 30. Three plays later, Floyd Chalk IV bolted through the defense for a 23-yard touchdown run as the Tigers extended the lead to 35-6 with 14:15 remaining.
 

CHECKING THE BOX SCORE 

• Grambling State finished with 209 total yards of offense and 10 first downs
• The Tigers rushed the ball 25 times for 114 yards
• Maurice Washington tallied 67 yards on nine carries, averaging 7.4 yards a touch
• Julian Calvez went 7 of 14 passing for 58 yards
• Phaizon Wilson caught three passes for 37 yards 
• Jimmy Iles punted the ball eight times for 310 yards, with four inside the 20
• Lewis Matthews registered a team-high 13 tackles, including four solo stops, with two tackles for loss
• Joshua Reed added 12 total tackles, with four solo stops
• Grambling State recorded nine penalties for 75 yards
• The Tigers were a perfect 3-for-3 in red-zone chances
• Alcorn State finished with 312 total yards of offense and 21 first downs
• The Braves amassed 176 yards on the ground on 52 touches
• Javonta Leatherwood carried the ball 14 times for 82 yards
• SWAC leading rusher Jarveon Howard was limited to 72 yards on 22 carries, averaging 3.3 yards per touch
• Aaron Allen started at quarterback, where he went 6-for-10 passing for 54 yards, with one interception (a pick six)
• Tre Lawrence came off the bench and went 7 of 15 passing for 82 yards and one interception 
• Juan Anthony Jr. caught eight passes for 83 yards
• Keyron Kinsler Jr. paced the defense with four solo tackles
• The Braves were penalized two times for 19 yards
• Alcorn State was 1-for-4 on fourth-down conversions and 1-for-2 in red-zone chances

NEWS AND NOTES 

• Grambling State and Alcorn State met for the 73rd time
• The Tigers improved to 47-23-3 all-time against the Braves
• Alcorn State remains winless at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium since 2006
• The GSU win gave head coach Hue Jackson his first SWAC victory and second win of the season
• The Tigers shutout an opponent in a half for the first time since 2019 (Mississippi Valley State)
• Garrett Urban has now registered at least one point in the last 16 games, dating back to the 2021 season 
• Grambling State got points from the offense and defense, while the special teams had a blocked punt

UP NEXT 
Grambling State concludes its three-game homestead next Saturday, celebrating Homecoming and Senior Day against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Kickoff against the Golden Lions is set for 2 p.m. from Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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