The Grambling State Tigers fell to the Alcorn State Braves 27-16 in a SWAC game Saturday in Lorman, Miss.
Grambling State, which had a four-game winning streak snapped, dropped to 7-4 overall and 4-3 in the conference.
Alcorn State improved to 5-6 and 4-3.
The game was close. ASU’s final touchdown came on a short fumble return on the last play.
GSU led 16-14 early in the fourth quarter. After ASU drove 75 yards for a touchdown and 21-16 lead, the Tigers took over at their 19 after a holding penalty. On third-and-12 from the 17, Hayden Benoit completed a 13-yard pass to Covadis Knighten.
The Tigers reached the 44 where they faced second-and-6. But three straight incompletions ended the threat.
Grambling State got the ball back with 3 seconds left at its 2. An errant lateral on the last play resulted in the final ASU TD.
The Tigers took an early 3-0 lead on a 37-yard field goal by Theodore Caballero.
The Braves scored touchdowns on an 8-yard run by Jacorian Sewell late in the first quarter and a 1-yard run by Reggie Davis in the second.
GSU was unable to get much going on offense in the first half. The Tigers punted four times and trailed 14-3 at the break.
Grambling State rallied in the the third quarter.
The Tigers forced a punt from the Braves 4 and took over at the ASU 40. GSU reached the 11 but had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Caballero.
On Alcorn State’s first play after the kickoff, the Tigers knocked the ball loose from Davis and Tyrell Raby returned the fumble 10 yards for a touchdown.
Caballero’s PAT cut the Braves’ lead to 14-13 with 2:29 left in the third.
GSU forced a punt and took over at its 17.
Andre Crews ran 28 yards to the ASU 47 on the third play of the drive. A pass interference penalty gave the Tigers a first down at the Braves 24.
Three Crews’ runs netted seven yards. Caballero kicked a 27-yard field goal to give Grambling State a 16-14 lead with 8:03 left in the game.
But ASU answered with the 75-yard touchdown drive which took 11 plays. The Braves converted a third-and-10 from the Tigers 27 on a 12-yard pass from Jaylon Tolbert to Jarvis Rush.
Tolbert ran for 12 yards on second down. Davis scored from the 1 with and ASU led 21-16 with 4:50 left.
Benoit, a freshman making his second start, completed 16-of-33 passes for 142 yards.
Crews led the Tigers on the ground with 69 yards on 16 carries.
Tolbert completed 23-of-30 passes for 167 yards. Rush had 10 catches for 83 yards.
Davis had a team-high 80 yards rushing on 18 carries.
Grambling State closes the season against Southern in the annual Bayou Classic on Nov. 29. Kickoff is 1 p.m.