By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Marcus Harris II powered the Alabama State Hornets to a dominant 42–24 victory over Texas Southern on Saturday night, finding the end zone three times as the Hornets improved to 7–2 overall and 5–1 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).
After falling behind early, Alabama State’s offense ignited behind Harris’ steady ground attack. His 13-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter gave the Hornets a 21–17 lead, one they would never surrender. Harris added back-to-back 3-yard scoring runs in the fourth quarter to push the margin to 35–24 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
The Hornets’ defense and special teams sealed the win when Ta’Shaun Sims returned a blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown late in the game, electrifying the home crowd at ASU Stadium.
Quarterback Te’Sean Smoot set the tone early, connecting with Jalen Jones on an 87-yard touchdown pass on the Hornets’ first offensive play. Smoot completed 9 of 13 passes for 215 yards, while Jones led all receivers with three catches for 148 yards.
Special teams continued to shine as Nehemiah Hixon broke free for a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown in the second quarter, giving Alabama State a 14–10 advantage at the time.
For Texas Southern (4–5, 3–3 SWAC), quarterback KJ Cooper threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns, completing 25 of 35 passes. Running back Athean Renfro added 145 yards on 18 carries, including a 3-yard touchdown run.
Alabama State’s balanced performance — combining explosive offense, opportunistic defense, and dynamic special teams — keeps the Hornets firmly in the SWAC East Division race as the regular season nears its close.