The Alabama State Hornets head into the bye week 2-1.
The Hornets stung Troy early with a long Jamarie Holtzclaw touchdown, but the Trojans answered with a 24-point eruption and led 31-7 at halftime.
Often in these situations, a team will be tempted to spend the second half going through the motions and trying to get off the field as quickly as possible. The Hornets didn't fold; ASU played its best football of the game in the third quarter, including Andrew Body's beautiful over-the-middle touchdown pass to John Austin.
Eddie Robinson Jr. was unhappy with the number of missed tackles by the ASU defense in the first half; his defense responded, playing well on third (and fourth) down against Troy's offense in the second half.
Alabama State was never in position to take the lead in the second half. Troy's lead was too large. However, the team continued to compete. It's a road loss against a quality FBS opponent, but ASU still heads into conference play with momentum and confidence. They're still the team that was picked to win the Eastern Division of the SWAC before the season started.
The Hornets host Mississippi Valley State at ASU Stadium on Saturday, September 26; we'll have live coverage on 90.7 WVAS, your home for Alabama State Hornets Football.
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Several other college football programs in the state play interesting games this weekend:
Auburn vs. Florida: the Tigers and Gators square off at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since 2011; the teams played every year from 1945 until 2002. Both teams hired new head coaches in the offseason (Alex Golesh at Auburn, Jon Sumrall at UF), both teams are looking for a return to greatness, and both teams are 2-0 to start the year. The loser must navigate an early setback, while the winner will be 3-0 and trendy.
Alabama vs. Florida State: Alabama has a chance to avenge last year's shocking Week 1 loss in Tallahassee when they face the Seminoles in Tuscaloosa on Saturday; Alabama struggled early against Kentucky but dominated the second half, scoring 32 unanswered points to end the game. Mike Norvell entered the year on thin ice after two straight disappointing seasons and FSU just fired its athletic director; if the Seminoles aren't competitive, it could spell the end of Norvell's tenure.
Troy @ Missouri: the Trojans beat Mizzou in Troy in 2004 when the Tigers were the #17 team in the country, igniting a wild on-field celebration with the Trojan fans. But it's not just Missouri. The ever-dangerous Trojans have made a habit of upending power conference opposition in the 21st century; since 2000, the Trojans have also beaten Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, and LSU.