2018 Alcorn State Braves football team

The 2018 Alcorn State Braves football team represented Alcorn State University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Braves were led by third-year head coach Fred McNair and played their home games at Casem-Spinks Stadium. They were members of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).

2018 Alcorn State Braves football
SWAC East Division champion SWAC champion
SWAC Championship Game, W 37–28 vs. Southern
Celebration Bowl, L 22–24 vs. NC A&T
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Division	East Division
Record	9–4 (6–1 SWAC)
Head coach	Fred McNair (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Ryan Stanchek (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Cedric Thornton (1st as DC; 3rd overall season)
Home stadium	Casem-Spinks Stadium

2018 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Alcorn State x$		6	–	1					9	–	4
Alabama A&M		5	–	2					6	–	5
Jackson State		4	–	3					5	–	5
Alabama State		3	–	4					4	–	7
Mississippi Valley State		1	–	6					1	–	10
West Division
Southern xy		6	–	1					7	–	4
Grambling State		4	–	3					6	–	5
Prairie View A&M		4	–	3					5	–	6
Texas Southern		1	–	6					2	–	9
Arkansas–Pine Bluff		1	–	6					2	–	9
Championship: Alcorn State 37, Southern 28
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant

Preseason

SWAC football media day

During the SWAC football media day held in Birmingham, Alabama on July 13, 2018, the Braves were predicted to win the East Division.

Media poll

East Division
Predicted finish	team	Votes
1	Alcorn State	95
2	Alabama State	72
3	Jackson State	55
4	Alabama A&M	51
5	Mississippi Valley State	27

Presason All-SWAC Team

The Braves had 10 players at 11 positions selected to Preseason All-SWAC Teams which was the second most behind Grambling State's 15. Running back P.J. Simmons was also selected as the preseason offensive player of the year.

Offense

1st team

Noah Johnson – Jr. QB

P.J. Simmons – Sr. RB

Mustaffa Ibrahim – Jr. OL

2nd team

Deonte Brooks – Jr. OL

Kevin Hall – Jr. OL

Defense

1st team

Trae Ferrell – Sr. LB

2nd team

Sterling Shippy – Sr. DL

Solomon Muhammad – Jr. LB

Brady Smith – Sr. DB

Special teams

Corey McCullough – Jr. K/P, selected for both positions

Award watch lists

Award	Player	Position	Year
Walter Payton Award	P.J. Simmons	RB	SR

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	11:30 a.m.	at Georgia Tech*	Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA	ACCRSN	L 0–41	39,719
September 8	6:00 p.m.	Louisiana College*	Casem-Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS		W 78–0	4,521
September 15	6:00 p.m.	Texas Southern*	Casem-Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS		W 27–15	14,563
September 22	6:00 p.m.	at Mississippi Valley State	Rice–Totten Stadium Itta Bena, MS		W 56–20	N/A
September 29	6:00 p.m.	at Southern	Ace W. Mumford Stadium Baton Rouge, LA		W 20–3	19,412
October 6	2:00 p.m.	Alabama State	Casem-Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS		L 25–28 5OT	19,445
October 13	2:00 p.m.	at Alabama A&M	Louis Crews Stadium Huntsville, AL		W 35–26	19,126
October 20	2:00 p.m.	Grambling State	Casem-Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS	ESPN3	W 33–26	10,610
October 27	2:00 p.m.	at Prairie View A&M	Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field Prairie View, TX		W 27–13	14,250
November 3	3:00 p.m.	at New Mexico State*	Aggie Memorial Stadium Las Cruces, NM		L 42–52	11,897
November 17	2:00 p.m.	Jackson State	Casem-Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS		W 24–3	21,312
December 1	3:30 p.m.	Southern	Spinks-Casem Stadium Lorman, MS (SWAC Championship Game)	ESPNU	W 37–28	20,652
December 15	11:00 a.m.	vs. No. 11 North Carolina A&T*	Mercedes-Benz Stadium Atlanta, GA (Celebration Bowl)	ABC	L 22–24	31,672
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

• Source: Schedule

Despite also being a member of the SWAC, the game vs Texas Southern will be considered a non conference game and will have no effect on the SWAC standings.

Game summaries

At Georgia Tech

	1	2	3	4	Total
Braves	0	0	0	0	0
Yellow Jackets	7	13	21	0	41

See also: 2018 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

Louisiana College

	1	2	3	4	Total
Wildcats	0	0	0	0	0
Braves	27	24	14	13	78

Texas Southern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	0	7	8	15
Braves	14	13	0	0	27

See also: 2018 Texas Southern Tigers football team

At Mississippi Valley State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Braves	10	17	14	15	56
Delta Devils	7	0	7	6	20

See also: 2018 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team

At Southern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Braves	0	3	14	3	20
Jaguars	0	0	3	0	3

See also: 2018 Southern Jaguars football team

Alabama State

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Hornets	14	0	0	0	14	28
Braves	7	0	0	7	11	25

See also: 2018 Alabama State Hornets football team

At Alabama A&M

	1	2	3	4	Total
Braves	3	7	22	3	35
Bulldogs	3	7	8	8	26

See also: 2018 Alabama A&M Bulldogs football team

Grambling State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	13	0	10	3	26
Braves	7	16	0	10	33

See also: 2018 Grambling State Tigers football team

At Prairie View A&M

	1	2	3	4	Total
Braves	10	10	0	7	27
Panthers	10	0	0	3	13

See also: 2018 Prairie View A&M Panthers football team

At New Mexico State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Braves	7	7	7	21	42
Aggies	14	21	3	14	52

See also: 2018 New Mexico State Aggies football team

Jackson State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	3	0	0	3
Braves	0	3	14	7	24

See also: 2018 Jackson State Tigers football team