# 2021 Alabama State Hornets football team

The 2021 Alabama State Hornets football team represented Alabama State University as a member of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Hornets were led by fourth-year head coach Donald Hill-Eley for the first seven games of the season before he was fired on November 1. The team's defensive coordinator, Travis Pearson, was named interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Alabama State compiled an overall record of 5–6 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, tying for fourth place in the SWAC East Division. The team played home games at New ASU Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 4 | 5:00 p.m. | Miles* | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | | W 14–13 $^{OT}$ | 12,876 |
| September 11 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 25 (FBS) Auburn* | Jordan–Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | SECN | L 0–62 | 82,745 |
| September 25 | 5:00 p.m. | Bethune–Cookman | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | ESPN3 | W 38–24 | 9,450 |
| October 2 | 5:00 p.m. | at Florida A&M | Bragg Memorial StadiumTallahassee, FL | ESPN+ | L 0–28 | 21,087 |
| October 9 | 2:00 p.m. | Arkansas–Pine Bluff | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | Bounce/YouTube | W 35–15 | 12,341 |
| October 16 | 2:00 p.m. | at Jackson State | Mississippi Veterans Memorial StadiumJackson, MS | ESPN3 | L 7–28 | 53,578 |
| October 30 | 2:30 p.m. | vs. Alabama A&M | Legion FieldBirmingham, AL (Magic City Classic) | ESPN3 | L 28–42 | 28,096 |
| November 6 | 2:00 p.m. | at Prairie View A&M | Panther Stadium at Blackshear FieldPrairie View, TX | | L 20–24 | 6,107 |
| November 13 | 1:00 p.m. | at Mississippi Valley State | Rice–Totten StadiumItta Bena, MS | YouTube | L 31–44 | 2,300 |
| November 20 | 2:00 p.m. | Texas Southern | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | ESPN+ | W 24–21 | 4,389 |
| November 25 | 2:00 p.m. | Tuskegee* | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL (Turkey Day Classic) | ESPN+ | W 43–9 | 0 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||

## Game summaries
### Miles

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Golden Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| • Hornets | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Miles | Passing | Octavious Griffin | 2/6, 22 yards, 1 TD |
| Miles | Rushing | Donte Edwards | 20 carries, 107 yards |
| Miles | Receiving | Marcus Lodge | 1 reception, 16 yards, 1 TD |
| Alabama State | Passing | Ryan Nettles | 19/29, 186 yards |
| Alabama State | Rushing | Ezra Gray | 10 carries, 67 yards |
| Alabama State | Receiving | Jeremiah Hixon | 8 receptions, 92 yards |

### At Auburn

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • No. 25 Tigers | 6 | 14 | 35 | 7 | 62 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| Statistics | Alabama State | Auburn |
| First downs | 11 | 22 |
| Total yards | 58–176 | 58–538 |
| Rushing yards | 29–46 | 39–364 |
| Passing yards | 130 | 174 |
| Turnovers | 19–29–1 | 11–19–0 |
| Time of possession | 32:51 | 27:09 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Alabama State | Passing | Ryan Nettles | 19/27, 130 yds, 1 INT |
| Alabama State | Rushing | Jacory Merritt | 10 carries, 17 yds |
| Alabama State | Receiving | Jeremiah Hixon | 4 receptions, 46 yds |
| Auburn | Passing | Bo Nix | 9/17, 108 yds, 2 TD |
| Auburn | Rushing | Jarquez Hunter | 8 carries, 147 yds, 1 TD |
| Auburn | Receiving | Demetris Robertson | 3 receptions, 61 yds, 2 TD |

### Bethune–Cookman

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Wildcats | | | 0 |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Bethune–Cookman | Passing |
| Bethune–Cookman | Rushing |
| Bethune–Cookman | Receiving |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |

### At Florida A&M

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| • Rattlers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |
| Florida A&M | Passing |
| Florida A&M | Rushing |
| Florida A&M | Receiving |

### Arkansas–Pine Bluff

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Golden Lions | | | 0 |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Passing |
| Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Rushing |
| Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Receiving |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |

### At Jackson State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Tigers | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |
| Jackson State | Passing |
| Jackson State | Rushing |
| Jackson State | Receiving |

### Vs. Alabama A&M

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Bulldogs | | | 0 |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alabama A&M | Passing |
| Alabama A&M | Rushing |
| Alabama A&M | Receiving |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |

### At Prairie View A&M

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| • Panthers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 24 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Prairie View A&M | Passing |
| Prairie View A&M | Rushing |
| Prairie View A&M | Receiving |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |

### At Mississippi Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Delta Devils | | | 0 |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |
| Mississippi Valley State | Passing |
| Mississippi Valley State | Rushing |
| Mississippi Valley State | Receiving |

### Texas Southern

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Tigers | | | 0 |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Texas Southern | Passing |
| Texas Southern | Rushing |
| Texas Southern | Receiving |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |

### Tuskegee

| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Golden Tigers | | | 0 |
| Hornets | | | 0 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushing yards
* Passing yards
* Turnovers
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Tuskegee | Passing |
| Tuskegee | Rushing |
| Tuskegee | Receiving |
| Alabama State | Passing |
| Alabama State | Rushing |
| Alabama State | Receiving |