# 2018 Alabama State Hornets football team

The 2018 Alabama State Hornets football team represented Alabama State University as a member of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Donald Hill-Eley, the Hornets compiled an overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, placing fourth in the SWAC East Division. Alabama State played home games at New ASU Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.

## Preseason
### SWAC football media day

During the SWAC football media day held in Birmingham, Alabama on July 13, 2018, the Hornets were predicted to finish second in 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 Hornets had six players selected to Preseason All-SWAC Teams.

#### Offense

2nd team
Darryl Pearson Jr. – So. QB
Tytus Howard – Sr. OL

#### Defense

2nd team
Christian Clark – Jr. DL
Darron Johnson – Jr. LB
Jeffrey Hill – Sr. DB

#### Special teams

2nd team
George Golden – So. KR

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 5:00 p.m. | Tuskegee* | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | | W 26–20 $^{OT}$ | 26,222 |
| September 8 | 6:30 p.m. | at No. 7 (FBS) Auburn* | Jordan-Hare StadiumAuburn, AL | SECN | L 9–63 | 84,806 |
| September 15 | 5:00 p.m. | at No. 7 Kennesaw State* | Fifth Third Bank StadiumKennesaw, GA | ESPN+ | L 13–62 | 8,799 |
| September 22 | 6:00 p.m. | at Grambling State | Eddie Robinson StadiumGrambling, LA | ESPN3 | L 0–34 | 7,359 |
| October 6 | 2:00 p.m. | at Alcorn State | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | | W 28–25 $^{5OT}$ | 19,445 |
| October 13 | 4:00 p.m. | at South Alabama* | Ladd–Peebles StadiumMobile, AL | ESPN3 | L 7–45 | 16,231 |
| October 27 | 2:30 p.m. | vs. Alabama A&M | Legion FieldBirmingham, AL (Magic City Classic) | ESPN3, ESPNU | L 10–27 | 65,906 |
| November 3 | 2:00 p.m. | Texas Southern | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | | W 30–21 | 12,050 |
| November 10 | 2:00 p.m. | Jackson State | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL | | L 2–20 | 14,428 |
| November 17 | 1:00 p.m. | at Prairie View A&M | Panther Stadium at Blackshear FieldPrairie View, TX | | L 13–66 | 3,025 |
| November 22 | 2:00 p.m. | Mississippi Valley State | New ASU StadiumMontgomery, AL (Turkey Day Classic) | | W 31–24 $^{OT}$ | 11,593 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Central time |||||||
* ↑ Games will air on a tape delayed basis.

## Game summaries
### Tuskegee

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Golden Tigers | 7 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Hornets | 0 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 26 |

### At Auburn

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 9 |
| No. 7 (FBS) Tigers | 21 | 21 | 7 | 14 | 63 |

### At Kennesaw State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| No. 7 Owls | 14 | 28 | 20 | 0 | 62 |

### At Grambling State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tigers | 21 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 34 |

### At Alcorn State

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

### At South Alabama

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Jaguars | 7 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 45 |

### vs Alabama A&M

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 0 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| Bulldogs | 0 | 7 | 7 | 13 | 27 |

### Texas Southern

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 21 |
| Hornets | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 30 |

### Jackson State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Tigers | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 20 |
| Hornets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |

### At Prairie View A&M

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hornets | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| Panthers | 21 | 28 | 7 | 10 | 66 |

### Mississippi Valley State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Delta Devils | 7 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Hornets | 7 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 31 |

## Players drafted into the NFL

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | NFL Club |
| 1 | 23 | Tytus Howard | OT | Houston Texans |