# 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).

## 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.

### 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 StadiumAtlanta, GA | ACCRSN | L 0–41 | 39,719 |
| September 8 | 6:00 p.m. | Louisiana College* | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | | W 78–0 | 4,521 |
| September 15 | 6:00 p.m. | Texas Southern* | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | | W 27–15 | 14,563 |
| September 22 | 6:00 p.m. | at Mississippi Valley State | Rice–Totten StadiumItta Bena, MS | | W 56–20 | N/A |
| September 29 | 6:00 p.m. | at Southern | Ace W. Mumford StadiumBaton Rouge, LA | | W 20–3 | 19,412 |
| October 6 | 2:00 p.m. | Alabama State | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | | L 25–28 $^{5OT}$ | 19,445 |
| October 13 | 2:00 p.m. | at Alabama A&M | Louis Crews StadiumHuntsville, AL | | W 35–26 | 19,126 |
| October 20 | 2:00 p.m. | Grambling State | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | ESPN3 | W 33–26 | 10,610 |
| October 27 | 2:00 p.m. | at Prairie View A&M | Panther Stadium at Blackshear FieldPrairie View, TX | | W 27–13 | 14,250 |
| November 3 | 3:00 p.m. | at New Mexico State* | Aggie Memorial StadiumLas Cruces, NM | | L 42–52 | 11,897 |
| November 17 | 2:00 p.m. | Jackson State | Casem-Spinks StadiumLorman, MS | | W 24–3 | 21,312 |
| December 1 | 3:30 p.m. | Southern | Spinks-Casem StadiumLorman, 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 StadiumAtlanta, GA (Celebration Bowl) | ABC | L 22–24 | 31,672 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from STATS Poll released prior to the gameAll 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 |

### 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 |

### At Mississippi Valley State

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

### At Southern

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

### Alabama State

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

### At Alabama A&M

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

### Grambling State

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

### At Prairie View A&M

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

### At New Mexico State

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

### Jackson State

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