Alabama State beats Tuskegee 58-21 in Turkey Day Classic
Alabama State’s Te’Sean Smoot threw for 422 yards and four touchdowns, with 189 yards going to Jalen Jones, as ASU beat Tuskegee 58-21 in the Turkey Day Classic.
The game is the oldest rivalry among HBCU schools.
Alabama State (10-2) finished co-champions of the SWAC East Division, but Jackson State advanced to the conference championship game after earning the tiebreaker over the Hornets.
Alabama State recorded 10 wins for the first time since 2004, when the Hornets last won the SWAC title.
Alabama State scored 44 straight point spanning the halftime break. Smoot started the second-quarter scoring with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Creech for a tie at 21. Then the Hornets scored 17 points in the final five minutes of the half, including a 42-yard pick-six by Ta’Shaun Sims — his second of the game. Sims’ first interception came deep in Alabama State territory, and the Hornets went on a 10-play, 82-yard drive ending in a 6-yard touchdown run by Marcus Harris II.
Alabama State opened the second half with a three-play, 75-yard drive ending in Smoot’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Derick Harden. Smoot added a 13-yard touchdown pass to Manny Thompson on the Hornets’ second drive after halftime.
Michael Franklin was 12 of 29 for 208 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions for Tuskegee (4-7). Zina Mulbah II had two touchdowns on the ground. Devon Cooper had a 67-yard touchdown reception.
Tuskegee played for the first time since defeating Miles College 24-23 on Nov. 8.
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