It's a matchup of two of the SWAC's top teams when the Prairie View A&M University football team returns to action Saturday in the 2018 homecoming game against Alcorn.
 
The Panthers (3-4 overall, 2-1 SWAC) are coming off their second open date of the season this past Saturday and remain tied for the SWAC Western Division lead. PVAMU will face an Alcorn team (6-2, 4-1) which is coming off a 33-26 home win over Grambling. The Braves are tied for first in the East.
 
A limited number of tickets remain for Saturday's 2 p.m. game and can be purchased at Panther Stadium Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
 
The game will be video streamed online at pvpanthers.com/hc2018. The pregame show begins at 1:15 p.m. with a preview of Saturday's action and interviews with OL Corbin Finlayson and HC Eric Dooley prior to live coverage of pregame activities on the field including the celebration of the PVAMU men's golf, men's outdoor track, and softball teams which all won SWAC Championships in the spring of 2018.
 
Fans can also watch special in-game presentations including the presentation of the Royal Court and the halftime performance by the PVAMU Marching Storm Band.
 
The Panthers are coming off a 38-0 loss to Southern on Oct. 13, but are still tied for first in the SWAC Western Division. The shortest road to the division crown for PVAMU is to win its final four games, combined with one Southern loss in its final three games.
 
"Our focus has been to get back to work," Dooley said of the team's directive during the past two weeks. "That's what we wanted to do, to correct some of the mental errors that we felt we had in that game, and get back to do what we've been doing."
 
Alcorn is tied in the loss column for East lead with Jackson State (2-1) and Alabama State (1-1). Currently Alabama State has the head-to-head advantage over Alcorn by virtue of its 26-23 five-OT win over the Braves. The Hornets have five SWAC games remaining, including a Nov. 17 game at Prairie View A&M. Jackson State will face both Alabama State and Alcorn in November among its final four games of the season, including hosting PVAMU next Saturday in Jackson.
 
Defensively, Alcorn leads the FCS in sacks (36) and sacks per game (4.5/gm) and also lead the SWAC in total defense (266.6 ypg), scoring defense (19.9 ppg), rushing defense (89.9 ypg), and third-down conversions (28.6% allowed).  DE Terry Whittington is the current SWAC and FCS National Defensive Player of the Week after his 4.5-sack performance last week along with 15 tackles against Grambling.
 
"Terry Whittington is a great football player," Dooley said. "When you look at (LB Soloman Muhammad), he's a great football player. The cornerback (Javen Morrison) looks like he's been playing forever…He has exceptional game as well. Those guys play well together, they play hard and they play physical. We know that's going to be a challenge."
 
Offensively, Alcorn leads the SWAC in points scored (34.0), total offense (451.9 ypg), rushing offense (275.5 ypg), and time of possession (32:28). QB Noah Johnson is third in the SWAC in passing yards (1,188), tied for third in touchdown passes (eight), is third in rushing yards (583), and first in rushing touchdowns (seven).
 
"I see an explosive offense," said Dooley of the Braves' attack. "Johnson has had an opportunity to play a lot. Normally has a backup quarterback (earlier in his career), you don't get that opportunity. He's been in the big games (starting the SWAC Championship game last year), and understands what it takes to win. He's been successful. With (RB) P.J. (Simmons), he's an exceptional running back (fourth in the SWAC in rushing with 571 yards). Those guys have been playing well."
 
The Panthers begin the stretch run of the season with the first of three straight games against the SWAC's Eastern Division and three of final four games at home as they look to position themselves firmly in the race for the stretch run of the season.
 
"I feel really good about my team," Dooley said. "I know we had a bad game a couple of weeks ago, but you can't look in the rear view mirror and move forward. We have moved forward since that game. I think we're in a good situation. We only can control what we can. The only thing we want to control is the next game. That's the only thing that's important to us."

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