PRAIRIE VIEW - Prairie View A&M football eyes the first winning season in head coach Eric Dooley's tenure as the Panthers face Alabama State in the Turkey Day Classic in the teams' respective Southwestern Athletic Conference and season finale.
Kick-off is set for 2 p.m. Thursday from the New ASU Stadium.
The Panthers (5-5, 3-3 SWAC) boast the nation's fifth-best total offense at 485.5 yards per game. The league's top-ranked scoring offense at 37.1 points per game, the Panthers come off a bye week following a 41-14 shellacking of Edward Waters on Nov. 16.
Leading the way has been senior running back Dawonya Tucker, who is second in the league in rushing yards (1,065) and total touchdowns (15).
Under center, sophomore Trazon Connely has been efficient and mistake-free, having thrown for 600 yards and six scores in spot duty. Connely was particularly effective in the Panthers' win over Edward Waters, accounting for more than 300 yards of total offense and three scores in the win.
Junior linebacker Tre'Shaud Smith continues to flash as one of the Panthers' most active defenders, thanks to a team-best 86 tackles, 12.0 tackles for loss and six sacks. Drake Cheatum (87 tackles, 2 INT) and Jaylen Harris (30 tackles, 3 INT) have been strong performers in the Panthers' secondary.
The Panthers are riding a five-game winning streak against the Hornets, with four of the victories coming via double-digit margins. Last season's meeting was one to remember for the Panthers, with a resounding 66-13 win where senior Jalen Morton threw for 290 yards, ran for 196 yards and accounted for six total scores.
Scouting the Competition:
- Alabama State (5-5, 4-2 SWAC) is seeking the first winning season in Donald Hill-Eley's tenure as Hornets coach. The Hornets have won three of their last four conference games.
- A solid defensive unit, the Hornets boast the league's No. 2 total defense and is statistically the best passing defense in the conference in terms of yards allowed per game. Opponents are averaging just 169 yards per game through the air against Alabama State and have completed just 49.4 percent of their passes.
- Sophomore wide receiver Michael Jefferson has been a difference maker offensively, having hauled in 10 touchdown grabs on the season, a mark that ties him for third-most in the league.
How to Follow:
Live stats for the contest will be available HERE, and fans can watch the game HERE or listen HERE (subscription/log-in information may be required).
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