Barfield forces key fumble as Alcorn State tops Prairie View

ALCORN ST., Miss. (AP) — Felix Harper threw two touchdown passes, Jayden Barfield forced and recovered a crucial fumble in the final minute, and Alcorn State held off Prairie View A&M 31-29 on Saturday.

After trailing 9-7 in the second quarter, Alcorn State (6-4, 5-2 SWAC) broke out to a 31-9 lead. Harper began the scoring binge with a 57-yard pass to Lecharles Pringle and capped it off with a 12-yard strike to Tavarious Griffin early in the third quarter.

Prairie View (7-2, 6-1) fought back with three touchdowns, two of them TD passes by Jawon Pass. After Pass connected with Trejon Spiller for a 70-yard score, Pass' two-point conversion pass fell incomplete and Alcorn State led 31-29 in the fourth quarter.

The Panthers got the ball back with 5:18 remaining and drove inside the 20-yard line of the Braves. On a third down play Barfield forced and recovered a fumble by Jaden Stewart at the 16-yard line with 18 seconds left. The play was reviewed and ruled a fumble recovered by the defense.

Harper completed 18 of 28 passes for 263 yards and Pringle had four receptions for 119 yards.

Pass completed 25 of 36 passes for 342 yards and three touchdowns.

During the game, Alcorn State staged a Hall of Fame salute to Steve McNair, a 2021 inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame. McNair, who still holds many Alcorn State passing records, died in 2009. He was 36.

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