PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Khalid Thomas rushed for three scores including the game winner with six minutes left to send Alabama State to a 31-24 road win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
“I said earlier in the week this Pine Bluff team scared me,” Head Coach Brian Jenkins said. “You have to look at their coach and he’s an exceptional guy and upstanding guy. They took on some of his characteristics and look at the type of player he was.”
“It did not surprise me that they were ready and gave us the game they did. We didn’t play our best game, but I tell you what they played one hell of a game and you have to take your hat off to them.”
The Hornets finished the game with 375 total yards. Thomas had a career-high 148 yards on another career-high 26 carries. His three rushing scores was also a career-high.
Daniel Duhart went the distance at quarterback and completed 19 of 28 for 227 yards. He also rushed for a score from four yards out.
UAPB was able to take advantage of two big Hornet turnovers and turned them into 14 points, with the final score coming on a Rashad Boyd 41 yard fumble recovery and return. His touchdown evened the score at 24 early in the fourth quarter.
The Hornets defense held UAPB to 351 yards of offense. Brian Handley led the Golden Tigers with 67 yards rushing and quarterback Nolen Sorensen was 14 of 27 passing for 146 yards and a score.
Daerius Washington led ASU’s defense with 12 stops. Kourtney Berry had nine total tackles while also recovering a fumble. Kurron Ramsey had six stops but it was his interception in the endzone that stopped a potential UAPB scoring opportunity.
Darien Bennett collected two stops, but both were in the backfield and counted as sacks. It was the Hornets only two sacks in the game.
The Hornets fell behind 14-0 in the first half before fighting back to take a 17-14 halftime lead. Khalid Thomas led the comeback with touchdown runs of one and 17 yards. The lead came on David Albert’s 34 yard field goal with just over a minute left in the half.
UAPB scored on a 19 yard pass from Noland Sorensen to John Hawkins for a 7-0 first quarter lead. Sorensen opened the scoring in the second half by taking advantage of an ASU fumble with a one yard run to give UAPB a 14-0 lead.
After playing four games in 20 days the Hornets will now have some time off before their next game. ASU will have 16 days off before they face Alabama A&M in the 74th Magic City Classic on Oct. 15 in Birmingham.
