By Barnett Wright | The Birmingham Times
Kareem Keye threw two touchdown passes, Daquon Kincey ran for 156 yards, and Alabama State held off Alabama A&M 27-19 on Saturday in the 83rd annual Magic City Classic at historic Legion Field Stadium in Birmingham.
With both teams needing a win to keep pace with SWAC east division-leading Jackson State, ASU (4-3, overall, 3-1 conference) gave Adamsville native and Minor High School alum Keye his first-ever start.
While Keye had seen time under center this season, most recently vs. Mississippi Valley State, his first-ever start on one of the biggest stages in HBCU football, is much different.
Keye hit Asa Gregg with a 31-yard touchdown pass early in the game and added a 6-yard scoring toss to Derick Harden to lead the Hornets to a 17-3 halftime lead.
In the third quarter, the Hornets added Brandon Gilliams’ second field goal and a long pick-6 by Ta’Shaun Sims for a 27-3 lead heading to the fourth.
Alabama A&M (3-4, 1-2) closed the gap on touchdown passes of 65 and 31 yards from Xavier Lankford to Keenan Hambrick. The Bulldogs added a two-point conversion after each score and trailed 27-19 with 5 minutes remaining. Lankford was intercepted on AAMU’s only remaining possession.
Keye completed 14 of 20 passes for 131 yards.
Lankford completed 13 of 26 passes for 207 yards with two TDs and two picks. Hambrick caught 5 for 139 yards and both of Lankford’s touchdowns.
In the SWAC East race, the Hornets remain a game behind Jackson State in a second-place tie with Florida A&M (Rattlers, of course, have the head-to-head tiebreaker but lose that tiebreaker to Jackson State).
Overall conference records may have to be considered if a three-way tie occurs, but the good news for Bama State is that this possibility still exists.
After games against Alcorn State and Grambling, they’ll face the Tigers on Nov. 16 in Montgomery. That will likely be the day we crown an official SWAC East champion.
Associated Press contributed to this post
