Dematrius Davis found Jeremiah Hixon with a 23-yard touchdown pass with two minutes left in the game to earn Alabama State a come-from-behind, 24-17 win over Alabama A&M in the 81st Magic City Classic Saturday, claiming HBCU bragging rights in the state for the first time since 2017.
The Hornets (5-3, 3-2 Southwestern Conference) took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter when Jayden John kicked a career-long 49-yard field goal, but Alabama A&M (3-5, 3-2) stormed back to take a 14-3 lead at intermission on a Quincy Casey touchdown pass to Isiah Cox and Jamal Irby’s six-yard pick-six.
Davis hit Kisean Johnson from nine yards out and Jacory Merritt scored on a four-yard run to give Alabama State a 17-14 lead. Victor Barbosa kicked a 37-yard field goal with 6:06 left to pull the Bulldogs into a 17-17 tie before Davis engineered a six-play, 81-yard game-winning drive.
Casey finished 16 of 21 for 217 yards and a touchdown and Xavier Lankford was 4 of 7 for 22 yards as the Alabama A&M passing game generated 239 yards but managed just one score.
Davis finished 11 of 25 passing for 140 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Alabama State travels next week to take on Bethune-Cookman on Nov. 5. The Bulldogs also will be on the road for their next game Thursday against Mississippi Valley State.
