A dynasty was brewing on The Reservation. The cold air, filled with Southern seasonings of smoke from grills and old-fashioned fryers from tents at nearby tailgates lingered throughout Jack Spinks–Marino Casem Stadium. As the final seconds raced off the jumbotron, culminating in a 24–3 dominating second-half performance in the 2018 Soul Bowl, Alcorn’s party and celebration was in motion.
But even before the game’s final whistle and an uproarious edition of the Braves’ iconic fight song “Cherokee” echoed throughout the stadium, several devoted Alcorn State fans waved signs in the crowd of more than 21,300 that read “Back to Back to Back to Back to Back” with elation and repeated the phrase in unison like Drake’s summer 2015 hit single. What was once a jam-packed affair in the stands turned into a throng of Braves players draped in their purple-and-gold uniforms at midfield, hoisting the program’s fifth consecutive SWAC East trophy and the third division crown under coach Fred McNair.
Alcorn had become the mack of the SWAC, going on to secure its third league title—with Grambling State capturing two in between—in five seasons. Any team aspiring to slay the de facto giant in the East was forced to come through Lorman, Miss., a little town set off the beaten path in the woods along the Natchez Trace. The closest cities—Fayette and Port Gibson—for gas or food to the place where the likes of Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier and Packers Hall of Famer Donald Driver left their indebted mark on the program is a 20-minute car ride with spotty phone service. When heavy traffic is involved, it the drive time doubles or even triples.
