2018 Alabama State Hornets football team

The 2018 Alabama State Hornets football team represented Alabama State University as a member of the East Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) during 2018 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Led by first-year head coach Donald Hill-Eley, the Hornets compiled an overall record of 4–7 with a mark of 3–4 in conference play, placing fourth in the SWAC East Division. Alabama State played home games at New ASU Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.

2018 Alabama State Hornets football
Conference	Southwestern Athletic Conference
Division	East Division
Record	4–7 (3–4 SWAC)
Head coach	Donald Hill-Eley (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Mark Orlando (4th season)
Defensive coordinator	Osita Alaribe (2nd season)
Home stadium	New ASU Stadium
Seasons ← 2017 2019 →

2018 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Alcorn State x$		6	–	1					9	–	4
Alabama A&M		5	–	2					6	–	5
Jackson State		4	–	3					5	–	5
Alabama State		3	–	4					4	–	7
Mississippi Valley State		1	–	6					1	–	10
West Division
Southern xy		6	–	1					7	–	4
Grambling State		4	–	3					6	–	5
Prairie View A&M		4	–	3					5	–	6
Texas Southern		1	–	6					2	–	9
Arkansas–Pine Bluff		1	–	6					2	–	9
Championship: Alcorn State 37, Southern 28
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant

Preseason

SWAC football media day

During the SWAC football media day held in Birmingham, Alabama on July 13, 2018, the Hornets were predicted to finish second in the East Division.^[1]

Media poll

East Division
Predicted finish	Team	Votes
1	Alcorn State	95
2	Alabama State	72
3	Jackson State	55
4	Alabama A&M	51
5	Mississippi Valley State	27

Presason All-SWAC Team

The Hornets had six players selected to Preseason All-SWAC Teams.

Offense

2nd team

Darryl Pearson Jr. – So. QB

Tytus Howard – Sr. OL

Defense

2nd team

Christian Clark – Jr. DL

Darron Johnson – Jr. LB

Jeffrey Hill – Sr. DB

Special teams

2nd team

George Golden – So. KR

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 1	5:00 p.m.	Tuskegee*	New ASU Stadium Montgomery, AL		W 26–20 OT	26,222
September 8	6:30 p.m.	at No. 7 (FBS) Auburn*	Jordan-Hare Stadium Auburn, AL	SECN	L 9–63	84,806
September 15	5:00 p.m.	at No. 7 Kennesaw State*	Fifth Third Bank Stadium Kennesaw, GA	ESPN+	L 13–62	8,799
September 22	6:00 p.m.	at Grambling State	Eddie Robinson Stadium Grambling, LA	ESPN3	L 0–34	7,359
October 6	2:00 p.m.	at Alcorn State	Casem-Spinks Stadium Lorman, MS		W 28–25 5OT	19,445
October 13	4:00 p.m.	at South Alabama*	Ladd–Peebles Stadium Mobile, AL	ESPN3	L 7–45	16,231
October 27	2:30 p.m.	vs. Alabama A&M	Legion Field Birmingham, AL (Magic City Classic)	ESPN3, ESPNU[a]	L 10–27	65,906
November 3	2:00 p.m.	Texas Southern	New ASU Stadium Montgomery, AL		W 30–21	12,050
November 10	2:00 p.m.	Jackson State	New ASU Stadium Montgomery, AL		L 2–20	14,428
November 17	1:00 p.m.	at Prairie View A&M	Panther Stadium at Blackshear Field Prairie View, TX		L 13–66	3,025
November 22	2:00 p.m.	Mississippi Valley State	New ASU Stadium Montgomery, AL (Turkey Day Classic)		W 31–24 OT	11,593
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from STATS Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time

^[2][3]

1. Games will air on a tape delayed basis.

Game summaries

Tuskegee

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Golden Tigers	7	6	7	0	0	20
Hornets	0	10	3	7	6	26

At Auburn

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hornets	0	2	7	0	9
No. 7 (FBS) Tigers	21	21	7	14	63

See also: 2018 Auburn Tigers football team

At Kennesaw State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hornets	3	3	7	0	13
No. 7 Owls	14	28	20	0	62

See also: 2018 Kennesaw State Owls football team

At Grambling State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hornets	0	0	0	0	0
Tigers	21	3	3	7	34

See also: 2018 Grambling State Tigers football team

At Alcorn State

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Hornets	14	0	0	0	14	28
Braves	7	0	0	7	11	25

See also: 2018 Alcorn State Braves football team

At South Alabama

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hornets	0	7	0	0	7
Jaguars	7	21	10	7	45

See also: 2018 South Alabama Jaguars football team

vs Alabama A&M

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hornets	0	7	0	3	10
Bulldogs	0	7	7	13	27

See also: 2018 Alabama A&M Bulldogs football team and Magic City Classic

Texas Southern

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	0	7	14	0	21
Hornets	7	7	7	9	30

See also: 2018 Texas Southern Tigers football team

Jackson State

	1	2	3	4	Total
Tigers	10	7	0	3	20
Hornets	0	0	0	2	2

See also: 2018 Jackson State Tigers football team

At Prairie View A&M

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hornets	6	0	7	0	13
Panthers	21	28	7	10	66

See also: 2018 Prairie View A&M Panthers football team

Mississippi Valley State

	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Delta Devils	7	7	10	0	0	24
Hornets	7	7	0	10	7	31

See also: 2018 Mississippi Valley State Delta Devils football team and Turkey Day Classic

Players drafted into the NFL

See also: 2019 NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	NFL Club
1	23	Tytus Howard	OT	Houston Texans