LORMAN (AP) — Felix Harper threw for 277 yards and accounted for three touchdowns, and Alcorn State scored 24 consecutive points in the second half to defeat Southern University 27-13 on Saturday.

Trailing 6-3 early in the third quarter, Harper scored on a 1-yard run for a 10-6 lead. Later in the second half, he threw four yards to De’Shawn Waller for a touchdown, Corey McCullough kicked a 31-yard field goal and Harper threw for another touchdown — 11 yards to LeCharles Pringle.

With Alcorn State leading 27-6 late in the fourth quarter, Southern’s Ladarius Skelton threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Hunter Register for the final points.

Waller led the Braves (6-2, 4-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) in rushing, carrying 22 times for 81 yards. Chris Blair caught three passes for 108 yards.

The Jaguars (4-4, 3-1) have now lost nine of the last 10 meetings with Alcorn, but might get another shot at the Braves in the SWAC championship game. Both teams continue to lead their respective divisions in the standings.

“That’s what we tell the guys all the time, we don’t wait for anybody to lose or hope somebody beats somebody, things of that nature. We control our own destiny from the beginning of the season and we come out and play to win every SWAC game,” Alcorn head coach Fred McNair said. “This was a big game for us today in the conference against a very good football team in Southern.”

Mississippi Valley State 35, Texas Southern 14
Caleb Johnson ran for 121 yards and a touchdown as Mississippi Valley State beat Texas Southern for the its first conference win of the season.

Dejerric Bryant passed for 57 yards and a touchdown and ran for 97 yards and a score for the Delta Devils (2-6, 1-3 SWAC).

The Tigers (0-8, 0-4) scored first by blocking Justin Read’s punt and Ke’Lenn Davis returned it 5 yards for a 7-0 lead.

Mississippi Valley State answered with 28 straight points that included Tadarius Davis’ interception return and Jerry Garner’s safety. Bryant’s 2-yard keeper made it 28-7 with 9:03 left in the fourth quarter.

Dominic Franklin ran 22 times for 79 yards and DeAndre Johnson ran 11 times for 65 yards for Texas Southern. Johnson completed 4 of 11 passes with an interception.

Southern Miss 20, Rice 6
Kevin Perkins ran for his first two touchdowns as a Golden Eagle and the Southern Miss defense smothered Rice on Saturday.

Perkins gave Southern Miss a 10-0 halftime lead with a 2-yard run to cap a 10-play, 67-yard drive. He added a 38-yarder up the middle with 32 seconds left in the game.

The Owls (0-8, 0-4 Conference USA) managed only 8 yards rushing and 131 in the air. The Golden Eagles (5-3, 3-1) had a season-high eight sacks, led by Jacques Turner with 3½.

“Definitely a defensive game, but a good team win,” Southern Miss head coach Jay Hopson said. “Not the offense’s best day, but thought we played well on special teams for the most part and played well defensively.”

Andrew Stein kicked field goals of 23 and 34 yards, improving to 12-of-14 this season. Jack Abraham was 23-of-36 passing for 207 yards with an interception. Ten completions — a career high — went to Tim Jones for 96 yards.

Austin Trammell caught a 15-yard pass from Wiley Green for Rice’s only points with six minutes left in the third quarter.

Mississippi College 41, Shorter 20
Mississippi College (4-3, 3-2 Gulf South Conference) rushed for a season high 395 yards, with Jordan Wright and Detric Hawthorn each going for more than 100, in a win over Shorter (0-8, 0-6).

Wright led the Choctaws with 135 rushing yards on 18 carries, and scored two touchdowns. Hawthorn finished with 120 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. Ja’Mori Mark added 81 yards and a touchdown. The Choctaws only attempted three passes.