Southern beats Alabama State 45-34 behind 6 TDs from Howard

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Austin Howard threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns and added two more on the ground to lead Southern past Alabama State 45-34 Saturday

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Austin Howard threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns and added two more on the ground to lead Southern past Alabama State 45-34 Saturday night.

Howard completed a 7-yarder to Dillon Beard and later ran for a 2-yard score to give the Jaguars a 14-0 lead. Southern (3-2 overall, 3-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference) got a 33-yard field goal from Greg Pittman before halftime to make it 17-0. Howard then carried it in from 8 yards to make the score 24-0.

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The Hornets (2-4, 2-3) finally got on the board when Ellis Richardson completed a 14-yard pass to Jamir Hanna, and the two-point conversion made it 24-8.

Howard responded with a 6-play, 40-yard drive that ended when he found Montrell Jones for a 6-yard score to make it 31-8.

Alabama State cut the lead to 38-28 when Daniel Duhart completed a 1-yard score to Brandon Barnes with 3:38 to play. Duhart threw three touchdowns off the bench.