BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) 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 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.

--

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap-top25. Sign up for the AP's college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2

Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.