BY BRANDON KING
Taking advantage of turnovers, as well as overcoming the lack of a solid running game, Florida A&M was able to extend their winning streak to seven with a 42-28 defeat of Alabama A&M.
The FAMU offense wasted no time, scoring on their first offensive possession. It took a 7-0 lead when Jeremy Moussa connected with Marcus Riley on a 49-yard scoring strike just 2:35 into the contest.
FAMU added to their advantage on their next drive, going up 10-0 on a 32-yard field goal off the foot of Cameron Gillis. The following Florida A&M points came via their special team unit when Lovie Jenkins returned a punt 24 yards to paydirt, extending the Rattler advantage to 17-0 halfway through the first quarter.
Alabama A&M got on the board with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Quincy Casey finding Levar Gumms from 9 yards out to score 17-7. On FAMU’s next possession, Moussa was intercepted by Kaleb Dawson, giving the ball back to the AAMU offense. The Bulldogs’ offense needed just one play to take advantage of the turnover when Casey hit Jacoby Hewitt on a 43-yard scoring toss that pulled Alabama A&M within 17-14.
The offensive fireworks settled down in the second quarter, with each team able to add just 7 points to its tally. Ryan Morrow’s 8-yard touchdown run pulled Alabama A&M ahead at 21-17 with 8:20 left in the half. FAMU answered back with a 5-play, 67-yard drive, reclaiming the lead at 24-21 when Kelvin Dean punched it in from four yards out.
The second half got off to an inauspicious start for the Bulldogs, with a fumble on their second play of the third quarter. FAMU’s Johnny Cheney, Jr recovered the fumble, setting the Rattlers’ offense at their 42-yard line. A 23-yard Gillis field goal, eight plays, and 52-yards late pushed the Florida A&M lead to 27-21. A turnover on downs gave the ball back to the Rattlers at the Bulldogs’ 42-yard line, and the lead would grow to 35-21 on Jaquez Yant’s one-yard touchdown run.
Alabama A&M turned it over again on their next possession. Juwan Morgan picked off Casey at the AAMU 38-yard line. The Rattlers needed two plays to capitalize when Bruce Kareen streaked in from 26 yards out to extend the lead to 42-21.
The Bulldogs got back on the board on their next possession, driving 75 yards in seven plays, scoring on Donovan Eaglin’s 4-yard tun that would trim the lead to 42-28, but that was as close as the Bulldogs would come.
Here is what contributed to the Rattlers’ win:
Turnovers and special teams miscues cost the Bulldogs Alabama A&M turned the ball over twice and allowed a score on a punt return. Altogether, these mistakes led to 17 Florida A&M points.
Bulldogs struggled to gain traction on the ground
Neither team could consistently or effectively run the football, with the teams combined for 161 yards on the ground (103 yards for FAMU and 58 yards for Alabama A&M). Florida A&M came into the contest averaging 212 yards over their last two games but averaged just 2.9 yards per carry on the afternoon. For Alabama A&M, this was the second consecutive contest they failed to rush for at least 60 yards.
Alabama A&M was unable to convert third downs
Alabama A&M was just 3 for 13 on third down conversions on the afternoon, which led to the premature end of several drives. The Rattlers (8-1, 7-0 in the SWAC) will host Lincoln (CA) next week; The Bulldogs (4-5, 2-4 in the SWAC) seek to bounce back when they hit the road next week to face Bethune-Cookman.
