title image via Alabama A&M Athletics
Courtesy of Brian Howard, Assistant AD for Communications
THE HILL |Donovan Eaglin rushed for 123 yards, including 111 in the second half as the Alabama A&M University football team used a dominate second half to pull past Grambling State, 22-17, in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game on Thursday night at Louis Crews Stadium.
Alabama A&M (5-5 overall, 3-3 SWAC) trailed 17-3 in the second quarter and scored 19 unanswered points to storm from behind to earn the win. Grambling State (5-6, 2-5) suffered another setback, with five one-score losses this season.
GSU quarterback Myles Crawley was picked off on his first pass attempt but Alabama A&M could not get anything going off the turnover and was forced to punt on its second offensive possession.
The Tigers started at its own 9, and after a 7-yard run by Ke’Travion Hargrove, Crawley connected with Jalen Johnson for 67 yards to the Bulldog 7. However, the AAMU defense forced a stop and Reed Harradine booted a 23-yard field to cap the 7-play, 77-yard drive as Grambling State took a 3-0 advantage with 8:31 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Bulldogs responded with a 13-play, 47-yard drive, taking more than six minutes off the clock as Victor Barbosa tied the game at 3 with a 45-yard field goal with 2:12 left.
Grambling State took advantage of an AAMU turnover as Cornelious Brown IV was stripped as he was throwing the ball by Jalen Rudolph and the ball was returned for a score by Andrew Jones for 25 yards as the Tigers grabbed a 10-3 advantage with 12:06 remaining in the half.
After an Alabama A&M punt, the Tigers marched 60 yards in just five plays as JR Waters hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Crawley as GSU extended the advantage to 17-3 with 7:24 left.
The Bulldogs closed the gap to 17-6 right before the break as Alabama A&M drove 74 yards in seven plays, helped by a personal foul targeting and offsides call, as Barbosa booted a 38-yard field goal as time expired.
Grambling State got the ball to begin the second half, but quickly turned it over as Dedrick Talbert coughed the ball up as Dimitris Biamby forced the fumble, setting the Bulldogs up with great field position at the Tiger 34.
All it took was one play as Brown connected with Keenan Hambrick over the middle for a 34-yard touchdown with 13:46 remaining. Brown converted the 2-point conversion as Alabama A&M trimmed the deficit to 17-14.
The Bulldogs continued to rally, using a 12-play, 47-yard drive as Barbosa booted a 44-yard field goal, tying the game at 17 with 7:04 remaining.
Alabama A&M grabbed its first lead of the night as Grambling State gift-wrapped two points on a safety as a snap on a Tiger punt when over the head of the punter and into the back of the endzone as the Bulldogs took a 19-17 advantage with 46 seconds left.
The Bulldogs, who took more than eight minutes off the clock, took advantage of a roughing the passer personal foul penalty on its next offensive drive. AAMU marched 80 yards in 14 plays, helped by a huge Donovan Eaglin 18-yard carry, as Barbosa kicked a 19-yard field goal as Alabama A&M extended the lead to 22-17 with 7:20 remaining.
Grambling State had an opportunity, but Javon Robinson dropped a wide-open pass on fourth down, turning the ball over to Alabama A&M with 3:22 left.
After a defensive stop by the Tigers, Kaleb Dawsonsealed the Alabama A&M victory with an interception with 1:35 remaining.
CHECKING THE BOX SCORE
- Alabama A&M finished with 388 total yards, with 160 on the ground
- The Bulldogs registered 27 first downs
- Cornelious Brown IV went 20 of 35 passing for 228 yards and one touchdown
- Donovan Eaglin had just 12 yards in the first half and finished with 123 yards on 25 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per carry
- Keenan Hambrick caught eight passes for 99 yards and one score
- Victor Barbosa was 4-for-4 on field goals
- Jalen Wright and Marvin Smith each added seven tackles
- Grambling State finished with 263 total yards, including 169 through the air
- The Tigers recorded 12 first downs
- Myles Crawley went 12 of 27 passing for 169 yards, with two interceptions and one touchdown
- Ke’Travion Hargrove rushed eight times for 38 yards
- Javon Robinson caught four passes for 44 yards
- Andrew Jones tallied 15 tackles, including five solo stops
NEWS & NOTES
- For the first time in program history, Alabama A&M has defeated Grambling State three straight times
- This was the 32nd meeting between Alabama A&M and Grambling State
- The Bulldogs improved to 10-22 overall against the Tigers
- Alabama A&M has now won two consecutive games for the second time this season
- AAMU played two quarterbacks – Cornelious Brown IV (started) and Xavier Lankford
- Back-to-back weeks the Bulldog offense has turned the ball over, resulting in touchdowns (pick six and fumble return)
- The Bulldogs owned the time of possession, holding the ball for nearly 37 minutes
- Alabama A&M picked up its first safety since Sept. 30, 2023 (vs. Tuskegee) in the third quarter as the ball sailed over the punters head and out of the back of the endzone
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M returns to the road for its final two games of the season, starting next Saturday (Nov. 23) as the Bulldogs visit Mississippi Valley State. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. from Rice-Totten Stadium at Chuck Prophet Field and streamed on The Grio.
