Florida A&M and Alabama A&M battled in a competitive first half on Saturday afternoon before the Rattlers pulled away in the second half to take the 42-28 victory.
| Statistics | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marcus Riley had three catches for 71 yards and one touchdown to lead Florida A&M. Riley got help as well, particularly from Jeremy Moussa and Kareem Burke. The Rattlers as a whole recorded 103 yards on the ground, including six rushing first downs and three rushing touchdowns.
Jacolby Hewitt, Quincy Casey, and Donovan Eaglin were all contributors for Alabama A&M in the loss. Much of the Bulldogs’ limited offensive success came on early downs. They went just 3-for-13 on third down attempts, and then failed on each of their five fourth down attempts.
Key Metrics to Victory: Florida A&M
- Play selection – leaned on the run game, with a 57-43 run-pass split with 36 rushing attempts and 27 passing attempts
- Possession – controlled the ball for 31:21 (52% of the game)
- Third down success – converted on 31% of third downs (4-13) while Alabama A&M converted just 23% (3-13)
- Red zone efficiency – converted on 100% of red zone trips as opposed to Alabama A&M’s 75% efficiency
Each team has its next game on Nov. 11. Florida A&M welcomes Lincoln (CA) to Bragg Stadium, where the Rattlers will look to continue their solid play in their return home. Meanwhile, Alabama A&M will hope for a better result on the road when they take on SWAC foe Bethune-Cookman at Municipal Stadium.