Bulldogs Fought Off Golden Lions For 5th-Straight Home Win

HOUSTON - Alabama A&M won 31-24 over Arkansas-Pine Bluff in a penalty-filled SWAC conference football game Thursday night in Huntsville, Alabama. The Bulldogs protected Louis Crews stadium once again for its fifth-straight home victory.

AAMU quarterback Quincy Casey has a terrific night, throwing 27-for-33 times for 328 yards and three passing touchdowns. He connected with tight end Barry White for a pair of touchdowns and wide receiver Terrell Gardner for another score. Running back Donavan Eaglin pounded the Golden Lions defenders on 19 carries for 126 rushing yards and a touchdown.

Alabama A&M registered 71 plays and 505 yards of total offense against the Golden Lions defense. Coach Alonzo Hampton's team traded score-for-score with the home team on 63 offensive plays for 314 yards. The teams recorded 24 penalties - 11 (UAPB) and 13 (AAMU).

Jalen Macon finished the tilt with 17-of-29 passing attempts for 227 yards and two passing touchdowns. He also led the Golden Lions rushing attack with nine rushes for 53 yards. Michael Jamerson was their top receiver, with a catch for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Linebackers Zareon Hayes (1 sack) and Demetrie Morgan (2 sacks) led the Bulldogs defensive assault on the Golden Lions quarterbacks.

Hagen's only scoring drive gave UAPB a 7-0 lead with 11:42 remaining in the first quarter. AAMU had two scoring drives, a 27-yard field goal from Luke Moffett, and a 6-yard touchdown pass from Casey to Gardner to capture the advantage of 10-7 with 3:12 in the opening quarter.

Coach Hampton changed quarterbacks from Mekhi Hagens to redshirt freshman Jalen Macon in the first quarter. In the second quarter, Hagens would march the Golden Lions downfield on a 16-play, 94-yard drive capped off by a Dean Sarris 22-yard field goal. Macon connected with Tristan Ballard for a 12-yard touchdown pass, recapturing the lead at 17-10 with 51 seconds remaining before intermission.

Eaglin scored on a 1-yard run, finishing an 11-play, 73-yard drive that took 4:33 for the Bulldogs at 49 seconds left in the 3rd stanza. With 11:55 in the 4th quarter, Casey completed a 29-yard touchdown strike to Barry White to go up 24-17.

UAPB would not go away without a fight. Jalen Macon flushed out of the pocket to his right and located Michael Jamerson behind an AAMU cornerback for a completion. Jamerson broke a tackle attempt and outraced the Bulldogs' secondary for an 80-yard touchdown reception with 10:47 on the clock. Pine Bluff tied the game at 24 apiece.

On the Alabama A&M's ensuing drive, Quincy Casey hit Keenan Hambrick for a 48-yard pass play to the Pine Bluff 20-yard line. Five plays later, Casey avoided a sack to toss the game-winning 5-yard touchdown pass to Barry White in the back of the endzone. After Moffett's successful point-after attempt, the Bulldogs would lead 31-24. 7:45 remained in the contest, but the Golden Lions could not find the endzone when Demetrie Morgan forced a Jalen Macon fumble at the AAMU 16-yard line.

The Bulldogs would turn over the fumble on downs to give UAPB 14.2 seconds and 48 yards of turf. Unfortunately, Macon's Hail Mary attempt fell short, and Morgan sacked him on the game's final play. The final score was AAMU 31, UAPB 24.

Coach Connell Maynor's team improves to 2-2 and 1-1 in the SWAC, while Arkansas-Pine Bluff falls to 1-3 and 0-1 in conference play. In Week 5, the Bulldogs will host Tuskegee for Homecoming, and the Golden Lions will battle Southern at home on Saturday, Sept. 30.