NORMAL – The Alabama A&M Bulldogs remain undefeated by scoring the most points ever in their annual meeting with Grambling State University 38-17 in the third annual Louis Crews Classic & Hall of Fame game in front of 13,231 in attendance.
With 22 inductees hearing their name called at halftime the newly minted members of A&M’s 21 year old Hall of Fame got to witness the Bulldogs take control of their second home game on the new matrix field turf.
Kaderius Lacey rushed for his second 100-yard game going for 165 yards on 20 carries for a TD and four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown. Lacey totaled 223 yards a season high. Louis Crews Classic offensive most valuable player Deaunte Mason accounted for three passing touchdowns on 13-18 throwing for 247 yards. Mason has now totaled a trifecta with nine passing touchdowns in the last three games played. Defensive MVP, Vernon Marshall, posted his second game of the year with double digit stops recording 13 a new career high for the Birmingham native. Linebacker Denzel Cotton finished the game with 10 tackles his first with double digit numbers. Kicker Chance Wilson celebrated his first field goal of the year with a 31-yarder in the third quarter.
The game was never out of AAMU’s hand as they stopped an 11 play drive with a Cotton force fumble that defensive back A.J. Clark recovered and raced for 60 yards. Mason then connected with Rashaad DeJarnett for their first score of the game. After GSU’s first of six punts in the contest, Kaderius Lacey turned up the field for his longest TD run a 45 yarder that gave the Maroon & White a 14-0 lead.
Grambling then turned their offense up and scored 25 seconds later on a 17 yard pass and catch from D.J Williams to Anthony McGhee to cut the lead to 14-7.
On Alabama A&M’s opening drive in the second quarter Mason hit Lacey for a 30 yard touchdown to extend the lead by fourteen 21-7. Grambling then took their next possession 13 plays and burned 6:17 off the clock but was held on a fourth down try which the Bulldogs took advantage of when Mason found Bobby Goldsby for his only catch of the day a 32 yarder that gave A&M a 28-7 lead at half time.
The Bulldogs continued their offensive onslaught when Wilson hit his 31 yard field goal with 9:35 left in the third quarter. After a five and out by the Bulldogs GSU went nine plays for 65 yards to score their second touchdown of the game going into the fourth quarter down 31-14.
Once again A&M opened the quarter with a TD drive that took 5:04 off the clock but gave the 5-0 squad a 38-14 lead. GSU then hit a 21 yard field goal for good measure but the Tigers (0-4, 0-3) were done as they fell in their fourth straight contest of the year.
The Bulldogs (5-0, 4-0) remain undefeated, a first in Jones tenure and a first for the school since 1966. Another first for Jones was the offense’s eight plays for 20+ yards with four touchdowns’ versus Grambling.
The game not only recognized the Hall of Fame members but also honored A&M’s winningest coach on “The Hill” Louis Crews, as a bust of his likeness was erected in the foyer of the stadium that bears his name.
A&M will look for their sixth straight victory when they travel to Itta Bena, MS to visit the Devils of Alcorn State University. The contest is set for Oct. 6th at 2 p.m. in Rice-Totten stadium.
