PINE BLUFF, Ark. – The Bulldogs played a nearly flawless first half Saturday and kept their foot on the pedal in the second half of a 40-7 win at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, tarnishing the Homecoming festivities for the Golden Lions..
The win lifted the Bulldogs to 2-4 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference and 2-5 overall.
A&M scored touchdowns on its first four possessions and seven of the first eight en route to a 40-0 lead in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback De’Angelo Ballard had a standout day running and passing for the Bulldogs. He was 17 for 27 passing for 214 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, he had 15 carries for 89 yards and three touchdowns. [easyazon_infoblock align=”right” cart=”y” identifier=”B00Q0D27J8″ locale=”US” tag=”hbcusports-20″]
Freshman running back Jordan Bentley rushed for 91 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.
Nick Carden had a pair of field goals, including a 46-yarder, and Marceles Clash scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass.
The Bulldogs defense forced the Golden Lions into a three-and-out on their first possession and took on their own 24.
Ballard then guided the Bulldogs on a six-play, 76-yard drive, culminating with his 26-yard touchdown run. Ballard was five-of-six passing in the series as the Bulldogs took a 6-0 lead.
On their next series, A&M drove 75 yards in just four plays. Ballard combined with Jonathan Dorsey on a 47-yard pass play to the one-yard line, setting up Bentley’s touchdown run. After Carden’s point-after, the Bulldogs led 13-0 with 7:05 left in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs opened the second quarter on a drive that started with three minutes left in the first quarter. On second and 9, Ballard was under pressure but scrambled loose, looked up and found Clash wide open in the endzone.for the 19-yard touchdown pass. The Bulldogs led 20-0 with 13:42 left in the quarter.
Ballard capped a four-play, 55-yard drive on the Bulldogs’ next possession with a six-yard touchdown run up the middle. Carden’s point-after made the score 27-0 with 10:04 to go in the quarter.
Carden kicked a 36-yard field goal with 32 seconds left in the half and the Bulldogs held a 30-0 lead.
Ballard added a nine-yard TD run and Carden’s 46-yard field goal ran the score to 40-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Kenneth Davis, who came into the game with a SWAC-leading 60 tackles, had 10 tackles to lead the A&M defense and Embrel Vaughn added seven tackles. The Bulldogs sacked UAPB quarterback Brandon Duncan three times and held the Golden Lions to just 221 yards of offense.
The Bulldogs’ balanced attack churned up 253 yards rushing and 214 yards passing.
A&M has a bye next weekend as they prepare for the Magic City Classic on Oct. 29.
Courtesy: AAMU Athletics
