Jalani Eason threw for a career-high three touchdowns and Mississippi Valley State beat Alabama A&M 30-20 on Thursday night for its first win of the season.
MVSU (1-8, 1-5 SWAC) held its first halftime lead of the season at 17-7. Eason’s second touchdown pass of the half went for 22 yards to Jacory Rankin.
The win snaps an 8-game losing streak. The last Delta Devils win dates back to Nov. 27, 2021, against Prairie View.
Orlando Fernandez made a 40-yard field goal at the end of the third quarter, his third of the game, to give MVSU a 30-14 lead.
Micah White had a 56-yard touchdown grab for Alabama A&M (3-6, 3-3).
Mississippi Valley State would be the first to get on the board after a 7-play, 57-yard drive culminating in a three-yard touchdown grab by Cameron Gardner.
Neither team would gain any traction over the remainder of the period but the Bulldogs would rebound with their first drive of the second. That would see them go 80 yards in just four plays with a 56-yard TD strike from Quincy Casey to receiver Micah White.
MVSU came right back, however as Jalani Eason led a six-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 21-yard completion to Jacory Ranking to give the Delta Devils a 14-7 advantage at the 8:52 mark in the second quarter.
The Mississippi Valley State defense would take over, holding the Bulldogs to 90 total yards rushing, intercepting Casey twice, and forcing a fumble.
The Delta Devils extended its lead to 30-14 in the third quarter on a 15-yard TD from Eason to Sylvester Campbell and a 40-yard field goal by place kicker Orlando Fernandez.
Courtesy: AAMU Athletics
