Donovan Eaglin ran for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns, while Emari Pait grabbed a late interception as Alabama A&M ended the 2023 season with a 30-21 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Thursday night.
Alabama A&M closed the season with a 5-6 overall record and a 3-5 SWAC mark. Meanwhile, Mississippi Valley State ended the season on a five-game losing streak.
“We got off to a great start, jumping out 14-0,” Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor said. “It is great to send the seniors off with a win and for us to build momentum going into the offseason. Donovan ran the ball extremely well, and I am proud of how our guys came out and played from start to finish.”
After a Mississippi Valley State punt, Alabama A&M began its opening series on its own 19. Four plays into the drive, Quincy Casey dialed up a 49-yard pass to Jacolby Hewitt, setting the Bulldogs up at the MVSU 19. Two players later, Donovan Eaglin capped the 81-yard drive with a 17-yard touchdown run as Alabama A&M jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 9:32 remaining.
A Delta Devil turnover on their next offensive possession led to more AAMU points.
With the ball at their own 39, the Bulldogs took to the ground game as Eaglin accounted for 30 yards. Meanwhile, in the air, Casey connected with Hewitt for 17 yards before hitting Cameron Young for the 14-yard touchdown strike as Alabama A&M extended the lead to 14-0 with 4:15 left.
Mississippi Valley State (1-10, 1-7 SWAC) got on the board when Ty’Jarian Williams connected with Kerrick Ross, who sprinted 64 yards for the score as the Delta Devils trimmed the deficit to 14-7 with 2:46 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldog defense accounted for AAMU’s next score.
After an Alabama A&M punt, the Delta Devils were backed up to their own 11. Williams was strip-sacked by Trenton Taylor as Marvin Smith jumped on the loose ball in the end zone as the Bulldogs pushed the lead to 21-7 with 10:51 remaining in the half.
The Bulldogs received the opening kick of the second half and needed just two plays as Eaglin busted through the middle for a 67-yard touchdown run as Alabama A&M added to the lead, 27-7, with 14:10 remaining in the third quarter.
Mississippi Valley State answered after an AAMU punt, going 31 yards in three plays as Williams scored on the 1-yard keeper, cutting the deficit to 27-14 with 8:03 left.
The Delta Devils continued to battle back as another big play trimmed the margin to 27-21 with 12:54 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Williams tossed his second touchdown, a 62-yard strike to Jaxson Davis and Mississippi Valley State pulled to within one score.
On the very next offensive possession, Casey was picked off, but the interception was wiped off the board because of a pass interference penalty. The Bulldogs used more than eight minutes off the clock and settled for a 37-yard field goal by Victoria Barbosa as Alabama A&M completed a 14-play, 50-yard drive, pushing the advantage to 30-21 with 4:29 left.
Courtesy: Alabama A&M Athletics
