One SWAC East game down, four more to go for another trip to the SWAC championship game for Florida A&M.
The Rattlers’ defense made key plays, and their offense made enough timely plays to spoil Alabama State’s homecoming 28-13. FAMU improves to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in SWAC East play, while ASU falls to 2-3 and 1-1 in division games.
Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s showdown.
The Rattlers defense gave Alabama State a taste of its own medicine
Coming into the game, Alabama State ranked at the top or near the top of the SWAC in several key defensive statistics. However, Florida A&M’s defense forced its first three turnovers of the season.
Interceptions by Deco Wilson and T.J. Huggins halted Hornet drives while Nay’Ron Jenkins converted a fumble into a 20-yard touchdown that sealed the win for Florida A&M.
FAMU’s offense appreciated the assistance
The Florida A&M offense took advantage of their defense’s gift-giving, as Daniel Richardson fired a 35-yard touchdown pass to Ace Cobb right after Wilson’s INT to put the Rattlers ahead to stay at 14-7 five minutes into the third quarter.
TD AFTER THE INT!
Richardson connects with Cobb AGAIN for a 35 yard TD.
FAMU – 14
ASU – 7
📺 https://t.co/xqFMen18Kd (ESPN+)
📻 https://t.co/cWHCUvVKGp
📊 https://t.co/mLfpwUXVQH#FAMU | #Rattlers | #RELOAD | #REPEAT pic.twitter.com/rLCKgKZvUU— Florida A&M Football 🏈 (@FAMU_FB) October 5, 2024
The Rattlers also scored their first rushing touchdown of 2024 as wide receiver Goldie Lawrence took a handoff from Richardson around the left end nine yards to the house for a little insurance.
The Rattlers are still the team to beat in the SWAC East
No, it’s not the 2023 team that had All-Americans, award winners, and coaches of the year, but Florida A&M continues to find ways to win the games they need to win.
Falling behind Norfolk State and South Carolina State and struggling with ASU for two quarters meant nothing in the grand scheme of things. It’s inevitable that a Rattler will make a big play in one of the game’s three phases, and that means, until further notice, they are the team to beat in the SWAC East and likely the entire conference.
Alabama State’s quarterback woes will likely cost them again
After freshman Zach Sims telegraphed a pass that ended in a FAMU interception, the Hornets turned to wide receiver Kareem Keye, who completed a couple of passes on a drive and led ASU to a field goal, but nothing else happened on offense.
With Andrew Body and Jonah O’Brien both going down, the Alabama State quarterback room has only two freshmen (Sims and James Hayes) and untested athletes (Keye and Jayvious Langford). There’s still a lot of season left, but unless FAMU and Jackson State suffer surprising upsets, 2024 could be a painful case of what could have been for the Hornets.
