Florida A&M earned a commanding 24-6 victory over Southern University.
From special teams heroics to defensive stops, the Rattlers made their mark early and never looked back.
It was the Rattler’s 22nd consecutive win at Bragg Memorial Stadium, the second-longest active home victory streak in the FCS.
“We don’t lose in Bragg,” said quarterback Daniel Richardson. “Getting another win and playing in front of our fans is a great feeling.”
Southern struck first, with kicker Joshua Griffin hitting a 50-yard field goal to give the Jaguars an early 3-0 lead. Florida A&M responded quickly, as Jamari Gassett returned a punt 43 yards for a touchdown to put the Rattlers up 7-3.
Both defenses tightened in the second quarter, resulting in a scoreless 15 minutes as each side struggled to gain offensive traction. Florida A&M quarterback Daniel Richardson came alive in the second half, connecting with Gassett for a huge 53-yard touchdown pass just minutes into the third quarter. Griffin added another field goal to keep Southern in contention, but the Rattlers’ defense held strong.
Florida A&M put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter when Richardson completed a 16-yard touchdown to Kelvin Dean, extending the lead to 21-6. Cameron Gillis capped off the scoring with a 34-yard field goal with under two minutes remaining. Richardson finished with an impressive 278 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Gassett led all receivers with 118 yards.
For the first time all season, FAMU had more rushing yards than its opponent. The Rattlers outgained Southern on the ground 126 to 122.
“The biggest thing for us was to make sure we executed,” FAMU coach James Colzie said. “We saw our offense with some rhythm and some confidence. Next week, hopefully, we can get more of that.”
The win keeps the Rattlers still very much alive in the SWAC East race for another week. Though FAMU would need help to overtake first-place Jackson State, there is still reason to fight and compete to make it interesting.
“We’re a good football team,” said Gassett. “Our drive and our heart is to stay focused every week. “I feel like the tables will turn.”
Courtesy: FAMU Athletics
