HUNTSVILLE — Bulldog fans, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the East Division tunnel.
Yes, despite Saturday’s 56-17 loss to Grambling, the Bulldogs are still in contention for the SWAC East title.
Granted, there are a few things that have to fall Alabama A&M’s way, but there is still a chance.
Alcorn State and Jackson State are on top at 3-4 and they play each other Nov. 19, the final game of the season. [lasso align=”right” cart=”y” identifier=”B00Q0D27J8″ locale=”US” tag=”hbcusports-20″ ref=”amzn-college-flags-and-banners-co-alabama-am-bulldogs-garden-flag” type=”single” id=”71913″ link_id=”5133″]
The Bulldogs (3-5) visit Jackson State on Nov. 12 and Alcorn takes on Mississippi Valley. Alabama State is also 3-5 and plays Grambling State on Nov. 12. But the Bulldogs hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Hornets.
Meanwhile, on Saturday the Bulldogs ran into the buzzsaw that is Grambling State. The Tigers are 6-1 with their lone loss coming in a 31-21 defeat at Arizona.
The Bulldogs hung tight for about three quarters Saturday, trailing 28-17 when quarterback De’Angelo Ballard scored on a 6-yard run with 11:05 left in the third quarter.
The Tigers, though responded with a touchdown at 8:32 for a 35-17 lead and put two more scores on the board in the quarter and another touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Only Alcorn and Arizona, though, put more points up against Grambling – the SWAC’s No. 1 team in total defense and offense – than did Alabama A&M.
With Grambling leading 14-0 in the second quarter, Nick Carden cut the gap to 14-3 with his 21-yard field goal.
Trailing 21-3, the Bulldogs scored their first touchdown on a beautiful catch-and-run from Ballard O’Darius Williams. Ballard found Williams downfield and connected on a 51-yard play to bring A&M within 21-10 with five minutes left in the half.
However, the Tigers put another touchdown on the board with a 57-yard fumble return and a 28-10 lead with 47 seconds to go.
Ballard finished the game 16 of 45 passing for 208 yards while Jordan Bentley had 20 carries for 86 yards.
Devonte Simon, Mike Mills and Dylan Hamilton each had eight tackles for the Bulldogs.
A&M travels to Jackson State next Saturday to take on the Tigers. Kickoff is 2 p.m.
Courtesy: AAMU Athletics
