Alabama A&M University’s football team lost its final home game of the season on Saturday, falling 26-23 to Florida A&M in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) matchup at Louis Crews Stadium. The game took place during Senior Day, marking the end of the Bulldogs’ home campaign.
The Bulldogs, who now have a 4-7 overall record and are 1-6 in SWAC play, had an opportunity to win in the closing moments but were unable to score as quarterback Eric Handley was sacked on the last play. Florida A&M improved its record to 5-5 overall and 4-2 in conference games.
The first quarter saw both teams miss field goal attempts before Florida A&M took a 6-0 lead with less than a minute remaining after RJ Johnson II connected with Kenari Wilcher for a touchdown. Alabama A&M responded in the second quarter with David Faulk tying his career-best field goal from 47 yards out, narrowing the gap to 6-3. Ryan Morrow later broke free for an 80-yard touchdown run, giving Alabama A&M their first lead at 10-6 late in the half.
Florida A&M answered quickly before halftime as Johnson scored on a short run. Alabama A&M managed another field goal by Faulk just before halftime, entering the break ahead by one point at 13-12.
In the third quarter, Alabama A&M extended their lead to four points following another field goal by Faulk after a long drive. However, Florida A&M regained control with two more touchdowns: Johnson found Wilcher again and later connected with Jalen Rogers. Daveon Walker caught a touchdown pass for Alabama A&M early in the fourth quarter, briefly putting them back ahead before Florida A&M retook and held onto the lead.
Alabama A&M accumulated 460 total yards—233 rushing—and achieved 24 first downs during the game. Handley completed 20 of his 33 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Morrow rushed for a personal best of 136 yards on eighteen carries. Walker led receivers with four catches for sixty-three yards and one touchdown.
On defense, Jordan Milton made nine tackles for Alabama A&M while Robert Cole averaged over thirty-eight yards per punt across three kicks. Kicker David Faulk converted three of four field goals; he missed his first attempt of the season but succeeded from distances of forty-seven, twenty-nine, and twenty-three yards.
For Florida A&M, RJ Johnson finished with twenty completions out of twenty-four attempts for two hundred ninety-nine passing yards and three touchdowns. The Rattlers recorded three passing touchdowns and totaled almost three hundred passing yards on offense.
This loss marks Alabama A&M’s fifth straight defeat against Florida A&M since their last victory over them in nineteen seventy-nine; Saturday’s contest was also their fifteenth meeting overall.
Alabama A&M’s final regular-season game will be played next Saturday against Texas Southern University in Houston at two p.m., streamed live via HBCU GO.
For more information about Alabama A&M Athletics visit www.aamusports.com or follow their official social media accounts.
