A&M Comes from Behind to defeat UAPB 28-27

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NORMAL -- Down 27-7 after three quarters of action, the Alabama A&M Bulldogs could have folded their arms and separated as a team. That didn’t happen during the annual Hall of Fame game in Huntsville Saturday night as the Maroon & White (3-2 Overall , 2-1 SWAC) scored 21 points in the fourth quarter to give the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff their first conference loss.

“The guys played with the spirit of a team that wanted to win the football game,” said 10^th year head coach Anthony Jones. “When UAPB went up 27-7 our character came out. The defense stepped up and (quarterback) Deaunte started seeing his reads and the rest is history.”

That’s exactly what happened as the Golden Lions held the Bulldogs to seven points and 123 yards on 25 plays in the first half. The third quarter also went the Golden Lion’s way as A&M accounted for 29 yards after possessing the ball for six minutes and 17 seconds.

When the clock was set to 15:00 in the fourth quarter it seemed the Bulldogs woke up. A&M began their ninth drive of the game with :40 seconds remaining in the third. The first two plays were incomplete passes. When the final quarter began quarterback Deaunte Mason connected with Montaurius Smith for a 23 yard first down. From there the Bulldog offense drove the ball down the field and scored their third touchdown in the fourth quarter this season to pull the score to 27-14.

The Maroon & White defense then held Pine Bluff to their fourth three and out. A&M would then start their 10^th drive with 7:27 remaining. Once again Mason hooked up with G’Alonzo Milton for their third TD of the game after A&M chewed up two minutes and :14 seconds pulling within six 27-21.

The Bulldog defense once again stood tall holding the Golden Lions to their fifth and final three and out.

The game winning drive would begin with 7:08 on the clock. A&M scored the game winning touchdown with only :58 seconds showed between the Coca-Cola sign and the Aramark lighted advertisement.

The Bulldogs used a 17 play 76 yard drive, their longest of the season, which included a penalty and two timeouts to score the game winning touchdown. For the fourth time Mason hit Milton in the back of the end zone.

“G’Alonzo treated every ball that came his way as his,” Jones mentioned. “Some bad balls were thrown his way but if he didn’t catch it he made sure the defender didn’t.”

At the beginning of the day A&M had registered only one passing TD all season. After this contest they have five, all to Milton who posted a career high four touchdowns versus UAPB. Mason ended his 21^st career start 17 of 35 for 193 yards and four touchdowns. Mason also ran the ball 13 times for 73 yards.

Milton ended his best game in the Maroon & White with seven receptions for 87 yards and four TD’s. Defensively senior Willie Fuller posted seven tackles while Marshall transfer Corey Hart totaled a season high three sacks for a loss of 25 yards.

This is the first time since the 2007 season that a Jones led squad has compiled three straight wins.

Next up for the Bulldogs is Mississippi Valley State University on Homecoming 2011 on “The Hill”, Saturday, October 8. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

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