HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Playing in front of 21,835 fans, Alabama A&M (3-2, 1-2 SWAC) fell by a 61-15 score to Jackson State (4-1, 2-0 SWAC) on Homecoming in an NCAA Division I football game on Saturday, October 9.
 
THE STATS - ALABAMA A&M
Graduate quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) paced the Bulldogs with a 26-of-40 day that saw him finish with 293 yards and a pair of touchdowns while junior wide receiver Odieu Hilaire (Belle Glade, Fla.) had a second straight 10 reception game. On the day he racked up 117 yards with a score and a long of 30 yards.
 
Senior wideout Dee Anderson (Dallas, Texas) added three grabs and 61 yards and senior wide receiver Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) had a touchdown to round out the top offensive performers.
 
Defensively, junior safety Trenell Troutman (Orlando, Fla.) led the way with six tackles, four solo, and senior linebacker Branden Bailey (Deerfield Beach, Fla.) had five with half of a tackle for loss. Senior defensive lineman Jalen McGhee (Atlanta, Ga.) had the other half of that TFL and junior defensive end Trey Middleton (Marietta, Ga.) had a full tackle in the backfield.
 
Sophomore punter Troy Lendvay (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) led the way on special teams with four kicks for 154 yards and a 38.5 average, landing a long of 57 yards on the day.
 
THE GAME
Alabama A&M opened the game covering 47-yards in six plays, including a 30-yard strike to Hilaire, before JSU's James Houston delivered a sack, forced fumble and scoop and score to take it back 67 yards for a 7-0 lead with just 3:26 gone by.
 
The Tigers would then force a three-and-out on the Bulldogs' next possession and benefit immediately as Warren Newman ran the kick back 58 yards to the A&M 10. A personal foul penalty would then cut that distance in half and three short runs later JD Martin plowed into the endzone from two yards out to extend the lead to 14-0 by the 7:23 mark.
 
Following a fruitless possession that ended on a four-yard rush on 4^th and 5, Jackson State would get the ball back and march 51 yards in eight plays and 3:49. That drive would feature a 15-yard rush by Martin and 15-yard grab Keith Corbin before Shedeur Sanders hit Josh Lanier from six yards out to push to a 20-0 lead with 1:13 left in the frame. It would stay that way following a failed two-point attempt that fell incomplete in the back of the endzone.
 
The Bulldogs would then get off the deck with a nine play, 75-yard drive over the next 4:15. That would feature back-to-back connections of 19- and nine-yards with Hilarie before Glass found Moore from 10 yards out to cut the deficit to 20-7 by the 11:58 mark.
 
It would be short-lived, however, as the Tigers turned right around with a nine-yard connection to Newman, 25-yard rush by Santee Marshall and a 37-yard bomb to Trevonte Rucker that ballooned the lead to 26-7 just 4:21 into the frame. JSU would capitalize one more time before the half as they took possession with 3:56 to play, a drive that would culminate with a 12-yard connection by Sanders to Newman to make it 33-7, a margin the teams would take to the break.
 
The Tigers would take full advantage on their opening possession of the third, connecting on five passes of at least 10 yards, capped by a 20-yard laser to Malachi Wideman at 10:29. That touchdown stretched the lead 40-7, a margin that would hold until just over five minutes to play in the quarter. Sanders would cap a four-play, 59-yard drive with a 29-yard touchdown run of his own to push to a 40-point spread, 47-7, by the 5:23 mark.
 
Four minutes later it would be Marshall breaking free for 53 yards and a score to make it 54-7 with 1:22 left in the frame before Glass and the Bulldogs put together six-play 51-yard drive. That would feature a 4^th and 17 conversion that saw Glass land a 42-yard bomb to Anderson to keep the possession alive and setup a three-yard score to Hilaire. He would then cap it with a two-point play to Quarles to close the gap to 54-15.
 
Jackson State would not take their foot of the gas, however, as a seven-play 44-yard drive resulted in a four-yard TD run for Marshall to push to a 46-point advantage with 12:01 left on the clock. That 61-15 spread would end up being the final margin as neither team could muster any more offense over the final 12 minutes of play.
 
THE STATS – JACKSON STATE
Sanders led the Tigers with a 17-of-24 day as he threw for 249 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions while Marshall pounded out 122 yards on just 12 carries, two of which landed him in the endzone. He was joined by Sanders with 58 yards and a score and Martin with a TD and 44 yards.
 
Through the air, Newman snagged five balls for 80 yards and a touchdown while Rucker had 66 yards on four catches. Lanier and Wideman each added a solo score to round out the offensive top performers.
 
On the other side of the ball, there was no shortage of standouts as Aubrey Miller, Jr. had a game-high eight tackles with two for loss – both sacks – and a forced fumble. He was joined by Houston with six stops, a pair of TFLs, one sack, two forced fumbles for 110 yards and a defensive TD and CJ Holmes and Justin Ragin each had a forced fumble.
 
The latter added a pair of sacks with Nyles Gaddy finishing with 1.5 and Antwan Owens, Coynis Miller and Daelyn Dunn each having one. Katron Evans rounded out the defensive effort with a half sack.
 
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs will remain at home as they host Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) newcomer Florida A&M on Saturday, October 16. That game will kick off at 1 p.m. at Louis Crews Stadium.
 
NOTES
The announced crowd of 21,835 is the second largest in the 25-year history of Louis Crews Stadium, trailing only the 22,287 set against Southern in 1998. It is the most since 18,629 fans witnessed a victory over Tuskegee in the Second Annual Lewis Crews Classic.