HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – After 468 days Alabama A&M (0-0, 0-0 SWAC) football returns to the field as they travel to Orangeburg, South Carolina to take on South Carolina State (0-0, 0-0 MEAC) in a game that wasn't on either team's schedule a week ago. Now they'll meet at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium on Saturday, March 6 with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m. (EST).
 
As of press time, no live stats were available but the game has been picked up by ESPN3. Full coverage will be available following the game on www.AAMUSports.com, the official online home of Alabama A&M Athletics.
 
NOT SURPRISING ANYONE
Even before the most unique season in program history got underway the Bulldogs were keenly on everyone's radar as they earned a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) best 11 Preseason All-Conference choices and senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) was named the league's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year.
 
On top of that BoxToRow selected four Alabama A&M players to their HBCU Preseason All-American Team. Featured among that group sophomore wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.), senior tight end Kendric Johnson (New Market, Ala.), junior linebacker Marcus Cushnie (Broward County, Fla.) and redshirt-senior cornerback Armoni Holloway (Pinson, Ala.).
 
BRIGHT LIGHTS
As the saying goes, where there is smoke there is fire and the fans are going to get to see just how hot the Bulldogs can get this season with four games on the ESPN family of networks.
 
The first will come on Saturday, March 20 at Prairie View A&M with a 12 noon kickoff on ESPN3 and then Alabama A&M will welcome the Worldwide Leader in Sports to Louis Crews Stadium for the first time in nearly a decade.
 
The Bulldogs home opener against Grambling on Saturday, March 27 will be carried live on ESPN3 and mark the first such broadcast from the 22,000-seat stadium since the 2012 season. A&M will return to the national scene as they take on Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders and his Jackson State squad on Saturday, April 10. That game will air live on ESPNU and kick off at 3 p.m. in Jackson, Mississippi.
 
Not only will Alabama A&M cap off their regular season with a fourth straight national broadcast, they will close out the league's regular season air schedule -- and do so in a big way. On Saturday, April 17 a nationwide audience will get to take in the rivalry that is The Magic City Classic as the Bulldogs face off against rival Alabama State on ESPNU.
 
WAIT, WHO ARE WE PLAYING?
In a season of uncertainty, a set schedule has certainly become one of the victims and Alabama A&M has adapted on the fly. Originally set to face perennial power Alcorn State in Huntsville on February 27, that game was cancelled following the Braves opting out of the spring season.
 
That moved the season opener to Mississippi Valley State on Saturday, March 6 – until a positive test in the Delta Devils program postponed that game until April 24.
 
Which brings us to who the Bulldogs will actually play on March 6, the South Carolina State Bulldogs in a game that came together in a matter of days. Formerly a seemingly impossibility, that type of instant football has become more prevalent as teams adapt to the new landscape. As such, both programs pulled the date together in the opening days of this week in what will be the season opener for both teams.
 
ABOUT THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE BULLDOGS
South Carolina State is one of less than a handful of Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) schools that will compete in the Spring 2021 season following numerous teams opting out.
 
With that being the case, the Bulldogs had been scheduled to face fellow MEAC foe Delaware State in a pair of games to comprise their entire schedule this spring. The first of those wasn't slated to hit until March 13 in Orangeburg. Now, in short order, that schedule has doubled with the addition of A&M as well as Alabama State on April 3 in Montgomery, Alabama.
 
South Carolina State comes into the Spring 2021 season following an impressive 8-3 record in 2019 that included a 6-2 mark in the MEAC. It also featured three straight wins to close that season with decisions over Howard (62-21 on Nov. 9), North Carolina Central (24-0 on Nov. 16) and Norfolk State (20-17 on Nov. 23).
 
Scouting The Alabama A&M University Bulldogs
Record: 7-5, 4-3 SWAC (2019)
Last Time Out: W, 30-13 vs. Mississippi Valley State on November 23, 2019
Streak: One Win
 
Quick Links
Football Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
Individual Statistical Offensive Leaders
Passing Yards: Aqeel Glass – 3,600
Passing Touchdowns: Aqeel Glass – 32
Completions: Aqeel Glass – 273
Completion Percentage: Aqeel Glass – .614
Rushing Yards: Jordan Bentley – 1,483
Rushing Touchdowns: Jordan Bentley – 18
Carries: Jordan Bentley – .272
Receiving Yards: Zabrian Moore – 1,057
Receiving Touchdowns: Abdul Fatai-Ibrahim – 11
Receptions: Abdul Fatai-Ibrahim – 59

Individual Statistical Defensive Leaders
Tackles: Armoni Holloway – 62
Tackles (Solo): Armoni Holloway – 52
Tackles (Assisted): Armoni Holloway – 114
Tackles For Loss: Armoni Holloway – 14.5
Sacks: Marcus Cushine – 7.0
Interceptions: Adrian Portlock, Desmond Fletcher – 3
 
Individual Statistical Special Team Leaders
Field Goals Made: Spencer Corey – 5
Punting Yards: Spencer Corey – 2,230
Touchbacks: Spencer Corey – 5
Inside 20-Yard Line: Spencer Corey – 14
Punt Returns: Odieu Hiliare, Brian Jenkins, Jr. – 7
Punt Return Yards: Odieu Hiliare – 79
Kickoff Returns: Gary Quarles – 26
Kickoff Return Yards: Gary Quarles – 573

Team Statistics
Scoring: 34.1
Passing: 305
Rushing: 156.1
Total Offense: 461.3
Touchdowns: 56
Kickoff Return Average: 18.4
Punt Return Yards Average: 4.82
Time of Possession: 31:12
Sacks: 31
Interceptions: 12
Tackles: 498
Tackles For Loss: 90

Scouting The South Carolina State University Bulldogs
Record: 8-3, 6-2 MEAC (2019)
Last Time Out: W, 20-17 vs. Norfolk State on November 23, 2019
Streak: Three Wins
 
Quick Links
Football Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
Individual Statistical Offensive Leaders
Passing Yards: Corey Fields – 1,652
Passing Touchdowns: 15 – 15
Completions: Corey Fields102 – 4.7 apg
Completion Percentage: Corey Fields – .505
Rushing Yards: Labron Morris – 696
Rushing Touchdowns: Labron Morris – 9
Carries: Labron Morris – 158
Receiving Yards: De'Montre Burroughs – 938
Receiving Touchdowns: De'Montre Burroughs – 13
Receptions: De'Montre Burroughs – 46

Individual Statistical Defensive Leaders
Tackles: Cornelius Walker – 47
Tackles (Solo): Duane Nichols, Cornelius Walker - 33
Tackles (Assisted): Cornelius Walker – 14
Tackles For Loss: Tyrell Goodwin – 15.0
Sacks: Bruce Johnson – 7.0
Interceptions: Decobie Durant – 3
 
Individual Statistical Special Team Leaders
Field Goals Made: Dillon Bredsen – 13
Punting Yards: Cliff Benjamin – 2,268
Touchbacks: Cliff Benjamin – 7
Inside 20-Yard Line: Cliff Benjamin – 15
Punt Returns: De'Montre Burroughs – 10
Punt Return Yards: Zafir Kelly – 67
Kickoff Returns: Tra'Quan Dubose – 8
Kickoff Return Yards: Tra'Quan Dubose – 146
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 30.1
Passing: 225.7
Rushing: 142.5
Total Offense: 368.2
Touchdowns: 38
Kickoff Return Average: 13.9
Punting Yards Average: 8.6
Time of Possession: 29:00
Sacks: 28
Interceptions: 14
Tackles: 679
Tackles For Loss: 103