HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – For the first time since 2011, No. 22 Alabama A&M (4-0, 3-0 SWAC) returns to the Cricket Wireless Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Football Championship Game and will face the team they won their lone title against, No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff (4-0, 4-0 SWAC), as they meet in Jackson, Mississippi on Saturday, May 1.
 
Game time is set for 2 p.m. with the game to be broadcast live on ESPN2 from Veterans Memorial Stadium on the campus of Jackson State. Fans can follow all the action through live stats on www.AAMUSports.com, the official online home of Alabama A&M Athletics.
 
LAST TIME OUT AGAINST ALABAMA STATE
With the Bulldogs game at Mississippi Valley State that was scheduled for Saturday, April 24 having been cancelled due to COVID-19 protocols in the Delta Devils program, A&M last took the field nearly two weeks ago on Saturday, April 17 against rival Alabama State in the Magic City Classic.
 
And a classic it was for senior quarterback Aqeel Glass (St. Louis, Mo.) as he earned his third straight win in the biggest game of the year, swatting the Hornets by a 38-14 score. He finished the night going 25-of-40 for 372 yards and three touchdowns and led an offense that took a 14-14 tie right before the half and turned it into 24 straight points to close out the commanding victory.
 
Junior running back Gary Quarles (Cottondale, Ala.) chewed up 71 yards on the ground and found the endzone on a pair of occasions while senior wideout Zabrian Moore (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) caught four balls for 138 yards, hitting paydirt twice.
 
That victory not only kept the rivalry hardware in Huntsville, it also setup the opportunity for more as it put Alabama A&M in their first SWAC Championship in nearly a decade as SWAC East Division Champions.
 
ROAD WARRIORS – EXTREME EDITION
With it being a shortened season due to the uniqueness of playing in the spring, home opportunities were going to be limited to begin with. As it turned out, so limited that the Bulldogs did not set foot in Louis Crews Stadium for a game all season long, a first in at least the Division I Era of the program dating back to 1998 – and likely much further.
 
It was not for lack of trying as A&M was slated to play a pair of home games, beginning with Alcorn State on February 27 and Grambling a month later on March 27. The ASU game would go by the boards as that program opted out of the spring season while GSU didn't happen due to COVID-19 protocols in the that program.
 
Even with that the Bulldogs still had the opportunity for a home game – the 2021 Cricket Wireless SWAC Championship Game at that – before the league moved it to a neutral site due to COVID-19 cancellations for both A&M and UAPB that would have helped determine the host institution.
 
BULLDOGS TURN ADVERSITY INTO HISTORY WITH FIRST UNDEFEATED REGULAR SEASON SINCE 1966
With the MVSU cancellation, A&M may have lost the opportunity to play a game but instead secured the first undefeated regular season since the program's legendary 1966 campaign.
 
Under the guidance of Bulldog Hall of Famer Louis Crews, whom Alabama A&M's stadium is named for, that 1966 squad went 8-0, defeating Tuskegee (30-19), Savannah State (50-9), Benedict (44-28), South Carolina State (18-14), Bethune-Cookman (22-13), Alabama State (36-19), Allen (20-13) and Miles – the latter by a fitting 8-0 margin.
 
This year's team under the leadership of head coach Connell Maynor has dealt with COVID-19 and the multiple cancellations and postponements that have come with it to deliver a perfect 4-0 mark in what was already going to be an abbreviated campaign.
 
A&M earned a 2-0 forfeit from Alcorn State as a result of an opt-out before knocking off South Carolina State 31-7 on the road on March 6 and then were idle for 35 days. Since that time they have beaten Jackson State 52-43 on the road and drilled rival Alabama State 38-14 in the Magic City Classic.
 
In addition to the first undefeated regular season in 54 years, the Bulldogs have also now registered just the fourth unbeaten conference slate in program history.
 
The last came in the NCAA Division II Era with a 7-0 (8-3 overall) mark in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) in 1989. Prior to that it was the 1979 season at 4-0 (7-2) and 1972 at 6-0-1 (7-1-1) with the latter seeing them go undefeated in their last eight games following a narrow 7-6 loss to Mississippi Valley State in the opener.
 
SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED – MAYNOR BACK FOR FOUR MORE YEARS
The man that has headed up that season, and the past two for the Bulldogs, won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
 
On Thursday, April 29, head coach Connell Maynor inked a brand new four-year extension to remain with Alabama A&M for the foreseeable future. A finalist for the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award as the nation's top coach at the FCS level, Maynor has produced a 17-10 overall record and 12-5 mark in the SWAC.
 
By comparison, the three seasons before his arrival saw the program go 11-23 and 10-15, respectively. He is also the first coach to lead A&M to a SWAC East Division Title and a berth in the league championship game since 2011.
 
MAKE ROOM ON THE MANTLE
Ranked as the top Historically Black College or University (HBCU) all season long, the Bulldogs have begun to reap the rewards of a season that has them as one of just a handful of undefeated teams in the country.
 
Glass has been named the program's first ever National Player of the Year by BoxToRow as well as a First-Team All-American by that organization while becoming the Bulldogs' first SWAC Player of the Year. He joins A&M Hall of Famer and National Football League (NFL) great Robert Mathis as the only other player to collect a major year-end award from the league. Mathis earned Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2002 following a season that reset the I-AA single season sack record.
 
Joining Glass in needing to make room on the mantle are fellow BoxToRow First-Team All-Americans sophomore offensive lineman Jonathan Williams (Mobile, Ala.), sophomore wide receiver Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim (Miramar, Fla.) and junior defensive lineman Marcus Cushnie (Broward County, Fla.) while Quarles and Moore landed on the All-American Honorable Mention Team.
 
Additionally, the Bulldogs earned a program record 11 All-SWAC selections with Glass, junior offensive lineman Dexter Fuqua II (Tanner, Ala.), Ibrahim and Cushnie on the First-Team. Quarles, Williams, redshirt-sophomore offensive lineman Antearius Harrington (Jamestown, N.C.), Moore, redshirt-senior cornerback Amari Holloway (Pinson, Ala.), senior linebacker Armoni Holloway (Pinson, Ala.) and senior kicker Spencer Corey (New Palestine, Ind.) each earned Second-Team nods.
 
SO WE MEET AGAIN
Alabama A&M's trip to the SWAC Championship comes against a familiar opponent as they take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff – who they defeated 22-13 on December 16, 2006.
 
Didn't catch the game? Watch it here through the power of the internet:
2006 SWAC Championship Replay.
 
SERIES-LY
Since moving to Division I at the end of the last millennium, Alabama A&M and UAPB have met 23 times with the Bulldogs holding a commanding 16-7 advantage.
 
That portion of the all-time series stretches to November 21, 1998 when the Golden Lions picked up the first of back-to-back wins, 27-24, in Huntsville, Alabama. Following a 23-17 win a year later, UAPB would be hammered 150-19 over the next four years, getting shutout three times.
 
A&M would put together another four-game win streak in the series beginning with the SWAC Championship on December 16, 2006 and concluding on September 26, 2009. Overall, from that championship win, the Bulldogs would take 11 of the next 13 before UAPB posted a 52-34 win at Louis Crews Stadium in the most recent meeting on September 7, 2019.
 
The teams have met just twice on a neutral field, the first being a 24-10 Arkansas-Pine Bluff victory in St. Louis, Missouri on September 25, 2004. The other was the 2006 SWAC Championship.
 
DONE BEING A BRIDESMAID
The Bulldogs have been a regular participant in the SWAC Championship Game, having made six previous appearances. Outside of winning it all in 2006 they have been a five-time runner-up as they dominated the decade of the 2000's, appearing in half of the league's title tilts.
 
Of those six other appearances, an incredible four came against Grambling and ranged from a 39-point spread in the 2005 game to a narrow 16-15 defeat in their last appearance in the 2011 game. Outside of the title against UAPB in 2006, A&M fell 30-24 to Prairie View A&M in 2009.
 
SWAC Championship History
2000: Grambling 14, Alabama A&M 6
2002: Grambling 31, Alabama A&M 19
2005: Grambling 45, Alabama A&M 6
2006: Alabama A&M 22, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 13
2009: Prairie View A&M 30, Alabama A&M 24
2011: Grambling 16, Alabama A&M 15
 
SCORE BY NUMBER
Through three games on the field this season, Alabama A&M sports one of the top offenses in the country, as is indicated by 10 of their 11 Top-10 entries coming on that side of the ball in the NCAA National Stats.
 
They include leading the nation in red zone offense (1.000) and fumbles lost (0), second in passing efficiency and (171.01) and yards per completion (16.18), fourth in sacks allowed (0.33), fifth in passing offense (361.3) and tackles for loss allowed (4.0), sixth in turnovers lost (3), seventh in scoring offense (40.3 ppg.) and ninth in total offense (479.3). For good measure they are also eighth in red zone defense (.667).
 
ABOUT THE NO. 25 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF GOLDEN LIONS
UAPB has been one of the top teams in the SWAC all year long, winning the West Division by handing Southern their lone loss of the season.
 
It will be a battle of unbeatens as the Golden Lions come in having opened with that 33-30 victory at SU on March 6 before hammering Grambling 48-21 two weeks later. After seeing their game against Alabama State cancelled on March 27, UAPB rebounded to top Mississippi Valley State 24-17 on April 3 and then undefeated Prairie View A&M 36-31 on April 17 to secure a berth in the title game for the first time since winning it in 2012.
 
Scouting The No. 22 Alabama A&M University Bulldogs
Record: 4-0, 3-0 SWAC
Last Time Out: W, 38-14 vs. Alabama State on April 17
Streak: Five Wins

Quick Links
Football Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
Individual Statistical Offensive Leaders
Passing Yards: Aqeel Glass – 1,084
Passing Touchdowns: Aqeel Glass – 13
Completions: Aqeel Glass – 67
Completion Percentage: Aqeel Glass – .592
Rushing Yards: Gary Quarles – 249
Rushing Touchdowns: Gary Quarles – 2
Carries: Gary Quarles – 53
Receiving Yards: Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim – 277
Receiving Touchdowns: Odieu Hilaire – 4
Receptions: Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim – 18

Individual Statistical Defensive Leaders
Tackles: Armoni Holloway – 20
Tackles (Solo): Armoni Holloway – 15
Tackles (Assisted): Armoni Holloway, Quantravis Kelly – 5
Tackles For Loss: Marcus Cushnie, Armoni Holloway – 4
Sacks: Marcus Cushnie – 5.0
Interceptions: Quantravis Kelly – 2
 
Individual Statistical Special Team Leaders
Field Goals Made: Spencer Corey – 3
Punting Yards: Troy Lendvay – 504
Touchbacks: Troy Lendvay – 1
Inside 20-Yard Line: N/A – 0
Punt Returns: Keion Wakefield – 4
Punt Return Yards: Odieu Hilaire – 50
Kickoff Returns: Brian Jenkins, Jr. – 3
Kickoff Return Yards: Cameron Young – 46
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 40.3
Passing: 361.3
Rushing: 125.3
Total Offense: 486.7
Touchdowns: 16
Kickoff Return Average: 18.4
Punt Return Yards Average: 12.4
Time of Possession: 29:17
Sacks: 9
Interceptions: 2
Tackles: 180
Tackles For Loss: 22.0



Scouting The No. 25 Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions
Record:4-0, 4-0 SWAC
Last Time Out: W, 36-31 vs. Prairie View A&M on April 17
Streak: Five Wins

Quick Links
Football Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
 
Individual Statistical Offensive Leaders
Passing Yards: Skyler Perry – 1,005
Passing Touchdowns: Skyler Perry – 12
Completions: Skyler Perry – 79
Completion Percentage: Skyler Perry – .556
Rushing Yards: Mattias Clark – 168
Rushing Touchdowns: Skyler Perry – 3
Carries: Mattias Clark – 53
Receiving Yards: Josh Wilkes – 293
Receiving Touchdowns: Josh Wilkes – 5
Receptions: Tyrin Ralph – 20

Individual Statistical Defensive Leaders
Tackles: Kolby Watts – 29
Tackles (Solo): Jalon Thigpen – 19
Tackles (Assisted): Isaac Peppers – 17
Tackles For Loss: Isaac Peppers – 6.5
Sacks: Isaac Peppers – 5.5
Interceptions: Jalon Thigpen – 4
 
Individual Statistical Special Team Leaders
Field Goals Made: Zack Piwniczka – 3
Punting Yards: Josh Sanchez – 884
Touchbacks: Josh Sanchez – 1
Inside 20-Yard Line: Josh Sanchez – 8
Punt Returns: Tyrin Ralph – 11
Punt Return Yards: Tyrin Ralph – 192
Kickoff Returns: Tyrin Ralph – 10
Kickoff Return Yards: Tyrin Ralph – 269
 
Team Statistics
Scoring: 35.3
Passing: 255.5
Rushing: 127.0
Total Offense: 382.5
Touchdowns: 19
Kickoff Return Average: 26.9
Punting Yards Average: 18.4
Time of Possession: 29:36
Sacks: 16
Interceptions: 7
Tackles: 280
Tackles For Loss: 43.0