THE HILL | Jarel Williams caught two touchdown passes and
Byron Perrilliat rushed for two scores as the Alabama A&M University football team used a 24-point third quarter to pull away from Bethune-Cookman for a 55-17 Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) victory Saturday at Louis Crews Stadium.
Alabama A&M (5-2 overall, 2-1 SWAC) led 17-10 at halftime before scoring 38 unanswered points in the second half to secure the conference win.
After both teams punted on their opening possessions, Alabama A&M used its ground game and a big pass play from
Cornelious Brown IV to Williams to set up the first score.
Brown connected with Williams for 56 yards down the right sideline, and Perrilliat scored on a 6-yard run on the next play to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 9:39 remaining in the first quarter.
Bethune-Cookman (3-3, 1-1) capitalized on a Brown interception, driving 26 yards in eight plays before Aiden Lanier kicked a 26-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3 with just over 14 minutes remaining in the first half.
Following a short Wildcats punt, Brown found Williams on an 11-yard touchdown pass to extend Alabama A&M's lead to 14-3 with 5:03 remaining in the half.
Bethune-Cookman answered with a 10-play, 74-yard drive capped by Rashon Brown's 13-yard touchdown run, trimming the margin to 14-10 with 1:12 left.
Alabama A&M responded with a drive to the BCU 14, setting up
David Faulk's 32-yard field goal for a 17-10 halftime lead.
The Bulldogs forced a punt on the Wildcats' opening possession of the second half, and Brown connected with Williams for a 60-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 24-10 with 12:36 remaining in the third quarter.
AAMU forced a turnover on the ensuing kickoff and converted it into Faulk's season-long 44-yard field goal, pushing the advantage to 27-10 with 11:23 left in the quarter.
Therman-Deon Moore's interception set up Perrilliat's second touchdown, a 21-yard run up the middle that stretched the lead to 34-10 with just over seven minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Ty'Jarian Williams added a 25-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 41-10 advantage with 2:05 left in the quarter.
Alabama A&M capitalized on another Bethune-Cookman turnover as
Ty'Jarian Williams scored on a 2-yard run to extend the lead to 48-10 with just under 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
Troy Bruce followed with a 22-yard touchdown run off the left side, giving the Bulldogs a 55-10 lead with 7:14 remaining.
Bethune-Cookman completed the scoring on Joel Morris' 2-yard touchdown run with 1:55 left.
CHECKING THE BOX SCORE
- Alabama A&M finished with 504 total yards, including 335 on the ground
- The Bulldogs registered 22 first downs
- Cornelious Brown IV completed 6 of 19 passes for 169 yards, two touchdowns and one interception
- Byron Perrilliat rushed 14 times for 103 yards and two scores
- Jarel Williams caught four passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns
- DJ Barber registered 11 total tackles
- Bethune-Cookman totaled 236 yards, including 210 rushing yards
- The Wildcats recorded 19 first downs
- Tyler Jefferson completed 4 of 11 passes for 25 yards and one interception
- Rashon Brown, the SWAC Offensive Player of the Week, had 97 yards on 22 carries
- Willie Anderson caught two passes for 21 yards
- Stephen Sparrow Jr. posted 10 total tackles
NEWS AND NOTES
- Alabama A&M and Bethune-Cookman met for the 22nd time
- The Bulldogs are now 8-13-1 all-time against the Wildcats
- AAMU is 6-4 against BCU in Huntsville and has won four straight home meetings
- Bethune-Cookman entered the game having not won in Huntsville since 1976
- Kickoff was moved to noon
- Alabama A&M swept Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman for the first time as a SWAC member
- The sweep marked the first time since 1979 that AAMU defeated both Florida A&M and Bethune-Cookman in the same season
- Alabama A&M scored 50-plus points for the first time since posting 52 points at Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2024
- The Bulldogs have thrown at least one touchdown pass in eight straight games, dating back to the end of the 2025 season
- The Bulldogs donned the maroon helmet for the second consecutive week
- Cornelious Brown IV appeared in his 50th career game, including his 23rd with Alabama A&M
- AAMU head coach Sam Shade is now two victories shy of 50 for his career
- Alabama A&M scored 24 points in the third quarter after posting a 21-point third quarter against Mississippi Valley State last season
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M concludes its two-game homestand next Saturday against Grambling State. Kickoff for the 2026 Homecoming game is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Louis Crews Stadium. The game will be streamed on SWAC TV.
For complete coverage of Alabama A&M Athletics — the Rocket City's only Division I program — visit www.aamusports.com. Follow the Bulldogs on Instagram (@aamuathletics), Facebook (aamubulldogathletics), X (@_aamuathletics) and TikTok (aamuathletics).
