How FAMU football's offense carried it to victory at Alabama A&M in Week 12 SWAC win
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For just the second time this season, Florida A&M football has won consecutive games.
On Saturday, Nov. 15, the Rattlers traveled to the Alabama A&M Bulldogs and left victorious with a 26-23 win in the Week 13 Southwestern Athletic Conference matchup at Louis Crews Stadium.
It was the Rattlers’ (5-5, 4-2 in SWAC) second consecutive win, moving them to .500 on the season by beating the Bulldogs (4-6, 1-6 in SWAC). FAMU has won four of its last five games.
FAMU quarterback RJ Johnson III willed the Rattlers to victory in Huntsville. The redshirt sophomore completed 20 passes on 24 attempts for 299 yards, and scored three total touchdowns, three passing, one rushing.
Despite the triumph, FAMU was outgained by Alabama A&M. The Bulldogs had 460 yards compared to the Rattlers 392.
It was a back-and-forth game that saw seven lead changes between FAMU and Alabama A&M.
FAMU held Alabama A&M from scoring on its final drive. FAMU defensive linemen James Gardner Jr. and Nick Dimitris combined for a sack on Alabama A&M quarterback Eric Handley on the game’s final play as time expired.
“Sloppy win. But excited to get it,” said FAMU head coach James Colzie III. “We made some plays down the stretch to win the football game. But we could’ve won by more maybe more than what we won by this evening.”
FAMU football QB RJ Johnson III and WR Kenari Wilcher shine for offense
FAMU did something versus Alabama A&M that it hadn’t done all season.
Score a touchdown in the first quarter.
In its second drive of the day, Johnson hit wide receiver Kenari Wilcher for a 27-yard touchdown to take a 6-0 lead. Johnson and Wilcher connected again for a 16-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
“[Johnson] made a bigtime throw to Wilcher early in the game,” Colzie said.
Wilcher finished with four receptions for 91 yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson added another passing touchdown to Jalen ‘Speedy’ Rogers for 27 yards and added a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
“We have so many talented receivers that you’re going to have receivers open,” Colzie said. “As we get through the season and continue to go through the season, RJ is finding those guys.”
FAMU’s drawbacks of the after versus Alabama A&M was its third down conversions and rushing yards.
The Rattlers went two for nine on third downs.
On the ground, FAMU rushed 28 times for 93 yards. Running back Thad Franklin Jr. led with 16 carries for 65 yards.
FAMU football’s defense can’t upend Alabama A&M’s offense
Alabama A&M entered Saturday as one of the SWAC’s worst statistical offenses.
The Rattlers’ defense couldn’t stop anything the Bulldogs were doing.
Alabama A&M, who’s played up to four different quarterbacks this season, had no problem passing the football on FAMU.
Alabama A&M quarterback Handley went 20-for-33 for 227 yards and passed for a touchdown. His top target was Daveon Walker, who had four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
FAMU hasn’t been able to stop the run all season.
That showed again while Bulldogs picked up 233 yards on the ground on 33 attempts.
“They had success running the football,” Colzie said of Alabama A&M. “You want to be a good defense, you got to stop the run. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that.”
Alabama A&M running back Ryan Morrow became the team’s first single-game 100-yard rusher on the season. He had 18 carries for 136 yards, and an 80-yard touchdown run.
“Then you get an 80-yard touchdown run on you, and then linebacker and D-Lineman aren’t necessarily trusting each other like they’re supposed to,” Colzie said. “It boils down to us being able to do what we need to do.”
FAMU did nab an interception, though. Cornerback Ah’Mare Lee picked off Handley in the game’s opening drive.
FAMU football gets another close win this season vs Alabama A&M
Another week, another nailbiting win for the Rattlers.
All five of FAMU’s victories have come by one possession.
FAMU trailed 16-12 midway through the third quarter.
FAMU briefly took a 19-16 lead after Johnson’s second touchdown pass to Wilcher in the third quarter. Then, the Rattlers relinquished the lead again on Handley’s 36-yard touchdown pass to Walker.
FAMU quarterback Johnson’s 27-yard touchdown to Rogers with 8:50 remaining ended up being the game-winner.
“We find a way to make it interesting,” Colzie said. “Excited for the win. It’s great to be able to learn from wins as opposed to have to learn from mistakes. But we got to play better if we’re looking to finish this season strong.”
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Florida A&M football posts almost 400 yards in win vs Alabama A&M
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