The N.C. A&T football team will head south to play the Florida A&M University Rattlers this Saturday at Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee, Fl.
The Aggies loss 12-7 to the Delaware State Hornets last Saturday.
“It was a heartbreaking loss as you can see. We couldn’t quite establish anything,” said A&T head coach Rod Broadway in the post-game press conference.
A&T received the ball to begin the game, but the drive ended quickly.
Early in the first quarter, the Hornets conducted a 61-yard drive that gave them a 3-0 lead.
Hornet’s cornerback Cameren Judge’s interception ended the Aggies’ third drive.
Both teams played strong defensively. Neither team allowed a touchdown in the first quarter.
The second quarter was a field position battle.
Early in the quarter, A&T made a quarterback change in an attempt to jump-start the offense.
After a deep DSU punt, running back Tarik Cohen got the offense out of dangerous territory after he broke a 40-yard run, placing the ball at the A&T 41-yard line.
Once again the Aggies drive would end with a punt.
A few minutes before halftime, D’Vonte Graham recovered a fumble by DSU wide receiver Aris Scott at the 41-yard line.
The theme continued as the ensuing offensive drive would end with a punt for A&T.
After a late DSU field goal from 42-yards, the Aggies went into halftime down 6-0.
“We couldn’t get into a rhythm in the first half because of the bad snaps,” said Broadway.
Lewis Kindle re-entered the game relieving Aggies quarterback, Kwashaun Quick in the third quarter.
Once again, Kindle and the A&T offense failed to move the ball.
Delaware State took advantage with a short touchdown by Hornets fullback Lamar Shaw that advanced the score to 12-0 after an unsuccessful two-point conversion.
During the next drive, a fourth down A&T field goal sailed right leaving a goose egg on the scoreboard.
“The defense played good. It was probably our best performance since Appalachian State,” said Tallahassee native Graham.
With less than three minutes left in regulation, Kindle completed two consecutive passes to Demonta Brown.
Kindle finished the drive with a passing touchdown to Desmond Lawrence for seven yards.
Facing a 12-7 deficit, the Aggies went for an on-side kick that was recovered by the Hornets.
The Hornets assumed the victory formation expiring the remaining time on the clock.
A&T put up 151 yards passing and 57 yards rushing.
Bryan Houston led A&T defensively with 17 tackles.
“We have to clean up a lot of things. We are making way too many mistakes,” said Broadway after the game.
FAMU hosts A&T after falling to MEAC opponent Howard 21-10.
Howard scored back-to-back touchdowns in the first while FAMU salvaged a field goal.
The Bison responded with another score of their own, advancing the score to 21-3 after Anthony Philyaw’s one-yard touchdown scamper.
Lemond Buice’s 2-yard run brought the score to 21-10.
If the Aggies are going to stop FAMU, they will have to play physical at the line of scrimmage and stop the run.
Running backs, Al-Terek McBurse and Lemond Bucie combined have 95 carries for 461 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Quarterback Damien Fleming has a completion percentage just over 56 percent along with 774 passing yards and 5 touchdowns.
Receiver Lenworth Lennon leads the Rattlers with 282 receiving and two touchdowns.
Lennon at 5’10 has 19 catches and is averaging just below 15-yards per catch.
The Aggies must protect the football, move it down field, and win on third down. Rattlers free safety, John Ojo leads the team with 49 tackles.
Defensive back, Patrick Aiken leads the team with three interceptions returned for 135 yards. Linebacker Akil Blount has 30 tackles and leads the team with 7.5 tackles for a loss.
Special teams is vital if the Aggies expect to win in the third phase of the game.
FAMU punter Colby Blanton’s longest punt on the season was 78 yards and he has six kicks of more than 50 yards.
Tallahassee would be an ideal place for the Aggies to put and end to their current four-game skid this Saturday at 2.
—Email Jeremy at [email protected] and follow us on Twitter @ATRegister
- JEREMY DAYS Register Reporter