For the 99th Greatest Homecoming On Earth game, the N.C. A&T Aggies were embarrassed by the Hampton Pirates, 59-17, losing for the second straight time on homecoming.

“That was an abject failure in every form and fashion,” Aggies coach Vincent Brown said. “We looked like a poorly coached team, and I own that.”

After a promising first quarter in which the Aggies jumped out to an early 14-0 lead, the snowball of turnovers and penalties prevented any momentum the Aggies could create in this game.  

Justin Fomby connected with running back Daniel Coles for a 17-yard touchdown to put the Aggies up 14. Fomby finished the game with 240 yards and two interceptions, two of the three Aggies turnovers.

Hampton answered A&T’s hot start with points of their own in the second quarter. After only getting a field goal in the first quarter, Hampton scored 21 unanswered  in the second quarter to take a 24-14 halftime lead.

The Aggies were outscored 35-3 in the second half, only adding a 31-yard field goal in the final minute of the third quarter. Meanwhile, Hampton added an early touchdown in the third and 28 fourth-quarter points, putting the Pirates back in the win column (4-3) and ending their two-game losing skid.

“We needed to have an answer for that, we didn’t,” Brown said. “There are things that it’s the cumulative effect of many, many mistakes.

Those mistakes included penalties, as the Aggies tallied 11 for 113 yards. They also failed to stop the run,  allowing Hampton to rush for 231 yards and four touchdowns. Hampton’s two quarterbacks, Malcolm Mays and Chris Zellous, combined for 190 passing yards, both throwing for a touchdown. 

Hampton rattled off 21 points in under a minute in the fourth quarter, putting the game well out of reach. Everything went right for the Pirates in all phases of the game.

A&T must shake this performance off and get ready to travel to Barker-Lane stadium to take on Campbell (2-5). Both teams are at the bottom of the CAA standings and winless in the conference. The game will kick off this Saturday at 4PM ET on FloSports.