Florida A&M football left Baton Rouge with a crucial win on Saturday, Oct. 25, as the Rattlers outlasted Southern in a shootout victory, 43-35 , thanks to three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
The Rattlers have won back-to-back SWAC games, improving to 2-1 in the conference and 3-4 overall.
The story of the night was running back Jamal Hailey , who rushed for a season high 157 yards on 19 carries, with three touchdowns, also a season high. The redshirt junior hadn't tallied more than 22 yards in a game before his breakout showing against Southern .
FAMU produced a season-high 547 yards of offense. Quarterback RJ Johnson III completed 22 of his 32 passes for 287 yards and a passing touchdown. His top target was wide receiver Goldie Lawrence, who hauled in four catches for 95 yards and a touchdown, a 74-yard score late in the fourth quarter.
After a low-scoring first quarter that saw Southern lead 7-3, FAMU outscored the Jaguars 16-7 in the second quarter, giving the Rattlers a slight 19-14 edge at the half.
While the first half was a slow burn, both teams produced fireworks in the second half, with FAMU outscoring Southern 24-21.
Trailing 28-22 with just over 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Rattlers scored three straight touchdowns to take a two-possession lead. Hailey had two big touchdown runs in the fourth, including a 56-yard run that sealed the game with just under six minutes left in the game.
Southern made things interesting with a late touchdown in the fourth, cutting the lead to 43-35 with 2:07 left to play. FAMU would give the Jaguars the ball back with 1:42 left on the clock, but the defense stepped up and forced a stop to end the game.
With two consecutive conference wins, FAMU returns to Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, to host Jackson State .
The game will kick off at 7 p.m.
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Here is Florida A&M 's schedule and results. All times Eastern.
Aug. 30: vs Howard (in Miami Gardens) | L 10-9
Sept. 6: at Florida Atlantic | L 56-14
Sept. 13: vs Albany State | W 33-25
Sept. 20: Bye
Sept. 27: vs Alabama State * | L 42-14
Oct. 4: Bye
Oct. 11: vs North Carolina Central | L 45-7
Oct. 18: vs Alcorn State * | W 33-28
Oct. 25: at Southern* | 5 p.m. | SWAC TV
Nov. 1: vs Jackson State * | 7 p.m. | ESPN Select
Nov. 8: at Arkansas-Pine Bluff* | 3 p.m. | HBCU GO
Nov. 15: at Alabama A&M * | 3 p.m. | SWAC TV
Nov. 22: vs Bethune-Cookman (in Orlando) | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN Select
Nov. 29: at Mississippi Valley State * | 3 p.m. | SWAC TV
Record: 3-4 (2-1 in SWAC)
More: FAMU football's Nay'Ron Jenkins 'doing well,' in concussion protocol after scary homecoming injury
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU scores three fourth quarter touchdowns, outlasts Southern, 43-35
