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FAMU football avoids Alabama A&M's comeback effort in season finale SWAC game | Takeaways
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- FAMU football avoids Alabama A&M's comeback effort in season finale SWAC game | Takeaways
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Florida A&M's football season is ending on a positive note.
On Friday, the Rattlers defeated the visiting Alabama A&M Bulldogs 28-20 in a Southwestern Athletic Conference game and season finale.
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FAMU outgained Alabama A&M 425-336 before a crowd of 10,887 at Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The Rattlers led by as much as 15-points, and had to avoid a Bulldogs' comeback in the one-score game.
FAMU's win ended Alabama A&M's three-game winning streak.
"Beat a very, very good, hot Alabama A&M team," FAMU head coach James Colzie III said in the postgame press conference. "You win this game, and it gives you the beginning of what our offseason looks like."
Rattlers quarterback Daniel Richardson starred, completing 19 of 26 passes for 193 yards, and passed for two touchdowns.
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FAMU finished its 2024 season with a 7-5 record and a 5-3 mark in the SWAC. The Rattlers are tied for second in the SWAC East with Alabama State behind division champions Jackson State.
FAMU football's offense runs its way past the Alabama A&M defense
The Rattlers offense got off to a hot start.
FAMU opened the game with a two-play drive on a 35-yard run by wide receiver Goldie Lawrence, then a 25-yard rushing touchdown by Thad Franklin Jr.
FAMU's rushing game continues to click.
The Rattlers scampered 33 times for 232 yards.
Kelvin Dean Jr. and Levontai Summersett led FAMU rushers with 74 rushing yards. Summersett scored a touchdown.
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"The offensive line and running backs did their job," Colzie said.
Through the air, FAMU receiver Quan Lee led the Rattlers with six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown.
FAMU football's defense quiets Alabama A&M's first-place SWAC offense
Florida A&M defensive back Justin Bostic makes a hit on Alabama A&M Bulldogs wide receiver Donivan Wright in a Southwestern Athletic Conference football game on Ken Riley Field at Bragg Memorial Stadium, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024.
FAMU's defense held the high-powered Alabama A&M to one of its lowest-scoring outputs in SWAC play on Friday.
The Rattlers chased after Bulldogs' quarterbacks Cornelius Brown and Xavier Lankford, collecting three sacks.
FAMU defensive lineman Davion Westmoreland had two sacks. Rattlers edge rusher Allen Smith Jr. added one sack.
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The highlight of the FAMU defense's night was intercepting Alabama A&M quarterback Brown on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter.
FAMU cornerback TJ Huggins picked off Alabama A&M first. Then Rattlers' safety Deco Wilson followed up with one of his own.
FAMU football plays more disciplined than Alabama A&M
FAMU could have very well defeated Alabama A&M more handily.
Alabama A&M committed 15 penalties for 142 yards. FAMU, in comparison, had seven flags for 88 yards.
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
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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: FAMU football outlasts Alabama A&M in season finale SWAC game: Takeaways
