FAMU Remains Undefeated In MEAC With 39-7 Win Over Howard
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | The Florida A&M University football team, ranked No. 12 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) started out of the gate slowly on Saturday against Howard, but pulled away with 22 straight third-quarter points to defeat the Bison, 39-7, in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The Rattlers (9-1 overall, 7-0 MEAC) celebrated Senior Day on Saturday and concluded their home campaign with a perfect 6-0 mark, the first in the program in 10 years, when FAMU went 4-0. Florida A&M got a 46-yard field goal by Yahia Aly with 10:44 remaining in the first quarter to grab an early 3-0 lead. The Rattlers, who were off last week, shook off the rust midway through the second quarter when Azende Rey, running the Wildcat offense, scored on a 2-yard run, giving FAMU a 10-0 lead with 8:31 remaining in the first half. A Markquese Bell interception sparked Florida A&M’s next score. On the very next offensive series, Howard quarterback Ramar Williams was picked off by Bell and two plays later, Ryan Stanley connected with Xavier Smith for an 18-yard touchdown strike as the Rattlers extended the lead to 17-0 with 7:52 left in the second. Florida A&M took the opening kickoff of the second half and went 56 yards in five plays with Bishop Bonnett scoring on a 25-yard touchdown run, pushing the margin to 25-0 as Chris Faddoul converted the 2-point conversion with 12:40 left. The Rattlers continued to move the ball on their next possession and went 80 yards in nine plays as Terrell Jennings scored on a 3-yard run, giving FAMU a 32-0 advantage with 6:42 remaining.