Alabama A&M outlasts Bethune-Cookman, serves Wildcats first SWAC loss
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats never held a lead Saturday.
They battled Alabama A&M, trading scores for the majority of the tight-knit four quarters at Louis Crews Stadium in Huntsville, Alabama. But after the two teams entered halftime in a 14-14 tie, the Bulldogs took control in the second half and won 35-27.
It was the Wildcats’ (1-3, 1-1) first Southwest Athletic Conference loss and Alabama A&M’s (1-4, 1-1) first win — in conference or otherwise — this season.
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The Bulldogs jumped ahead 14-0 on two short touchdown runs by running back Donovan Eaglin in the first half.
Eaglin assembled a 200-yard day from scrimmage, running for 190 and those two touchdowns while adding 12 more yards and another score in the receiving game.
Quarterback Jalon Jones put Bethune-Cookman on the board with a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He finished with 353 passing yards and one touchdown and also paced the Wildcats in rushing (55 yards). Que’shaun Byrd helped Bethune-Cookman tie the score with an 8-yard run before intermission.
Alabama A&M came out of the break and found the end zone on its first drive. It led the rest of the way.
The Wildcats quickly responded, as Jones hit Marcus Riley for a 14-yard pass. But they attempted a two-point conversion and failed, preserving a 21-20 Bulldog advantage.
Alabama A&M added two more touchdowns — one in the waning seconds of the third quarter and another after a B-CU field goal miss in the fourth — to make it 35-20 with eight minutes remaining.
Byrd pushed into the end zone from a yard out with 12 seconds left, but the Bulldogs already had sealed their victory.
Next Saturday, the Wildcats travel to Nashville for a matchup against Tennessee State. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. and air on ESPN+.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: College football: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats fall to Alabama A&M
