TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –– In a dominant performance, Florida A&M had seven different players reach the end zone as they dismantled Texas Southern 52-28 at Bragg Memorial Stadium. The win lifted the Rattlers to 5-3 on the season and 3-1 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play, while Texas Southern dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-3 in SWAC play.
Quarterback Daniel Richardson orchestrated the Rattlers' high-powered offense, throwing for 267 yards and five touchdowns. He completed an impressive 75.8% of his passes (25-for-33), connecting with multiple targets to keep Texas Southern's defense on its heels.
Florida A&M's ground game was equally potent, led by Levontai Summersett, who rushed for 75 yards, averaging 12.5 yards per carry. Kelvin Dean chipped in with 62 yards on the ground and snagged a 10-yard touchdown reception, while Thad Franklin Jr. contributed 57 rushing yards and a 1-yard touchdown run.
The Rattlers' receiving corps shined, with Jeremiah Pruitte hauling six catches for 60 yards and a touchdown. Jaylen Ward added four receptions for 60 yards, including a 22-yard score, further demonstrating Florida A&M's offensive depth.
Florida A&M's defense put on a suffocating display, holding Texas Southern to just 164 total yards. The Rattlers stifled Texas Southern's passing attack, allowing only 53 yards through the air, and limited the Tigers to 111 rushing yards. Florida A&M's defensive pressure resulted in four sacks and nine tackles for loss, led by James Ash and Clyde Pinder, who each recorded a sack, while Jordan Cumberbatch added an interception.
The Rattlers executed flawlessly in the red zone, scoring on all six trips inside Texas Southern's 20-yard line, with five resulting in touchdowns. Florida A&M converted 5 of 12 third downs and went a perfect 3-for-3 on fourth-down attempts, keeping their drives alive and exhausting Texas Southern's defense.
How It Happened
The Rattlers set the tone early, scoring their first touchdown midway through the first quarter on Richardson's 1-yard pass to Quan Lee. Florida A&M built on its momentum, scoring twice more to take a commanding 21-0 lead by halftime. They picked up right where they left off in the third quarter, extending the lead to 28-0 with another Richardson touchdown pass to Kelvin Dean.
Texas Southern finally found the end zone in the third quarter, but Robert Lockhart's electrifying 91-yard kickoff return for a touchdown immediately responded, pushing the lead back to 35-14. After Texas Southern narrowed it to 35-21, Florida A&M continued to pull away with another touchdown from Ward and Franklin's rushing score, ultimately sealing the victory with Cameron Gillis's 39-yard field goal in the closing moments.
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="en" dir="ltr">Rattlers STRIKE FIRST with the touchdown from Daniel Richardson to Quan Lee
FAMU- 7
TSU- 0
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?? ="https://t.co/KRMQ0NhQKj">https://t.co/KRMQ0NhQKj="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FAMU?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FAMU | ="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rattlers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rattlers | ="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RELOAD?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RELOAD | ="https://twitter.com/hashtag/REPEAT?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#REPEAT ="https://t.co/LGm7FkbGDz">pic.twitter.com/LGm7FkbGDz
— Florida A&M Football ?? (@FAMU_FB) ="https://twitter.com/FAMU_FB/status/1852811798438899899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2024
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Rattlers score their first rushing touchdown of the season to take a 28-point lead.#FAMU | #Rattlers | #RELOAD | #REPEAT pic.twitter.com/FcsCUSyESY
— Florida A&M Football ?? (@FAMU_FB) November 2, 2024
Post Game Press Conference
Game Notes
- Florida A&M outgained Texas Southern 531-164, including a 295-53 advantage through the air.
- The Rattlers jumped out to a 28-0 lead before Texas Southern scored, maintaining control throughout the game.
- Florida A&M had its highest-scoring quarter in the third, tallying 21 points.
- The Rattlers converted 5 of 12 third downs and were 3-for-3 on fourth downs.
- Florida A&M's defense recorded four sacks and nine tackles for loss.
- The Rattlers dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for 34:14 compared to Texas Southern's 25:46.
