JACKSON, Miss. -- Florida A&M went toe to toe with one of the SWAC's best on the road Saturday, leading in the second half before Jackson State pulled away for a 27-17 win at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Rattlers (2-5, 1-2 SWAC) were ahead 17-12 in the third quarter and outgained the Tigers (6-1, 3-1 SWAC) through the air, 163 yards to 140, in a hard-fought road contest.
Hailey Breaks Out
Junior running back Jamal Hailey was the story of the afternoon, rushing for 111 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries, an average of 9.2 yards per attempt. His 81-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter, at the 12:46 mark, flipped the momentum and put FAMU back in front 17-12. Chase Gillespie added 32 yards on the ground.
Quarterback Armond Parker found Lawrence Wright IV for two catches and 58 yards, helping the Rattlers' receivers win the battle through the air.
Defense Rises to the Occasion
FAMU's defense gave the Rattlers a chance all afternoon. The unit held the Tigers to just 140 passing yards and forced a red zone turnover. Denzel Johnson led the way with 11 tackles, and Andre Powell Jr. was disruptive with seven tackles, a tackle for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Ryan Johnson recorded six tackles and a fumble recovery, while Anthony Baxter came up with a key interception.
The Rattlers also won the battle on third down, converting 5 of 13 attempts (38 percent) while holding Jackson State to 6 of 19 (32 percent).
How It Happened
After Jackson State opened the scoring, FAMU answered to tie the game 7-7 with 7:06 left in the first quarter. A 23-yard field goal gave the Rattlers a 10-7 edge before the Tigers took a 12-10 lead. Hailey's 81-yard burst then restored the FAMU lead at 17-12.
Jackson State scored the final 15 points of the game to close it out. The Tigers finished with a narrow 368-327 edge in total yards, a margin of just 41 yards over a conference-leading opponent in its home stadium.
Looking Ahead
FAMU returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 24 versus UAPB on homecoming.
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