Florida A&M Escapes Southern University 26-19, Remains the Team to Beat in SWAC

Florida A&M was able to escape Baton Rouge with a victory over the Southern University Jaguars, winning 26-19. The in marks the Rattlers’ third win against the Jaguars, dating back to the 2019 season when they were a MEAC opponent playing their perennial SWAC rival for the first time since 2012.

After growing calls to bench Moussa, the Rattlers’ starting quarterback aimed to showcase his arm talent, throwing the ball 53 times completing 31 passes and finishing the game with 2 touchdowns. He racked up 325 yards on the evening and threw touchdowns to receivers Koby Gross & Jamari Gassett. Southern quarterback Harold Blood played conservatively this week, only throwing the ball 12 times, completing 8 passes, and finishing the game with one touchdown. Yet, the Jaguars found a way to stay in the game.

Southern’s offense was powered by an aggressive ground-and-pound attack that saw the team rush for 125 yards on 35 attempts. Although the heavy rushing attack proved to be effective in keeping the game close, the Jaguars needed a consistent passing attack to truly compete with the Rattlers. After Moussa’s 12-yard touchdown pass to Gassett, FAMU took the lead 26-19 after a successful PAT. Southern had plenty of time to move the ball down the field and possibly orchestrate a game-winning drive.

However, Southern drew up two rushing plays on their final drive that even had ESPN lead HBCU color commentator Jay Walker scratching his head and caused the Jaguar fans in A.W. Mumford Stadium to boo the play-calling.

“They must’ve seen something in the scouting report they truly believe in but nothing says run the football,” Walker said on the ESPNU broadcast of the game after Kendric Rhymes’s 3-yard rush with 43 seconds left in the game.

Florida A&M sacked Blood on the following play and Blood was unable to recover and pull off a miraculous game-winning throw, finishing the unsuccessful drive with an incomplete pass that secured the win for Florida A&M. Southern’s defense continues to be a bright spot but the offense must undergo a reconstruction if the team hopes to see FAMU again in the 2023 SWAC Championship.

Florida A&M will enjoy a bye week before traveling to Houston to take on Texas Southern on October 21st. Southern will celebrate homecoming, by playing Lincoln University of California on October 14th at 5 PM EST.