Alabama A&M got off to a hot start on the ground on Saturday afternoon with 2 first quarter rushing touchdowns. The rest of the game was more of the same as they overwhelmed Grambling 45-24.
Xavier Lankford led the way for Alabama A&M, showcasing his dual-threat ability. He threw for one touchdown and rushed for another two. In the ground game, tailback Donovan Eaglin was the Bulldogs’ main contributor, rushing for 97 yards. The team clearly put a premium on ball security, as the Bulldogs did not fumble the ball all game.
Antonio Jones, Myles Crawley, and Chance Williams were all contributors for Grambling in the loss. The Tigers made some costly mistakes on Saturday, giving up nine penalties.
Key Metrics to Victory: Alabama A&M
- Play selection – leaned on the run game, with a 67-33 run-pass split with 45 rushing attempts and 22 passing attempts
- Possession – controlled the ball for 31:52 (53% of the game)
- Third down success – converted on 45% of third downs (5-11) while Grambling converted just 36% (5-14)
- Turnover battle – turned the ball over just one time while collecting three turnovers from Grambling
- Penalties – recorded eight penalties for 69 yards while Grambling had nine penalties for 116 yards
- Red zone efficiency – converted on 100% of red zone trips as opposed to Grambling’s 60% efficiency
Both sides have until Oct. 28 to rest up and practice. Alabama A&M meets up with Alabama State at Legion Field, where the Bulldogs will look for a repeat of their success here this afternoon. Meanwhile, Grambling will try to rebound when they take on Bethune-Cookman at Eddie Robinson Stadium.
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