Florida A&M holds off Savannah State with goal-line stand
SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Tevin Spells scored the go-ahead touchdown, the defense made a goal-line stand with four seconds to play, and Florida A&M held off Savannah State 20-14 in Saturday's Mid-Eastern Atlantic Conference opener.
Trailing 14-7 at halftime, Savannah State's D'Vonn Gibbons tied it on a 40-yard run that capped a 12-play, 99-yard drive.
Spells's 6-yard TD run capped FAMU's next drive that was kept alive by key third-down completions thrown by Ryan Stanley. But the point-after attempt failed and the Tigers had a chance.
Gibbons drove his team to the Rattlers' 4-yard line, but his pass on fourth-and-goal fell incomplete with four seconds left and the Tigers (0-3, 0-1) turned the ball over on downs.
Stanley twice connected with Chad Hunter on scoring passes and was 17 of 25 for 214 yards passing for the Rattlers (2-2, 1-0). Hunter had six catches for 96 yards and Devin Bowers gained 115 yards on 21 carries.
Gibbons scored on a 5-yard run on Savannah State's opening drive and was 8 of 13 for 62 yards passing and rushed for 123.
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Game Information
2023 Southwestern Athletic Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Florida A&M | 8-0 | 12-1 |
Alabama State | 5-3 | 7-4 |
Jackson State | 5-3 | 7-4 |
Alabama A&M | 3-5 | 5-6 |
Bethune-Cookman | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Mississippi Valley State | 1-7 | 1-10 |
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Prairie View A&M | 6-2 | 6-6 |
Alcorn State | 6-2 | 7-4 |
Southern | 5-3 | 6-5 |
Grambling | 4-4 | 5-6 |
Texas Southern | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Arkansas-Pine Bluff | 1-7 | 2-9 |