ITTA BENA, Miss. (AP) _ Severn Cannon returned an interception 42 yards for a touchdown helping lead Alabama A&M to a 26-19 Southwestern Athletic Conference victory at Mississippi Valley State on Saturday night.

The game was tied at 6-6 when Cannon intercepted a Melvin Williams pass midway through the second quarter. His touchdown put Alabama A&M (2-1, 1-0 SWAC) ahead to stay.

Mississippi Valley (0-3, 0-1), playing its home opener a week after a 77-7 loss at Western Illinois, was within 13-12 when Williams threw a 38-yard TD pass to Tony Adams with 2:24 left in the first half.

But Alabama A&M responded by going 78 yards in six plays, Tony Bellamy throwing an 18-yard TD pass to Kenyon Hambrick for a 20-12 halftime lead. Hambrick had nine catches for 88 yards.

Kelley Fields scored on a 9-yard run in the third quarter to put Alabama A&M ahead on 26-12.

Corey Holmes had 168 yards rushing and a pair of 2-yard TD runs. The first Holmes TD came Valley a 6-0 lead, and his second came in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.