Box Score
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. | Marcus Williams caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Rasean McKay for the walkoff overtime victory as the Florida A&M University football team took down the defending Black College National Champions, North Carolina A&T State, 34-31 in overtime, in a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) game on Sunday afternoon at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Florida A&M (6-1 overall, 4-0 MEAC) entered the game as the No. 2 team in the Black College Football Poll and that is sure to change after Sunday’s thrilling win. Meanwhile, North Carolina A&T State (4-2, 2-1) began the day ranked No. 10 in the STATS FCS Top 25, No. 11 in the FCS Coaches Poll and No. 1 in the Black College Football Poll.
The Rattlers, who have now won five games by a touchdown or less, has won three games over a top-ranked team at Bragg Memorial Stadium since 1997.
The game had all the intensity of a top tier matchup, which featured three ejections from both teams, along with one coach due to a brawl as the teams crossed paths at halftime.
Florida A&M got the ball to begin the game and marched 81 yards in eight plays as Xavier Smith caught a 56-yards touchdown pass from Ryan Stanley, giving the Rattlers a 7-0 lead with 10:53 remaining.
North Carolina A&T State, who controlled the clock for 39 minutes and 40 seconds on Sunday, went 72 yards in 16 plays, taking 8:47 off the clock as Kylil Carter scored on a 1-yard run, tying the game at 7 with exactly two minutes left in the opening quarter.
Back came the Rattlers as Stanley connected with David Manigo for a 5-yard score to give FAMU a 14-7 advantage with 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Aggies quickly responded as Jah-Maine Martin scored on a 9-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 14 with just under 13 minutes remaining in the first half.
Florida A&M answered with some trickery on its next drive as Stanley pitched the ball to Azende Rey in the backfield, who found Williams in the endzone for the 21-yard touchdown strike, giving the Rattlers a 21-14 advantage with 11:04 remaining.
North Carolina A&T State had an opportunity right before the break to cut the deficit, but Noel Ruiz’s 46-yarder missed wide left to keep FAMU on top, 21-14.
The Aggies trimmed the margin to 21-17 after Ruiz booted a 26-yarder with 4:01 remaining in the third.
Florida A&M marched 63 yards in 10 plays as Terrell Jennings scored on a 2-yard run to extend the lead to 28-17 with 14:54 left in the final quarter.
The Aggies refused to go away quietly as Kashon Baker scored on a 36-yard run and with the 2-point conversion, North Carolina A&T State had trimmed the deficit to 28-25 with 10:27 remaining.
Unable to move the football, FAMU punted the ball to the Aggies 11 with 5:39 left.
North Carolina A&T State’s offense moved the ball to the FAMU 7, but with two incomplete passes, settled for a 24-yard field by Ruiz to send the game into overtime.
The Aggies opened the extra period with the ball and got a 32-yard field goal from Ruiz to grab a 31-28 lead.
On FAMU’s overtime possession, Davonne Kendrick rushed for three yards and after an incomplete pass, the Rattlers were faced with a third-and-7 from the Aggies 22. Williams broke to his right on the third-down play as McKay’s pass was on time for the diving touchdown and the overtime win.