PINE BLUFF, Ark. — Donovan Eaglin ran for 145 yards and five touchdowns Saturday and Alabama A&M finished with 346 yards rushing as the Bulldogs beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff 52-24.
After UAPB failed to convert a fourth-and-2 near midfield, Eaglin's first touchdown run, from 17-yards out, gave Alabama A&M (4-5, 2-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference) the lead for good early in the second quarter.
Eaglin added TD runs of 18 and 2 yards in the second quarter and ran for a pair of 3-yard touchdowns in the third to make it 49-17.
With the win, Alabama A&M (4-5 overall, 2-3 SWAC) ended a three-game road losing streak, which dated back to Oct. 14, 2023 when the Bulldogs spoiled Grambling State's homecoming with a 45-24 victory.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff (3-7, 2-4) took advantage of a short field, going 47 yards in seven plays as Trey Glymph booted a 32-yard field goal, giving the Golden Lions a 3-0 lead with 12:34 remaining.
UAPB nearly doubled the lead as Xavier Lankford was picked off on the Bulldogs' first offensive series. However, Braden Ducharme's 45-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright, keeping the Bulldogs within a field goal at 3-0.
Alabama A&M quickly answered the missed field goal as the Bulldogs went 72 yards in four plays with Lankford connecting with Keenan Hambrick down the right sideline for 48 yards as AAMU took a 7-3 advantage with just over 10 minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
On the next UAPB possession, Mekhi Hagens completed a pass to BJ Curry, who fumbled the ball as Steven Parker came up with the football at the Golden Lions 43.
But as the Bulldogs were going in for a score, Lankford coughed up the football and UAPB took advantage.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff used the ground game, going 80 yards in six plays as Curry broke past the AAMU defense for a 14-yard score as the Golden Lions grabbed a 10-7 lead with 4:01 left.
The Bulldog defense stopped the Golden Lions on fourth down and took over at the UAPB 49.
Alabama A&M used the ground game as Donovan Eaglin broke free for a 17-yard touchdown run as the Bulldogs took a 14-10 lead with 13:38 remaining in the first half.
AAMU's special teams played a factor in setting up the next score as Donivan Wright return a punt 38 yards and Lankford connected with Donovan Payne for a 2-yard touchdown as the Bulldogs stretched their lead to 21-10 with 9:13 left.
Back came the Golden Lions, cashing in a turnover.
After the AAMU defense forced another UAPB turnover, the Bulldogs drove to the Golden Lion 33 before Lankford was picked off by Tayvon Hardwick, who return the interception for 67 for the pick six, as Arkansas-Pine Bluff cut the deficit to 21-17 with 5:20 remaining.
Alabama A&M responded to the UAPB touchdown with an 11-play, 81-yard drive as Eaglin went off the right side 18 yards for the score as the Bulldogs extended their lead to 28-17 with 1:28 left.
The Bulldog defense continued to force turnovers as Cortez Andrews picked off Hagens and Alabama A&M cashed it into point as Eaglin scored on a 1-yard touchdown, capping a 6-play, 39-yard drive with nine seconds remaining in the first half.
Alabama A&M started the second half with excellent field position as the Bulldogs marched 46 yards in eight plays as Eaglin added his fourth rushing touchdown, a 3-yard score in extending the margin to 42-17 with 10:41 remaining.
After an Arkansas-Pine Bluff punt, Alabama A&M put the game away with a time consuming 14-play, 80-yard drive, taking more than six minutes off the clock as Eaglin punched it in from three-yards out as the Bulldogs pushed the advantage to 49-17 with 2:53 left in the third.
Victor Barbosa capped a 13-play, 79-yard drive with a 21-yard field goal as Alabama A&M extended its lead to 52-17 with 6:36 remaining.
The Golden Lions got one final score with just 54 seconds left as Hagens connect with JaVonnie Gibson for a 17-yard score.
CHECKING THE BOX SCORE
- Alabama A&M finished with 505 total yards, including 356 on the ground
- The Bulldogs registered 30 first downs
- Cornelious Brown IV went 9 of 11 passing for 65 yards
- Donovan Eaglin rushed 26 times for 148 yards and five touchdowns
- Isaiah Nkokenkwo added 19 carries for 114
- Keenan Hambrick caught seven passes for 86 yards and one score
- Marvin Smith led the defense with six total tackles, with five assisted
- Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished with 322 total yards, with 173 coming in the air
- The Golden Lions recorded 17 first downs
- Mekhi Heganes went 13 of 28 passing for 173 yards, with one touchdown and one interception
- Za'Marion Webber rushed seven times for 62 yards
- JaVonnie Gibson finished with 87 yards on six receptions and one score
- Quintin Sterling recorded 14 total tackles, including eight solo stops
NEWS & NOTES
- This was the 27th meeting between Alabama A&M and Arkansas-Pine Bluff
- Alabama A&M extended the all-time series lead to 20-7
- The Bulldogs are now 1-4 this season when an opponent scores first
- AAMU is now 4-1 when leading at halftime
- The 28-point second quarter was the most point scored in a quarter this season
- The 35 points in a half was the most Bulldog points in a half this season
- Donovan Eaglin had five rushing touchdowns, the most in one game for his career
- The five rushing touchdowns matched the five scored in a road win in 2023 against Grambling State
- The Bulldogs rushed for more than 300 yards in a game for the second time this season (Bethune-Cookman)
- AAMU finished with 356 total yards of rushing, the most this season, surpassing 331 against Bethune-Cookman
- The Bulldogs registered 505 total yards of offense, the fifth time this season AAMU has had more than 490 total yards in a game
- Alabama A&M played three quarterbacks – Xavier Lankford (started), Cornelious Brown IV and Ashley Tucker Jr.
- For the third game this season, Xavier Lankford had a pass returned for a pick six (Bethune-Cookman (91 yards), Alabama State (86 yards) and Arkansas-Pine Bluff (67 yards))
UP NEXT
Alabama A&M closes out its home campaign under the lights on Thursday as Grambling State visits Louis Crews Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and televised on ESPNU.
