Sunday, November 1, 2009

Florida A&M 31, Morgan State 28

Morgan passes up field goal for tie in 31-28 OT loss

Morgan never led in a topsy-turvy contest after one of the league's top offenses struck its defense for two quick touchdowns to start the game. But the Bears kept battling back and eventually had a chance to pull it out after Florida A&M settled for a 35-yard field goal by Trevor Scott on its overtime possession. When the Bears took the ball, Jackson was sacked for a 9-yard loss by LeRoy Vann, the Rattlers' nationally rated kick retrurner. But a 15-yard completion to Terrell White and Jackson's 3-yard gain carried the ball to the Rattler 16 and set up the strange ending.

Donald HIll-Eley said he never considered the field-goal attempt to force a second overtime because "we were down by three and at home and we only needed inches." He applauded his team for consistently fighting back against the offensive assault of Florida A&M quarterback Curtis Pulley, who rushed for 231 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 174 more yard and another TD. We're always going to battle," said Hill-Eley. "We did what we had to do. Jackson played well (16 for 22, 207 yards, two touchdowns) and moved us down the field.."

Scott's 35-yard field goal in overtime lifts Florida A&M to 31-28 victory over ...

BALTIMORE — Trevor Scott kicked a 35-yard field goal on the first series of overtime, and the Florida A&M defense made a fourth-down stop for a 31-28 victory over Morgan State on Saturday. Scott's field goal gave Florida A&M (6-2, 4-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) a three-point lead. On the next series, the Bears tried to convert a fourth-and-1 instead of trying a game-tying field goal, but Florida A&M's Cameron Houston stopped Carlton Jackson to end the game.

"It was a heavyweight fight," FAMU coach Joe Taylor said. "I'm just proud of the way we hung in there, persevered and made the plays."


Around FCS: Florida A&M continues resurgence

Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Since their last FCS playoff appearance in 2001, the Florida A&M Rattlers have looked to re-establish themselves atop the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference standings. Now, halfway through the 2009 season, the Rattlers are well on their way to accomplishing that goal. The rebuilding stage really took hold in 2008. After the 2007 season in which the Rattlers finished 3-8, Joe Taylor was named the team's third coach in five years, as Rattler fans scratched their collective heads in uncertainty.

The highly respected Taylor wasted no time instilling confidence in FAMU supporters as his team, under then-new Kentucky transfer quarterback Curtis Pulley, went 9-3 in 2008, finishing second in the league behind South Carolina State. Pulley took over the starting duties mid-season in 2008 and proved to be the dynamic leader the Rattlers desperately needed.

Rattlesnake has a fun bite to it

BALTIMORE, MD -- This Rattlesnake thing might just become a common occurrence for FAMU — just as much as coach Joe Taylor loves running the ball. Both times the Rattlers put something a little tricky into the offensive scheme, it produced points Saturday at Hughes Stadium. First it was LeRoy Vann lining up in the backfield. He ran for 12 yards and three plays later the Rattlers were in the end zone. On the next series, running back Philip Sylvester took a direct snap and ran 5 yards. On the next play, Sylvester scooted into the end zone from 19 yards out.

Just like that FAMU was on top. The new formation has to be a keeper. And, apparently, it has to have a unique name — or at least something other than Wildcat, the name of the Rattlers' fiercest rival. So, Rattlesnake it is. Of course, all the points the single-wing formation produced came before Morgan State University fought back and forced overtime. The idea of changing up the offense had been discussed during the first spring after Taylor took over the program two years ago. He and offensive coordinator Lawrence Kershaw hedged.

Vann is searching for the longest yards

BALTIMORE, MD — As elusive as getting one more punt return for a touchdown has become, FAMU return specialist LeRoy Vann isn't giving up on his chase for the NCAA record. Vann took two punts back for touchdowns in two consecutive games earlier this season, but hasn't had a good shot since. He came close Saturday against Morgan State and will have to try again in the Rattlers' three remaining games. Vann's stretch of frustration reached five games going into the game at Hughes Stadium. He needed one punt TD return, which would give him the NCAA record for total TD returns. That one also would tie the FCS single-season mark of five that was set by Curtis Deloach of North Carolina A&T eight years ago.

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