Offense comes alive as A&M dominates Southern

HUNTSVILLE, AL - In lopsided losses to Tennessee State and Texas Southern, Alabama A&M's offense looked virtually inept. The Bulldogs were limited to 276 yards in a 27-14 loss to Tennessee State and were held to 197 yards in a 32-9 loss at Texas Southern a week ago. Thank goodness for Southern.

A&M's offense came to life against the Jaguars, finishing with 455 total yards as the Bulldogs whipped Southern 34-14 Saturday night in an important Southwestern Athletic Conference game in front of an announced crowd of 6,218 at Louis Crews Stadium.

After strong start, Jaguars falter

NORMAL, Ala. — On the glorious first play from scrimmage, the Gary Hollimon experiment worked. Virtually everything else did not.

On a rain-soaked field at Louis Crews Stadium on Saturday night, the Southern football team started strong for the first time this season, getting a 62-yard touchdown run from Hollimon, their tailback-turned-quarterback, in the Jaguars’ Southwestern Athletic Conference opener against Alabama A&M.

From that moment, the Bulldogs blitzed, ran, passed and thoroughly beat Southern 34-14 in a game that had to make fans wonder if they’re in for a long first season under new coach Stump Mitchell.

Alabama A&M grades

Offense: A: The Bulldogs, who looked a lot some of Alabama A&M's units in recent years, finished with a season-high 455 yards in total offense, 234 rushing and 221 passing.

Defense: A-minus: Defensive coordinator Brawnski Towns wasn't pleased with Southern quarterback Gary Hollimon's 62-yard touchdown run to start the game, but the Bulldogs dominated the Jaguars the rest of the way.