Sunday, November 19, 2017

AAMU Bulldogs' tenacious D helps send seniors out on a winning note

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Bulldogs sent their seniors off on a winning note Saturday with a 21-13 win over Kentucky State.

The Bulldogs held a pregame ceremony to recognize the 19 seniors who wore the Maroon and White for the final time.

For Alabama A&M (4-7 overall), the defense, as it has been all year, was the story. The Bulldogs, the SWAC's number 2 defense, held the Thorobreds (3-8) to just 135 yards in total offense.

Kenneth Davis, in his final game in a Bulldogs uniform, recorded 13 tackles (5 solo, 8 assists) along with a sack and 1½ tackles for loss.

Yurik Bethune contributed six tackles (five solo, one assist), 2 1/2 tackles for loss and one sack and Vernon Moland had five tackles, 2 1/2 tackles for loss and a sack.

Senior punter Nick Carden, like Davis, a preseason All-SWAC selection, had one of his strongest games with six punts for a 45.5-yard average.

With A&M trailing 7-0 late in the second quarter, Jordan Bentley scored on a one-yard dive and Carden's point-after tied the score.

The Bulldogs then used a pair of 90-plus yard, clock-eating drives to take the lead and ensure the win.

BOX SCORE

With 1:50 to go in the third quarter and A&M down 13-7, Roderick Randolph caught a 10-yard pass from Dylan Smith and barreled through three defenders for the touchdown. Carden's PAT put the Bulldogs up 14-13.

The score capped a 14-play, 91-yard drive that took 6:56 off the clock.

The Bulldogs offense did a near-replay of that drive early in the fourth-quarter.

Smith engineered a 96-yard, 12-play march over 6:08 that culminated with Isaiah Bailey catching an 11-yard fade pass in the endzone with 7:19 left in the game. Carden again was good on the PAT for the final 21-13 score.

Smith came off the bench and was 6-of-8 passing for 85 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

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