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The Florida A&M Rattlers defeated the Norfolk State Spartans 24-23 in the Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge in front of a packed Center Parc Stadium crowd on Saturday night. The Rattlers won the game in nail-biting fashion, storming back from a 14-point deficit.
The Rattlers found themselves in an early 0-14 deficit due to an explosive Spartans rushing attack led by Kevon King. In the first half, King went over 100 rushing yards and the Spartans were able to score twice while only throwing the ball four times.
However, the Rattlers stormed to a 3 point lead after scoring 17 unanswered points.
The Rattlers comeback would be in large part due to their brand-new signal-caller, Daniel Richardson. The former FBS standout had a debut to remember, going 22 of 30 passing, with 286 yards and three touchdowns.
Richardson constantly made big-time throws throughout the night to combat a fierce rushing attack by the Spartans.
He also did a great job of distributing the ball to multiple receivers. 7 different receivers hauled in passes from Richardson on the night, with Kobe Gross (3 Receptions, 45 yards), Thad Franklin Jr. (3 Receptions, 39 yards), and Jalen Rogers (3 receptions, 28 yards) being key contributors.
Despite Richardson's effort to spread the ball around the offense, there was one receiver who he constantly found himself targeting, Jamari Gassett. Gassett finished the game with eight receptions for 110 yards and two touchdowns on the night. He also added in a 39 yard punt return which helped jumpstart the Rattlers offense early.
Still, even as the Rattlers offense started to catch rhythm, the football game was far from over.
Following a 10 play touchdown drive by the Rattlers late in the third quarter, victory seemed to be escaping the Spartans' grasp. The Spartans went three-and-out the following drive, and the Rattlers drove the football into scoring distance once again. Then, the impossible happened.
As the Rattlers neared the endzone, Eric Ivory secured a timely fumble recovery as Kelvin Dean Jr. lost the ball at the end of a run. Desperate for a score, Norfolk State quarterback Jalen Daniels connected with Jacquez Jones on a 41-yard pass. Now at the Rattlers goal line, Kevon King ran in a touchdown, cutting the Spartans deficit to one (23-24).
As the Spartans attempted to tie the game, their field goal attempt was blocked. Fortunately, the Rattlers were called for an offsides call, giving the Spartans another shot to tie the game. The Spartans would then go for a two-point conversion, which they failed to convert.
From that point, Daniel Richardson and Kelvin Dean Jr. dealt the final blows to the Spartans.
While Norfolk State showcased excellent performance in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, they fell short once again. Last year, the Spartans suffered five of their eight losses by one score, and they lost the MEAC/SWAC Challenge by one point.
Special teams will be a major focus in the Spartans' future after two costly mishaps on field goal attempts.
For Florida A&M, they move to 1-0 under the leadership of new Head Coach James Colzie III. The Florida A&M Rattlers now aim to continue defending their top-25 FCS ranking. The team returns to action next week on August 31st vs. South Carolina State. The game kicks off at 6:00 p.m. at Bragg Memorial Stadium.
