At a school hidden behind a plethora of hills in Normal, Alabama, there was a team that ascended to great heights past the coming scattered showers as they overcame another Southwestern Athletic Conference win with a comeback of 21 points for the remaining score of 35-34.
This dubbed an 8-8 showdown between two colossal teams and accosted for the win on their field since 2004 for the score of 33-24.
This team is the third ranked team in the SWAC, the Southern University Jaguars (3-1, 4-3), which makes for their second win in their division, which is their first time this season.
After coming from a spectacular performance at their centennial homecoming, Southern commandeered the gridiron against a blindsided refereeing squad after their last year win against Alabama A&M 20-17 in overtime.
After redshirt sophomore running back, Lenard Tillery’s, stunning performance to attest for two jaguar touchdowns, the fans thought another loss was to ensue after AAMU’s halfback; Brandon Eldemire cruised through the upcoming Jaguar defense into the end zone for a score of 24-14 in halftime.
After the field goal from Caesar Diaz-Ramon and a pass from veteran quarterback Jaymason Lee to his trusty tight end Jonathon Dorsey, the light shone in the beginning of the third quarter when playmaker and lightning quick Willie Quinn caught the ball for 79 yards from true freshman, Austin Howard.
Southern’s defense thusly returned to the field and put a stop to A&M’s offensive conquer led by the veteran and his squadron. At the near close at the third quarter, with a mix-up pass from Howard, wide receiver and Birmingham native, Justin Morgan caught the pass from the air for 68 yards for another touchdown to inch the score to 34-28.
The fourth and remaining quarter was the deciding factor in it all when Lee was taken out and fresh quarterback, Chris Leachman, had to shake off first game jitters. Lee ended the afternoon early when he went for 21-34 after he was placed on the bench. More experienced quarterback, Howard and Leachman was facing turnovers from all directions. The Jaguar defense led by redshirt junior defensive back, Dionte McDuffy, with a total of 10 tackles; they did not give A&M an inch to even see the end zone.
Leachman couldn’t envision the passion that was raised in the Jaguars eyes when he stepped on the battlefield to acquire 5-11 pass completions to attempts.
Howard used his running backs Tillery and junior running back Malcolm Crockett after the turnover from fresh hands, Leachman. Crockett blasted the ball through the scattered A&M defense and gained the single yard and one point lead of 35-34. This accounted for the hard fought and malicious battle that ensued when Southern University visited Alabama A&M.
In light of Howard’s performance on paper, Head Coach Dawson Odums attributed that he will make mistakes when he said, “Mistakes don’t define you; it is overcoming those mistakes that define you.”
Howard went 17-41-1 for 265 yards and two in the air touchdowns and he made ready plays whenever he saw the chance at a prime opening in the Bulldogs defense.
As the war between the two teams come to a close, Southern goes back to the drawing board as they go back to rest and rebuild their growing discipline against SWAC championship rivals, Jackson State University, on October 25 in Jackson, Mississippi at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium as they contend to see who reigns supreme once again.
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Jaguars miraculously band together to prevail over the Bulldogs
October 17, 2014
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