LORMAN, Miss. (Interstat) — The Alcorn State Braves defeated the Florida A&M Rattlers 38-20 on Saturday in an NCAA Football Championship Division game at Spinks-Casem Stadium. The Braves improved to 6-4 on the season, while the Rattlers fell to 2-8. Attendance was 3,922.

Florida A&M scored 14 points in the first quarter and 3 in the second, while Alcorn State scored 7 in the first and 10 in the second, leaving the teams tied at 17 at halftime. The Braves then outscored the Rattlers 14-3 in the third quarter and 7-0 in the fourth to secure the win. Key plays included an 84-yard touchdown pass from Armond Parker to Kieren Jackson that gave Florida A&M a 7-0 lead with 4:43 left in the first quarter. Alcorn State answered with a 92-yard scoring strike from Jaylon Tolbert to Malachi Augustus with 1:25 remaining in the opening period. In the second quarter, Kenyon Bowyer missed a 20-yard field goal attempt for Alcorn State as time expired, leaving the score tied at 17. In the third quarter, Bowyer connected on a 40-yard field goal at the 10:15 mark, and Florida A&M’s Gabriel Perez made a 25-yard field goal with 12 seconds left in the period. Perez added a 34-yard field goal with 11:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Alcorn State then pulled away on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Tolbert to Damien Jones with 7:56 left and a 1-yard touchdown run by F. Robertson with 4:17 remaining.

The Rattlers took a 14-7 lead after the first quarter, but the Braves rallied in the second quarter with 10 points to tie the game at 17 at halftime. The missed field goal by Bowyer at the end of the first half proved costly, as Alcorn State could have taken the lead into the locker room. In the third quarter, Alcorn State took control with 14 points, including a 40-yard field goal by Bowyer and a pair of touchdowns. Florida A&M managed only a 25-yard field goal by Perez in the period. The Braves sealed the win in the fourth quarter with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Tolbert to Jones and a 1-yard run by Robertson.

Alcorn State quarterback Jaylon Tolbert, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound redshirt junior from Hollywood, Florida, completed 16 of 23 passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns, and rushed nine times for 60 yards. Florida A&M quarterback Armond Parker, a 6-foot, 176-pound signal-caller, completed 20 of 36 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Anthony Baxter recorded an interception and one tackle for the Rattlers. Justin Bostic added three tackles, Antonio Camon had four, and Isaiah Morrison contributed five. Paul Gatley and Andre Powell Jr. each recorded five tackles, Ryan Johnson added eight, Dion Villiers had ten, Denzel Johnson led the Rattlers with 16, and Omari Kinsler contributed three. Armand Burris had one catch for five yards, Tian Wynche added one for 10 yards, Jamar Taylor had two for 16 yards, and Jaden Outar had two for 19 yards. Corey Petty caught nine passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, while Kieren Jackson had four receptions for 133 yards and a score. Wynton Jones Jr. added one tackle, David Okechuwku had one, Johnny Hutton III had one, and Adeon Farmer chipped in one. Bobby Engstler punted three times for 92 yards and made one tackle. DJ Jones, Luke Collins, and Anthony Rosier each had one tackle. Jamal Hailey rushed nine times for 45 yards and added one reception. Ryan Hall and Mike Peterson Jr. each had one tackle. Adrien Medine added two tackles, as did Semaj Jackson, Andrew Ritter, Daylyn Diston, and Terrell James. Mazio Randall contributed three tackles. For Alcorn State, Tyree Kelly caught one pass for four yards. Jakobie Anderson recorded four tackles, Jaylen McRoy added five tackles and an interception, and Jayden Davis had five tackles. Mahamadou Diarra recorded five tackles and a sack, Kenneth Andrews had six tackles, and Elijah Ruffin led the Braves with seven tackles. Jamarr Ebron returned three kickoffs for 56 yards. Nolan Chambers had one reception for zero yards and one tackle. Jakel Houston-Irving added three tackles and two sacks. Damien Jones caught four passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. Elijah Griffin had three receptions for 90 yards and three tackles. Malachi Augustus caught four passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns. In his previous game, a 52-17 win over Mississippi Valley State, Tolbert completed 23 of 29 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed four times for nine yards and another score.

The loss drops Florida A&M to 2-8 overall. The Rattlers have lost five straight, including a 42-14 defeat at Southern in their most recent game. Earlier this season, Florida A&M lost to Arkansas-Pine Bluff 31-28, fell at Jackson State 27-17, and dropped a 28-27 decision at Alabama State. The Rattlers’ two wins came against Albany State 20-7 and Alabama State 28-27. Alcorn State improves to 6-4. The Braves have won two straight, including a 52-17 victory over Mississippi Valley State in their most recent game. Earlier this season, Alcorn State beat Arkansas Baptist 63-7, edged Texas Southern 43-40, and outlasted Arkansas-Pine Bluff 53-51 in overtime. The Braves also dropped close decisions to Prairie View 41-38 and Grambling 63-59, and lost to North Alabama and Southern Mississippi. The Braves’ four losses have come by a combined 14 points.

Florida A&M will host Mississippi Valley State next Saturday before visiting Bethune-Cookman the following Saturday. Alcorn State will visit Southern next Saturday and then host Jackson State the following Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Alcorn State 64, Florida A&M 31, and its ELO system had given Alcorn State an 87.4 percent probability to win.