The Alabama A&M Bulldogs kicked off their defense of the SWAC championships defeating the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats 30-27 in their first conference game of the season.
Alabama A&M remains unbeaten in the young season improving to 2-0. The Bulldogs were coming off a bye week after winning their season debut in a thriller against the South Carolina State Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs have won each of their last eight games (played five games in the spring season including the conference championship), with their last loss coming in November 2019 against that season’s SWAC champions the Alcorn State Braves.
On the other hand, Bethune-Cookman has yet to get in the win column so far this season dropping to 0-3 following this loss. This was the Wildcats’ first conference game in the SWAC since officially joining the conference in July 2021 after spending the past 42 years in the MEAC.
Alabama A&M quarterback and reigning Black College Football Player of the Year Aqeel Glass finished with 234 passing yards on 22-for-35 passing scoring two touchdowns.
All-Conference receiver Abdul Fatir-Ibrahim was the recipient of each of the Bulldogs’ two touchdown passes while Odieu Hilaire led the team with seven receptions for 69 yards.
The running back battle was the biggest story of the game as both backs had big games for their respective teams. Alabama A&M’s Gary Quarles had 101 rushing yards on 27 attempts scoring a touchdown while Bethune-Cookman’s Que’Shaun Byrd finished with 132 rushing yards on 21 attempts scoring two touchdowns.
In the end it was the Alabama A&M defense that secured the victory for the team as safety Trenell Troutman recorded one of his two interceptions in the game in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.
