FAMU edged out a resilient North Carolina A&T squad to clinch a 22-19 victory in overtime.Florida A&M's four-year starter at running back, Phillip Sylvester, scored on a 14-yard game-winning touchdown run to improve the Rattlers to 6-3 overall and 5-1 in the MEAC. Sylvester finished with 110 yards and a touchdown on 32 carries.
The Rattlers booted two second-half field goals to tie the game at 16. What followed was a stingy Aggies defense.
The biggest Aggies stop came with four minutes remaining in the game. Brandon Davis' second interception of the game gave the Rattlers the ball at the Aggies 44-yard line after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on FAMU.
All the Rattlers could muster, however, was a holding penalty and three straight incomplete passes. The Rattlers had great field position on their next possession, starting at their own 41. But the Aggies "D" allowed only five yards, which eventually led to the overtime.
The Aggies opened overtime with a 21-yard completion from quarterback George Hines to Wallace Miles as by rule the ball was spotted at the opponents' 25. It appeared Miles scored on the play, but the officials said he stepped out of bounds at the 4. The Aggies were not able to score six points. Instead, they settled for a Sullivan Shidler 21-yard field goal.
FAMU took its opportunity from the 25 and made the best of it. Sylvester opened with a run of 8 yards, picked up the first down with a four-yard run, before ending the game with his 14-yard burst to the end zone.