Saturday’s win was FAMU’s second straight and third in four
games, as the Rattlers have gotten off the mat of an 0-4 start behind the solid
play of redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Stanley, who finished his fourth
consecutive start Saturday without a turnover, while boosting his record as a
starter to 3-1.
The Pembroke Pines, Florida native was an efficient 18 of 31 passing for 212 yards and a pair of scoring tosses.
FAMU (3-5, 3-2 in MEAC) took the early lead when Stanley
capped an 80-yard game-opening drive with a 19-yard touchdown pass to tackle
Louben Polinice for a 7-0 lead with 11:53 left in the first period.
Hampton (3-4, 3-2 MEAC) answered late in the second period
on a 16-yard run by Yahkee Johnson, tying the game, 7-7 at halftime.
Energized by the Homecoming crowd of 26,044, FAMU outslugged
the Pirates, 24-7 in the second half, taking the lead for good with a 10-point
third quarter.
Brandon Norwood put the Rattlers on the board with 8:45 left
in the third with his 15-yard TD of a Stanley pass for a 14-7 lead, then Colby
Blanton booted a 26-yard field goal for a 17-7 FAMU edge with 6:10 left.
Hans Supre capped a 43-yard drive less than two minutes into
the fourth quarter with a two-yard run for extend the Rattler advantage to
24-7.
The Pirates were not done though, as they drove 75 yards in
12 plays, with Shakim Alonzo capping the march with a six-yard TD toss to
Kentrel Richard with 9:21 left in the game for a 24-14 count.
FAMU appeared to clinch the game on Hampton’s next
possession when safety Jacques Bryant picked off Jayl Williamson and dashed 32
yards for an apparent score, but penalty flags wiped out the TD, but left the
Rattlers with a short field for the coup de grace.
The final cap came on Tevin Spells’ two-yard run with 1:18
left for the final 31-14 tally.
Sophomore Devin Bowers picked up 65 rushing yards on 18
carries, followed by Hans Supre with 44 yards on 10 carries and one score. Kareem
Smith led the Rattler receivers with six grabs for 86 yards, while Rashawn
Proctor was tops on the Pirate receiving charts with four grabs for 41 yards.
Defensively defensive backs Braxton Brown (6) and Orlando
McKinley (5) led FAMU, with end Elijah Price finishing with three tackles for
loss and one sack.