Golden Lions end season with loss at Alabama A&M

ALABAMA A&M 52, UAPB 24

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff needed more than just a big day from running back Ki- erre Crossley to beat Alabama A&M and end its season on a positive note.

Unfortunately for the Golden Lions, Bulldogs’ quarterback Aqeel Glass had other plans.

Glass threw for 450 yards and 6 touchdowns in his final Alabama A&M game as the Bulldogs stormed past the Golden Lions 52-24 Saturday at Louis Crews Stadium.

Glass completed 26 of 33 passes for Alabama A&M (7-3, 5-3 Southwestern Athletic Conference), which bolted out to a 35-17 lead at halftime and coasted over the final two quarters to beat UAPB (2-9, 1-7) in a rematch of last season’s conference title game. Eight different players caught at least two passes for the Bulldogs, with Odieu Hilaire leading the way with 8 receptions for 162 yards and 1 touchdown. Adbul-Fatai Ibrahim had 7 catches for 115 yards and 2 scores.

Zabrian Moore and Bryson Clark also had touchdown catches for Alabama A&M.

The loss was the ninth in the last 10 games for UAPB, which got 131 yards rushing from Crossley. The Golden Lions did generate 436 yards of offense but gave up 551 in their season finale. It was the fifth time this season that UAPB allowed 500 yards or more in a game.

Skyler Perry finished 22of-42 passing for 220 yards with 1 touchdown and 1 interception for the Golden Lions. Tyrin Ralph had 4 catches for 90 yards, while Josh Wilkes caught 7 passes for 54 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown in the second quarter that served as the team’s first points of the day.

Glass staked the Bulldogs to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter with a 4-yard score to Dee Anderson and a 7-yarder to Ibrahim. Hiliare followed Wilkes’ scoring catch with a 62-yard touchdown with 12:40 to go in the half.

Crossley had a 2-yard run that allowed UAPB to slice Alabama A&M’s lead to 21-14 before Glass’ fourth touchdown pass – a 16-yarder to Bryson Clark – pushed its advantage back to 14. The Golden Lions added a 30-yard field goal from Zack Piwniczka, but Ryan Morrow’s 1-yard score with 1:45 remaining in the quarter gave the Bulldogs their 18-point lead at the half.

UAPB got a 30-yard touchdown run from Perry on its first possession of the second half until Ibrahim’s second scoring catch started a string of 17 unanswered points for the Bulldogs.