GHOE and the Magic City Classic both came down to the final two minutes. At Legion Field, No. 1 Alabama A&M stopped Alabama State on fourth down in the final two minutes to win the Magic City Classic, 31-28. In Greensboro, North Carolina A&T forced a fumble at its own 14 with 44 seconds left to win the 100th GHOE, 13-10, over Elon.

Then there was Pine Bluff. Arkansas-Pine Bluff scored 21 points in the first 1:52 against No. 3 Bethune-Cookman and led 49-0 at halftime, then won 63-21. A week after beating No. 1 Jackson State, the Wildcats threw five interceptions.

The two teams on top of the latest Toyota Championship Projection both won. No. 2 South Carolina State opened the week with a 51-10 win at No. 5 Morgan State, and Delaware State rallied from 17 points down to beat Norfolk State on a field goal at the horn in Philadelphia. Rankings are from last week’s Black College Football Poll. Here is the full Week 9 HBCU football recap.

Alabama A&M Holds Off Alabama State in the Magic City Classic

Alabama State had the ball at the Alabama A&M 43 with 1:37 left and a chance to win the Magic City Classic. On fourth and 8, Andre Tibbs hurried Aaron Frye; the pass fell incomplete, and the Bulldogs knelt out a 31-28 win before 69,384 fans at Legion Field.

Alabama A&M controlled the first half. Cornelious Brown capped a 12-play, 94-yard opening drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Jaylan Bean, then hit Imari Conley from 8 yards out early in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead. Nacari Johnson picked off Frye and returned it 40 yards to the Alabama State 3, but the Hornets made a goal-line stand and stopped Ty’Jarian Williams on fourth and 2.

That stop flipped the half. Alabama State went 98 yards in 14 plays, and Jareese Howard finished it with a 17-yard touchdown run with 4:00 left. Diwonne Williams then blocked Andrew Abu-Akel’s 41-yard field goal try at the end of the half to keep it 14-7.

The Hornets opened the second half with a surprise onside kick and recovered it. The drive ended at the Alabama A&M 39, where Tibbs forced a Howard fumble and recovered it himself. David Faulk’s 29-yard field goal made it 17-7, and Jamarie Hostzclaw’s 4-yard run cut the deficit to three.

Alabama A&M answered with a 14-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up 7:28, and Brown scored on a 9-yard run. Howard’s 3-yard run made it 24-21. Kolton Nero then broke a 61-yard run to the Alabama State 4 and scored on the next play to take a 31-21 lead with 3:47 left.

The Hornets needed only 46 seconds to get back within three. DJ Hicks returned the kickoff 86 yards, an Alabama A&M unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the 6, and Howard scored his third touchdown of the day. Alabama State forced a punt, but the drive that followed ended on Tibbs’ pressure.

Brown completed 22 of 35 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and a score. Nero ran for 81 yards on six carries, and Byron Perrilliat added 68. D.J. Barber made 13 tackles, and Mitchell Robinson Jr. made 10. Frye completed 14 of 21 passes for 158 yards with an interception and ran for 90 yards. Randall King caught five passes for 88 yards. Alabama A&M outgained Alabama State 420 to 344.

Alabama A&M improves to 7-2 and 4-1 in SWAC play. Alabama State falls to 4-4 and 2-3.

North Carolina A&T Wins the 100th GHOE on a Late Strip Sack

North Carolina A&T’s 100th Homecoming came down to one play. Elon had a third-and-6 at the A&T 14 with under a minute left and a chance to tie or win. Tyrek Brown sacked Brady Stober and knocked the ball loose, and Cadricus Stanley fell on it with 44 seconds left to seal a 13-10 win in front of 22,401 at Truist Stadium.

Points were scarce all afternoon. Asher Holland’s 25-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in the second quarter was the only score of the first half. Luke Barnes matched it for Elon in the third quarter, and then a Kevin White fumble gave the Phoenix the ball at the A&T 27. Kamerin McDowell-Moore scored on a 2-yard run, and Elon led 10-3.

The Aggies answered with a 12-play, 76-yard drive. White found Jayvonne Dillard for an 8-yard touchdown with 31 seconds left in the third quarter to tie it. Holland put A&T ahead for good with a 34-yard field goal with 2:18 to play.

Elon moved into scoring range on its final drive behind a 36-yard catch by Alex Voss and a pass interference penalty. That set up Brown’s second forced fumble of the game.

White completed 11 of 23 passes for 94 yards, including a touchdown, and led A&T with 97 rushing yards. Xavier Porter had the interception for Elon. McDowell-Moore ran 25 times for 102 yards. The Aggies sacked Stober four times and outgained Elon 264 to 201.

North Carolina A&T improves to 4-5 and 3-2 in CAA play. Elon falls to 4-5 and 2-3.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff Routs No. 3 Bethune-Cookman

Arkansas-Pine Bluff did not need long to make its point. Jaylen Jennings ran 87 yards for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Then Jai’Teriyas Robinson intercepted Joel Morris at the Wildcats’ 22, and Jennings scored from the 1. Camare Jackson then returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown, and the Golden Lions led 21-0 just 1:52 into the game.

It was 49-0 at halftime. Jack Schierholz threw three touchdown passes to Demetric Whitlock Jr., from 7, 35 and 2 yards, and Jalen Williams added a 14-yard touchdown run. Du’Wayne Paulhill returned a fourth-and-19 interception of Isaac Gallagher-Cheetham for a 79-yard touchdown, and Chris Hicks Jr. scored on a 1-yard run to make it 56-0 in the third quarter before Bethune-Cookman got on the board.

The Wildcats scored three more times. Cordan Patterson threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Myles Morales and ran for a 9-yard score, and Deanwar Johnson scored on a 2-yard run.

Bethune-Cookman used four quarterbacks: Morris, Jaydis Wiley, Patterson and Gallagher-Cheetham. They threw five interceptions in all, with Arsenio Bolds and Josh Narcisse adding late picks, and UAPB returned them for 128 yards. The Golden Lions also ran for 333 yards at 9.8 per carry and sacked Wildcats quarterbacks six times. Jennings finished with 103 yards on five carries. Tylan Cole had three tackles for loss and two sacks.

Schierholz completed 9 of 18 passes for 118 yards and three touchdowns. Rashon Brown ran for 87 yards for Bethune-Cookman, and Myron Shafer III had an interception.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff improves to 5-3 and 3-2 in SWAC play. Bethune-Cookman falls to 5-4 and 3-2.

South Carolina State Rolls at No. 5 Morgan State

South Carolina State scored on all seven of its trips into the red zone and won 51-10 at Hughes Stadium on Thursday. The Bulldogs have now won 13 straight MEAC games.

Keely Watson completed 27 of 36 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. He threw a 5-yard score to Martavious Collins, a 20-yarder to Troy Hillman at the end of the first half, a 10-yarder to DJ Maultsby, and another 10-yarder to Shamontae Burgess. Josh Shaw added a 1-yard touchdown run, Ronnie Robinson scored from 16 yards, Kacy Fields ran 28 yards for a touchdown with 18 seconds left, and Jett Jackson made a 35-yard field goal.

Morgan State’s only touchdown came from its defense, when Raquane Matthews returned a fumble 14 yards. Alex Amaya made a 30-yard field goal. The Bears ran for minus 12 yards, and South Carolina State outgained them 513 to 150 with four sacks.

South Carolina State improves to 7-2 and 2-0 in MEAC play. Morgan State falls to 5-4 and 0-2.

Delaware State Rallies Past Norfolk State at the Horn

Delaware State trailed by 17 points twice in the second HBCU Battle of the Legends at Lincoln Financial Field. It still won, 36-33, when Maatteo Bracalenti made a 35-yard field goal as time expired before 32,567 fans.

Norfolk State, the designated home team, built a 17-0 lead on a Marco Peery field goal, an 8-yard touchdown run by Jalyn Daniels and an 11-yard touchdown pass from DaJean Golmond to Kam’Ryn Thomas. Marqui Adams hit Jaylin Terzado for a 33-yard touchdown, and Patrick Fisher-Butler kicked a 35-yard field goal to get the Hornets within seven. Jason Wonodi’s 23-yard touchdown catch pushed the Spartans back ahead 24-10.

Terrence Rone caught a 40-yard touchdown pass for Delaware State, but Nasir Bashir returned the two-point try 88 yards for two Norfolk State points. Ravon Moore Jr. later scored on a 3-yard run to make it 33-16.

The Hornets scored the last 20 points. Fisher-Butler made a 23-yard field goal, Jaron Kelley caught a 5-yard touchdown pass, and Kyree Benton caught a 20-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 33 with 7:47 left. Phillip Dunnam then forced an Elyjah Mitchell fumble, and Ryan Brown recovered it at the Norfolk State 15 with 57 seconds left to set up the winning kick.

Adams completed 17 of 23 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 69 yards. Carl Nesmith had four tackles for loss and two sacks; Dunnam also intercepted a pass, and Wayne Favors III returned an interception 27 yards. Golmond threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. Norfolk State ran for 22 yards.

Delaware State improves to 5-4 and 1-1 in MEAC play. Norfolk State falls to 4-5 and 0-2.

North Carolina Central Shuts Out No. 9 Howard

North Carolina Central held Howard to four first downs and 114 total yards in a 34-0 win at O’Kelly-Riddick Stadium.

Riley Daniels made 21- and 29-yard field goals, and Nelson Layne threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Tyree Saunders. Joshua Jones then took over. He completed 9 of 12 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, including an 88-yarder to Mehki Wall and a 3-yarder to Reginald Lancaster, and ran 22 yards for another score. Wall finished with four catches for 145 yards, and Gino Addison ran for 80 yards.

Howard threw for 44 yards. Isaiah Freeman completed 10 of 24 passes for 39 yards with two interceptions, one by Amari Sifford and one by Camereon Cartlidge, who returned his 42 yards. The Eagles sacked Howard quarterbacks four times, and TrayVaughn Swanigan had two sacks and a forced fumble.

North Carolina Central improves to 4-5 and 2-0 in MEAC play, level with South Carolina State atop the conference. Howard falls to 4-5 and 1-1.

Texas Southern Beats No. 6 Grambling State in Overtime

Athean Renfro ran for 233 yards, and Cam’Ron McCoy’s 6-yard touchdown run in overtime gave Texas Southern a 23-20 win over Grambling State at Thorne Stadium. It is the Tigers’ second straight win.

Renfro broke the game open in the fourth quarter with 75- and 86-yard touchdown runs, and Texas Southern led 17-10. Grambling State tied it on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Ashton Frye to Lantavious Murphy with 4:46 left. Frye also ran for a 6-yard touchdown.

Theodore Caballero put Grambling State ahead with a 31-yard field goal on the first overtime possession. Texas Southern answered with McCoy’s touchdown. Miguel Arana made a 47-yard field goal for the Tigers in regulation; Lonell Cunningham had an interception at the Grambling State 3; and Demone Green finished with three tackles for loss and two sacks. Texas Southern ran for 317 yards as a team.

Texas Southern improves to 3-5 and 2-3 in SWAC play. Grambling State falls to 4-4 and 2-3.

Trey Holly Runs for 204 as Southern Beats Florida A&M

Trey Holly ran 25 times for 204 yards and two touchdowns, and Southern beat Florida A&M 42-14 at Bragg Memorial Stadium.

Holly scored on runs of 1 and 65 yards, and Khalil Davis added touchdown runs for 10 and 1 yards. Christian Johnson completed 7 of 9 passes for 112 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown to Aiden Valdez. Southern ran for 311 yards and converted 11 of 15 third downs.

Michael Williams II had two interceptions. He returned one 98 yards for a touchdown and made the other at the Southern 2. Armond Parker threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns for Florida A&M, a 23-yarder to Tian Wyche and a 14-yarder to Corey Petty. Petty caught seven passes for 118 yards.

Southern improves to 4-5 and 2-3 in SWAC play. Florida A&M falls to 2-7 and 1-4.

No. 10 Alcorn State Piles Up 585 Yards at Mississippi Valley State

Alcorn State led 52-10 after three quarters and beat Mississippi Valley State 52-17 at Rice-Totten Stadium.

Jaylon Tolbert completed 23 of 29 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns. He hit Armon Wright for 22 yards, Fredrick Robertson for 78, and Elijah Griffin for 1, and he ran for a 1-yard score. Robertson also ran for 5 and 2-yard touchdowns. Ernest Temple scored on a 54-yard run, and Kenyon Bowyer made a 27-yard field goal. Wright caught eight passes for 126 yards.

Josh Brown threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen King for Mississippi Valley State, and Luka Sari made a 40-yard field goal. The Delta Devils added a 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Alcorn State improves to 5-4 and 3-2 in SWAC play. Mississippi Valley State falls to 3-6 and 2-3.

Towson Gets Its First Win Against Hampton

Towson entered winless and left with 591 total yards and a 44-13 win over Hampton at Johnny Unitas Stadium.

Jacob Davis completed 19 of 26 passes for 216 yards, threw touchdown passes to Jacob Zollar and Mason Cunningham, and ran for 109 yards and a 16-yard score. Kemarrion Battles scored on runs of 2 and 91 yards, Tristen Kenan added a 1-yard touchdown run, and Max Young made a 33-yard field goal. The Tigers ran for 334 yards.

Hampton’s touchdowns came through the air. Sejhe Jackson threw a 72-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Smith, and Xavier Brookins threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Damon Short. The Pirates ran for 47 yards. Marqwae Willis made 11 tackles.

Hampton falls to 1-8 and 0-5 in CAA play. Towson improves to 1-8 and 1-4.

Lindenwood Shuts Out Tennessee State

Tennessee State was held scoreless in a 27-0 loss at Lindenwood. The Lions sacked Tigers quarterbacks six times and held them to 187 total yards and 32 rushing yards.

Pops Battle threw touchdown passes for 27 yards to Drew Krobath and 12 yards to Jalen Smith, and Will Graham made 37- and 28-yard field goals. Jared Rhodes capped a 13-play, 98-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. Battle completed 24 of 32 passes for 265 yards and led Lindenwood with 71 rushing yards. Andrew Baumgart had three sacks.

Daylin Lee and Byron McNair each threw an interception to DeVonta Owens and Zech Pratt. Cam Bulluck caught seven passes for 64 yards. Preston Hurless missed a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter. Jaylon Price had two sacks for Tennessee State.

Tennessee State falls to 2-7 and 0-4 in OVC play. Lindenwood improves to 4-4 and 3-1.

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