PINE BLUFF -- Alabama A&M came into Pine Bluff averaging less than 23 points a game. The Bulldogs had 30 by halftime Saturday against the Golden Lions and never looked back in a 40-7 blowout in front of an announced homecoming crowd of 10,501 at Golden Lion Stadium.
UAPB Coach Monte Coleman said that there's multiple reasons to explain why the Golden Lions lost four of their first five games, but only one reason that they lost.
"They just beat us," Coleman said. "I hate saying that, but it's true. We were taking it; we weren't giving it. It was obvious during the game."
In the first half, the Bulldogs (2-5, 2-4 SWAC) scored on runs of 26 and 6 yards by senior quarterback De'Angelo Ballard, a 1-yard rush by Jordan Bentley and a 19-yard touchdown pass from Ballard to Marceles Clash. By the time it was all said and done, the Bulldogs rolled up 327 yards of total offense just in the first half.
But, Coleman thinks things started on the wrong foot.
"We had them stopped [on the first drive]," Coleman said. "We got a questionable call over there on the sidelines."
Coleman was referencing an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Tashad Charity. After the junior defensive end stopped Ballard on for a 4-yard loss on a third-and-3 play from the Golden Lions' 39, Charity hopped up and celebrated the play.
He was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, with the official indicating that Charity had made an unsportsmanlike gesture. It appeared to Coleman that Charity had swung his arms across his chest, similar to a baseball umpire indicating that a runner was safe. But the linesman indicated that Charity's motion was closer to a throat slash.
The Bulldogs went on to score on that drive. More importantly, Charity was called for another unsportsmanlike penalty later in the game and ejected.
"I'm not sure what he said at the end of the game, but I don't think he did anything wrong earlier in the game," Coleman said. "We're going to review the tape and probably be sending that up to the conference to review."
The Golden Lions' lone score would come after Alabama A&M pulled its offensive starters and a serious miscue by the Bulldogs' special teams. On fourth and 9 from the UAPB 43, Golden Lions kicker Jamie Gillan punted to Rashaad Anderson at the Alabama A&M 15. UAPB's Braxton Hoof forced a fumble and Blake Connor recovered at the 22.
Two plays later, UAPB quarterback Brandon Duncan connected with Willie Young down the home sideline for a 19-yard touchdown pass. Gillan's kick made it 40-7 with 11:26 left to play.
Ballard finished the game with 301 yards of total offense and three rushing touchdowns after tacking on a third one with a 5-yard run early in the third quarter. Ballard was 17-of-27 passing for 214 yards, and finished with 87 yards rushing on 13 carries.
The Bulldogs had the ball for six series in the first half; they scored four touchdowns, kicked a 36-yard field goal, and punted once. The scored on their first four possessions and were not forced to punt until 4:28 left to play in the second quarter.
That Alabama A&M would roll up an impressive yardage and point total against the Golden Lions wasn't surprising. Both teams came into the game near the bottom of the SWAC in both scoring defense and total defense.
The Golden Lions (1-4, 1-2) were never able to mount a sustained drive in the first half. UAPB's most promising drive -- the last drive of the half that moved the ball all the way down to the Alabama A&M 8 -- came up short when a 25-yard field goal by Gillan sailed wide left as time expired.
More frustrating for the Golden Lions must have been the way that the Bulldogs were getting their yards against UAPB. The Bulldogs just ran the ball between the tackles, over and over again, averaging 5.4 yards a carry. The lone bright spot for Coleman was that it wasn't running backs that were slashing his defense.
"If you look at it, the guy that did most of the damage was their quarterback," Coleman said. "They didn't have a 100-yard rusher, and that was one of our goals."
Sports on 10/16/2016