BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama A&M beat Alabama State 31-28 on Saturday in the 85th Magic City Classic at Legion Field, ending the Hornets’ four-game winning streak in the rivalry and earning the Bulldogs’ first Classic win since fall 2021.
Alabama A&M (7-2, 4-1 SWAC) opened with a 12-play, 94-yard drive capped by Cornelious Brown IV’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Jaylan Bean, then led 14-0 on Brown’s 8-yard pass to Imari Conley. Alabama State (4-4, 2-3) answered on Jareese Howard’s 17-yard run on fourth-and-2 in the second quarter, and the Bulldogs led 14-7 at halftime.
Alabama State rallied behind Howard, who scored twice more in the fourth quarter. His third touchdown, after a big Daionte Hicks kickoff return set the Hornets up inside the Alabama A&M 10, made it 31-28 with 3:01 left. Alabama State’s final chance ended with 1:10 left, when Aaron Frye’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete, and Alabama A&M took a knee to close out the win.