GRAMBLING, La. | For the first time since 2006, the Grambling State University football team suffered defeat in its homecoming game, falling 45-24 to Alabama A&M on Saturday afternoon at Williams-Harris Field at Eddie G. Robinson Memorial Stadium. 
 
The Tigers held a 24-17 lead early in the third quarter but surrendered 28 unanswered second half points.
 
GSU (3-4 overall, 2-2 SWAC) struggled to contain the AAMU running game spearheaded by quarterback Xavier Lankford, who gashed the Tigers for 197 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns. As a team, the Bulldogs rolled up 336 yards on the ground. 
 
Myles Crawley had a solid day for the Tigers, going 21-of-36 for 244 yards with a touchdown and interception. Floyd Chalk led the ground attack for GSU, rushing for 69 on 14 attempts. 
 
Quintin Talley was a bright sport for Grambling State defense, making 12 total tackles. 
 
For the first 2 and a half quarters, both teams traded punches back and forth. 
 
After Alabama A&M (4-3, 2-2) grabbed a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter, Grambling State struck back quickly using a 34-yard TD toss from Crawley to Antonio Jones to tie the game 7-7 with 2:38 to remaining in the frame. Jones led GSU's receiving corps with six receptions for 99 yards. 
 
AAMU's Donovan Eglin capped off a 6-play, 72-yard drive with a 2-yard TD run with 23 seconds to go in the quarter to go up 14-7. 
 
GSU tied the game at 14-14 early in the 2^nd quarter following an 8-play, 56-yard drive that culminated in a 4-yard TD scamper by Chance Williams. A 32-yard field goal by Tanner Rinker gave the Tigers a 17-14 advantage with 1:26 left in the half.
 
Alabama A&M quickly moved down the field on its ensuing drive, setting up a 28-yard field goal by Victor Barbosa, tying the game at 17 heading into halftime. 
 
Grambling State scored on its first drive of the second half, going 70 yards in eight plays as Crawley scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, his first rushing touchdown of the year. 
 
However, that would be it for the Tigers and AAMU imposed its will on GSU the rest of the way, scoring the next 28 points and handing the G-Men the homecoming loss. 
 
Up Next
GSU gets the bye week to regroup before welcoming Bethune-Cookman to town on Oct. 28 for Senor Day. 
 
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