The Florida A&M Rattlers survived a wild fourth-quarter rally from the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions to escape with a 31-28 victory in Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) action. The win snaps a brief skid for FAMU, boosting their record to 4-5 overall and 3-2 in the SWAC, while UAPB drops to 4-6 and 2-4, dimming their hopes for a strong finish in a rebuilding season.

What started as a defensive battle turned into a high-octane shootout, with both teams combining for over 800 yards of offense and seven touchdowns through the air. FAMU quarterback RJ Johnson III, a steady senior presence, threw for 245 yards and two scores. Still, it was the Rattlers' ground game, led by explosive runs from Jalen Hailey and Terrell Franklin Jr., that ultimately sealed the deal. For UAPB, dual-threat signal-caller Carson Peters dazzled with 312 passing yards and three touchdowns, keeping the home crowd roaring until the final whistle.

The Golden Lions drew first blood late in the opening quarter. After a methodical 72-yard drive that chewed up nearly six minutes, Peters found wideout De'Andre Robinson streaking down the sideline for a 33-yard touchdown strike, putting UAPB up 7-0 with 4:32 left. FAMU's offense sputtered early, managing just 86 yards in the first half, but its defense bent without breaking, forcing two punts to keep things close.

The Rattlers finally woke up in the second quarter. Kicker Diego Porto, reliable as ever, nailed a 47-yarder from the edge of his range to make it 7-3 after an 11-play drive stalled at the UAPB 30. Then, with 10:30 to go before the break, Johnson III hit tight end Jamal Edwards on a play-action fade for a 15-yard score, capping a quick 57-yard march and giving FAMU a 10-7 halftime edge. The teams traded field position in a sloppy half marred by penalties. FAMU racked up five flags for 45 yards, but the Rattlers' opportunistic stops had them in control.

Coming out of the locker room, FAMU struck fast. Johnson III aired it out on third-and-long, connecting with speedster Gerald Lawrence for a 42-yard bomb that extended the lead to 17-7 just as the third quarter kicked off. The 87-yard, 12-play drive showcased the Rattlers' balance, mixing runs and short passes to eat clock and wear down UAPB's front seven. The Golden Lions' offense went cold, managing only 45 yards in the period as FAMU dominated time of possession.

The fourth . UAPB backup QB DJ Stevenson entered and immediately sparked a comeback, threading a 12-yard dart to Jeremiah Jennings in the end zone to cut it to 17-14 with 13:46 remaining. FAMU answered with Hailey's bruising 28-yard touchdown run, bulldozing through arm tackles to push the score to 24-14 midway through the quarter.

Peters re-entered and orchestrated a lightning 75-yard drive, hitting Elijah Stewart on a post route for a 31-yard touchdown that made it 24-21 with under three minutes left. The Rattlers' response was swift: Franklin Jr. broke free on an outside zone read, scampering 47 yards untouched to the house for a 31-21 lead with 1:46 on the clock.

In finale minutes Peters marched UAPB 69 yards in just over a minute, finding running back Jordan Isaac on a screen for a one-yard touchdown plunge with 24 seconds to spare, narrowing it to 31-28. The onside kick sailed into FAMU's hands, and Johnson III took a knee to run out the clock.

Statistically, it was a dead heat: UAPB edged FAMU in total yards (452-417) and first downs (23-21), but the Rattlers won the turnover battle (none for either side) and controlled the trenches with 212 rushing yards to UAPB's 140. Penalties hurt both UAPB had seven for 65 yards but FAMU's third-down efficiency (8-of-14) proved decisive.

With the victory, FAMU extends its series streak to three over UAPB and heads into a bye week before facing Bethune-Cookman in the Florida Classic. The Golden Lions, meanwhile, travel to face Prairie View A&M.