Florida A&M couldn't go back-to-back in spoiling homecoming football games.
A week after spoiling Alabama State's, the Rattlers traveled to Jackson State this Saturday, but this time left with a 27-17 loss in the Week 7 Southwestern Athletic Conference showdown.
In a close game, JSU held a 12-10 halftime lead before outscoring the Rattlers 15-7 in the second half, led by back-to-back touchdowns.
Jackson State outgained FAMU 368-327 before a homecoming crowd of 44,173 at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
FAMU quarterback Armond Parker went 11-for-27 for 163 passing yards, threw three interceptions, and added a rushing touchdown. Running back Jamal Hailey contributed 12 carries for 111 rushing yards and a touchdown.
JSU quarterback Jared Lockhart went 13-for-24 for 98 yards, threw a touchdown and an interception, and rushed for 53 yards. He battled back issues during the week after leaving last week's loss at Grambling State at halftime and never returned.
A win Saturday for the Rattlers would have made a statement against one of the top teams in Black College Football.
FAMU football QB Armond Parker doesn't have his best day
The Rattlers received the first offensive possession.
But as FAMU approached midfield, Parker overthrew Corey 'Deuce' Petty, and it was intercepted by JSU defensive back B.J. Washington, who returned it for 37 yards to the 10-yard line. The Tiger offense scored plays later.
But Parker responded.
On the following drive, he led the Rattlers to a touchdown drive. He used his legs to rush in a five-yard run to get FAMU on the board.
Parker had a few miscues on Saturday.
He and center Tommy Bridgewater Jr. had a fourth-quarter miscommunication, and it led to a fumbled shotgun snap that was recovered by JSU. The Tigers score after that turnover, too. On another Parker-to-Petty play, the ball hit off the receiver's hands, and Washington got his second interception of the afternoon. His third interception was on a shot to the endzone on a corner route by receiver Luke Collins, and defensive back Mikey Johnson picked it off to seal the game.
FAMU saw a spark in its NCAA Division I Football Championship-worst rushing attack. Running back Jamal Hailey took off for an 81-yard rush. Altogether, FAMU had a season-high 164 rushing yards.
FAMU football defense flashes, but JSU's run game and short fields prevail
FAMU faced two quarterbacks in Lockhart and Caron Tyler, who got the start. Lockhart was battling a back injury sustained last week against Grambling State, but was made available to play and checked in midgame.
The Rattlers stood stout on a few plays, such as when Andre Powell Jr. forced Lockhart to fumble after a nine-yard rush, and when Anthony Baxter became the first to pick him off for the first time all season.
FAMU was decent against JSU's FCS-leading third-down offense, but being put in tight spots tired them out as the game unfolded.
The Rattlers still couldn't stop the run, though. The Tigers had 228 rushing yards, led by running back Li'Darious Pryor's 80 yards. Nate Blount added 63 yards and a touchdown on 11 attempts
FAMU football has a new special teams issue vs Jackson State
For the first time since FAMU's Sept. 10 game at Miami, there were no blocked field goals or extra points.
But special teams woes continued to rear their ugly head for the Rattlers.
In the second quarter, the Rattlers were en route to making a positive play on a JSU punt deep on its own territory. The snap had been botched, and FAMU was chasing after punter Kye Collins, who was able to get the ball away.
The ball landed on JSU's 32-yard line and deflected off the hands of Guiseann Mirtil, resulting in a muff. It was recovered by the Tigers' Amarion Brown.
And then, before halftime, FAMU kick returner Kieren Jackson had a blunder where he fielded the kick, narrowly stepped out of the endzone, and then changed his mind and knelt the football. The ball was still in the endzone, and it resulted in a safety in JSU's favor to take a 12-10 halftime lead.
Florida A&M football scores and full 2026 schedule
Current record: 2-5, 1-2 in SWAC
All times are Eastern
- Saturday, Aug. 29: FAMU 20, Albany State 7
- Sunday, Sept. 6 (Orange Blossom Classic): South Carolina State 31, FAMU 13
- Thursday, Sept. 10: Miami 77, FAMU 7
- Saturday, Sept. 19: Tennessee State 29, FAMU 26
- Saturday, Sept. 26: Alabama A&M 40, FAMU 21
- Saturday, Oct. 3: BYE
- Friday, Oct. 9: FAMU 28, Alabama State 27
- Saturday, Oct. 17: Jackson State 27, FAMU 17
- Saturday, Oct. 24: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (SWAC/Homecoming), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
- Saturday, Oct. 31: vs. Southern (SWAC), 3 p.m., HBCU GO
- Saturday, Nov. 7: at Alcorn State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
- Saturday, Nov. 14: vs. Mississippi Valley State (SWAC), 3 p.m., SWAC TV
- Saturday, Nov. 21: vs. Bethune-Cookman (SWAC/Florida Classic), 3:30 p.m., ESPN+
Gerald Thomas, III, is a multi-time national award-winning reporter for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat under the USA TODAY Network.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football takeaways from late-game spiral at Jackson State