Alabama A&M Bulldogs football

Alabama A&M Bulldogs football
2024 Alabama A&M Bulldogs football team
First season1912; 113 years ago
Head coachSam Shade
1st season, 0–0 (–)
StadiumLouis Crews Stadium
(capacity: 21,000)
Field surfaceArtificial Turf
LocationNormal, Alabama
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceSWAC
DivisionEast
All-time record444–421–35 (.513)
Bowl record0–2 (.000)
Claimed national titles1 Black college football national championship (2020)
Conference titles14 (12-SIAC: 1962, 1963, 1966, 1971, 1972, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991; 2-SWAC: 2006, 2020)
Current uniform
ColorsMaroon and white[1]
   
Marching bandMarching Maroon & White
Websiteaamusports.com

The Alabama A&M Bulldogs are the college football team representing the Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University. They play in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

Rivalries

Alabama State

Main article: Magic City Classic

The Alabama State Hornets are A&M's arch-rival as the teams play annually in the Magic City Classic on the last Saturday in October at Birmingham's Historic Legion Field. A&M and State first played each other in 1924, though the annual classic began November 9, 1940 in Birmingham. The game has grown at Legion Field, a neutral site roughly halfway between the two campuses. The schools competed from 1947 to 1975 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The rivalry has intensified since A&M joined State as a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 1999, with the two teams regularly in contention for the Eastern Division Crown. A&M leads the overall series 44–40–3 and holds a 44–34–3 edge over State in Birmingham. A&M holds a 16–7 advantage as SWAC opponents, with one of State's wins vacated due to NCAA violations. State won the first eight contests, holding the longest streak in the series. A&M longest win streak is seven from 1960 to 1966 coinciding with the arrival of Coach Louis Crews.

Tuskegee

A&M's other in-state rivalry is with the Tuskegee Golden Tigers. The Bulldogs and Tigers began their series in 1932 and would not meet on the gridiron for another 20 years. They played annually from 1963 to 1999 including 35 years as conference rivals in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. The series was discontinued in 2000 as A&M moved up to Division I after joining the SWAC in 1998. A&M and Tuskegee played a two-game set from 2008 to 2009, and renewed their rivalry again from 2011 to 2014. The two teams last met in Mobile for the 2021 Gulf Coast Challenge, with A&M leading the series 29–20–3.

Championships

National championships

In 2020–21, A&M was voted consensus black college football national championship[2] as the only undefeated HBCU football team in the country. The Bulldogs were voted #1 in both BOXTOROW HBCU Coaches and Media Polls as well as the historic SBN (Sheridan Broadcasting Network) Sports Poll.[3] This is the A&M's first national championship and the third for Coach Maynor, who was voted #1 by SBN in 2011 at Winston-Salem State.

Year Coach National Championship Selectors Record
2020 Connell Maynor SBN Sports Poll, BOXTOROW Coaches Poll, BOXTOROW Media Poll, Black College Sports Page[4] 5–0

Conference championships

A&M has won or shared a total of 14 league titles in football including two undefeated seasons. The Bulldogs have won two Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championships, after claiming 12 conference crowns as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) from 1947 to 1997.

Alabama v Grambling State game in 2014
Season Conference Coach Overall record Conference record
1962 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Louis Crews 8–2 6–0
1963 8–0 7–0
1966 8–1 6–0
1971† 5–6 4–3
1972† 7–1–1 6–0–1
1979 Ray Greene 8–3 4–0
1981 8–2 4–1
1987† 7–4 6–1
1988† 7–3 6–1
1989 George Pugh 8–4 6–0
1990 6–5 6–1
1991† Ray Bonner 5–6 5–2
2006 Southwestern Athletic Conference Anthony Jones 9–3 6–3
2020 Connell Maynor 5–0 3–0
Conference Championships: 14

† Co-champions

Postseason

Bowl games

Alabama A&M participated in two NCAA College Division bowl games as members of the SIAC.

Season Coach Bowl Game Opponent Result Location
1966 Louis Crews Orange Blossom Classic Florida A&M L 26–43 Miami, FL
1971 Louis Crews Azalea Classic Jackson State L 21–40 Mobile, AL

Playoffs

A&M has participated in the NCAA Division II Football Championship playoffs twice, with a 1–2 record in three games. Each loss came against the eventual national runner-up.

Season Coach Playoff Round Opponent Result Location
1979 Ray Greene D-II First Round Morgan State W 27–7 Huntsville, AL
1979 Ray Greene D-II Semifinals Youngstown State L 52–0 Youngstown, OH
1989 George Pugh D-II First Round Jacksonville State L 33–9 Jacksonville, AL

SWAC Championship Game

The Bulldogs have represented the SWAC East in seven conference championship games, the most of any team in the division. Both wins have come against

Season Division Coach Record Result Attendance
2000 SWAC East Ron Cooper 7–5 (5–2) L 14–6 Grambling State 34,687
2002 SWAC East Anthony Jones 8–4 (6–1) L 31–19 Grambling State 23,727
2005 SWAC East Anthony Jones 9–3 (7–2) L 45–6 Grambling State 20,612
2006 SWAC East Anthony Jones 9–3 (6–3) W 22–13 Arkansas-Pine-Bluff 30,213
2009 SWAC East Anthony Jones 7–5 (4–3) L 30–24 Prairie View A&M 20,218
2011 SWAC East Anthony Jones 8–4 (7–2) L 16–15 Grambling State 23,476
2020 SWAC East Connell Maynor 5–0 (3–0) W 40–33 Arkansas Pine-Bluff 17,248

Notable players

Players of the Year

Award Player Position Statistics
2002 SWAC Defensive Player of the Year[5] Robert Mathis DE 58 TAC, 20 SAC, 32 TFL, 10 FF, 1 FUM RET TD
2019 Phil Steele's SWAC Offensive Player of the Year[6] Jordan Bentley RB 272 ATT, 1417 YDS, 5.2 AVG, 18 TD, 2 REC TD
2020 Black College Football Player of the Year[7]

2020 BOXTOROW HBCU National Player of the Year[8]

2020 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year[9]

Aqeel Glass QB 57.6% CMP, 1355 YDS, 16 TD, 4 INT, 158.0 RTG
2021 Black College Football Player of the Year[10]

2021 BOXTOROW HBCU National Player of the Year[11]

2021 SWAC Offensive Player of the Year[12]

2021 Phil Steele's SWAC Offensive Player of the Year[13]

Aqeel Glass QB 62.6% CMP, 3568 YDS, 36 TD, 7 INT, 160.8 RTG

Hall of Fame Inductees

Player Position Tenure Hall of Fame Inducted
John Stallworth WR 1971–1974 Pro Football 2002
Black College 2014
Barry Wagner WR/DB 1986–1989 Arena Football 2011
Robert Mathis DE 1999–2002 Black College 2020

Retired numbers

See also: List of NCAA football retired numbers
Alabama A&M Bulldogs retired numbers
No. Player Pos. Tenure Year retired Ref.
22
 John Stallworth WR 1971–1974 1974 [14]
55
 Robert Mathis DE 1999–2002 2012 [15]

Alumni in the NFL

Over 16 Alabama A&M alumni have played in the NFL,[16] including:

Notable coaches

Coach Seasons Games Record Win % Notes
George H. Hobson 1942–1959 137 45–81–11 .371 First A&M coach to win Magic City Classic
Louis Crews 1960–1975 150 94–53–3 .637 All-time leader in wins and games coached
Ray Greene 1979–1983, 1986–1988 85 54–27–4 .659 All-time leader in winning percentage
Ron Cooper 1998–2001 45 23–22 .511 Transitioned program to Division I
Anthony Jones 2002–2013 140 83–57 .593 All-time leader in Division I wins and SWAC wins

Won A&M's First SWAC Conference Championship

Connell Maynor 2018–2024 72 40-32 .554 Won A&M's First Black College National Championship

References

  1. ^ Alabama A&M University Style Manual (PDF). Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  2. ^ "BOXTOROW | BOXTOROW Polls: Alabama A&M claims first ever HBCU national championship - BOXTOROW". May 3, 2021.
  3. ^ Football records 2022
  4. ^ "Alabama A&M wins SWAC title, 40–33: Bulldogs rally to knock off Arkansas–Pine Bluff, claim final BCSP No. 1 spot". Black College Sports Page (vol. 27, no. 40). May 4, 2021.
  5. ^ "#SWAC100 Alumni Spotlight: Robert Mathis Alabama A&M - Southwestern Athletic Conference".
  6. ^ "Jordan Bentley & Abdul Fatai-Ibrahim receive top honors on Phil Steele's All-SWAC Team | rocketcitynow.com". January 10, 2020.
  7. ^ "ALABAMA A&M QB AQEEL GLASS WINS DEACON JONES TROPHY AS THE SPRING 2021 BLACK COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR | BCFHOF".
  8. ^ "Alabama A&M's Glass Garners Program's First Ever BoxToRow Player of the Year; Highlights Six All-Americans - Alabama A&M Athletics".
  9. ^ "Aqeel Glass Named SWAC Player Of The Year | WHNT.com". April 30, 2021.
  10. ^ "Aqeel Glass Won His 2nd Black College Football Player of the Year Award".
  11. ^ "Alabama A&M's Glass Becomes Just Third Individual to Repeat as BOXTOROW National Player of the Year - Alabama A&M Athletics".
  12. ^ "Glass Repeats As SWAC Offensive Player of the Year - Alabama A&M Athletics".
  13. ^ "Alabama A&M's Glass Headlines 10 Phil Steele All-SWAC Selections as Offensive Player of the Year - Alabama A&M Athletics".
  14. ^ "John Stallworth, Chairman". johnstallworth.com. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  15. ^ McCarter, Mark (March 4, 2012). "Robert Mathis has jersey retired at Alabama A&M". al.com. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
  16. ^ "Alabama A&M Players/Alumni | Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
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