Normal, AL - Alabama A&M's defense, among the best in the nation last season, hadn't looked the part during the first two games this season.
Pushed around by the likes of Tennessee State and Grambling, A&M decided to push back Saturday night.
The Bulldogs harassed Texas Southern's multi-talented quarterback Adam Lamb throughout the game, sacking him three times and knocking him down on several other occasions. A&M's secondary, which hadn't intercepted a pass in the first two games, picked off four, two of them by free safety Henry Freeman that stopped potential scoring drives.
Throw in 138 yards rushing by Curtis Donnell and it all added up to a 24-10 victory for the Bulldogs before an announced crowd of 5,470 at Louis Crews Stadium.
''We played a full game for the first time this year,'' A&M coach Ron Cooper said. ''Offensively, we controlled the clock. Defensively, we contained Lamb and got in the end zone one time.
''Early on our special teams helped us by pinning Texas Southern deep in its own territory. We got contributions from all three phases of the game. Usually when that happens you come away with a win.''
The victory lifted A&M to 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. Texas Southern fell to 1-2 and 1-1 in league play.
With the game tied 10-10 late in the third quarter, A&M defensive ends Robert Mathis and Robert King combined to make the biggest play of the game.
With Lamb back to pass on a third-and-12 play from his own 28, Mathis jarred the ball loose from Lamb with a wicked hit. King was there to pick it up and raced in from 13 yards out to give the Bulldogs the lead for good. Rashad Cylar's extra point made it 17-10 with 58 seconds left in the third quarter.
''(Lamb) pulled up when he saw me and Mathis hit him from the backside,'' King said. ''I heard 'Scoop and score,' so I picked it up and scored. It was a big play for us. It got our defense and offense fired up.''
It also fired up A&M's special teams.
On the ensuing kickoff, A&M linebacker Cedarric Collins' hit on Jeremy Williams caused a fumble that was picked up by John Garrett at the TSU 38.
Five plays later, Donnell scored on a dazzling 15-yard run to seal the victory for the Bulldogs.
''They had everybody piled in the box, so all I had to do was cut outside,'' Donnell said. ''The offensive line did a tremendous job blocking.''
A&M's offense did a tremendous job of controlling the football and keeping Lamb off the field.
The Bulldogs had the ball for almost 38 minutes compared to the Tigers' 22.
''We kept our defense on the field too long,'' TSU coach Bill Thomas said. ''Your defense can't play that many plays and be successful on the road.''
TSU tried to get back in the game in the fourth quarter, but Freeman came up with his second interception with just over three minutes left at the A&M 8. On TSU's next possession, Brian Johnson came up with A&M's fourth interception.
Freeman had another big play early in the third quarter.
With A&M leading 10-7 and TSU facing a second-and-goal from the A&M 6, Freeman stepped in front of a Lamb pass at the Bulldogs 3 and returned it 30 yards.
''They had the momentum and we had to stop them,'' he said. ''(Lamb) tried to throw a quick slant and I just read his eyes. Somebody had to make a big play and I'm just glad I was able to step up and do it.''
So was Cooper, who moved Freeman from cornerback to safety after the season-opening loss to Tennessee State.
''When we moved him to corner, I felt we were taking a pretty good player out of the middle of the field,'' Cooper said.
The Tigers return to action, 7:00 p.m., Saturday, September 29 against Langston in Langston, OK.
