College Football

Howard, Tillery help Southern light up Alabama A&M 59-31

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:19 p.m. ET

foxsports

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) Austin Howard threw five touchdown passes and Lenard Tillery rushed for 179 yards and scored three times to help Southern explode for a 59-31 win over Alabama A&M on Saturday night.

Juaquin Davis returned the opening kickoff 93 yards to give Alabama A&M an early 7-0 lead, but Southern (2-2, 2-0 Southwestern Athletic) ripped off five touchdowns before halftime to give the Jaguars a 35-14 lead at the break.

Howard's third TD pass came on Southern's first possession of the second half and increased the Jaguars' lead to 42-14. A&M scored twice to cut the lead to 42-28, but Howard's fourth and fifth TD strikes to Tillery and Dillion Beard put the game out of reach.

Howard finished 17 of 28 for 280 yards. Tillery had a 55-yard run, and his TD catch went for 65.

DeAngelo Ballard threw for 252 yards and a touchdown for A&M (1-3, 1-2) but was intercepted twice.