Armand Burris caught an 88-yard and an 89-yard touchdown pass in the final quarter to lift Florida A&M to a 28-27 win over Alabama State last Friday, earning multiple national honors for his performance. The redshirt sophomore wide receiver from Lincolnshire, Illinois, was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Week, BOXTOROW’s HBCU National Player of the Week, and received the same accolade from the CFB Network on Monday. He also earned an honorable mention for Opta Analyst’s NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision Player of the Week.
Burris had limited offensive snaps earlier in the season, mostly playing on special teams. But in Montgomery, he stepped into the spotlight on back-to-back fourth-quarter drives, hauling in two long touchdown passes from quarterback Armond Parker. Those scores turned the game around, securing the Rattlers’ first SWAC win of the season and ending Alabama State’s four-game winning streak on their homecoming.
“That kid has done a tremendous job of coming to work every day,” FAMU head coach Quinn Fordham Gray Sr. said Monday. “Putting his head down, and doing the things that’s asked of him.”
The two touchdowns were Burris’s first of the season, bringing his total to two receiving scores. He leads the Rattlers with 242 receiving yards on eight catches this year. Florida A&M improved to 2-4 overall and 1-1 in SWAC play with the narrow victory.
The Rattlers face Jackson State next Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. The game will be held at Mississippi Veterans Stadium in Jackson, Mississippi, marking Jackson State’s homecoming. It will be broadcast on ESPN+ and heard on Tallahassee’s 96.1 JAMZ radio.
Florida A&M’s season has been a mix of close games and setbacks. They opened with a 20-7 win over Albany State on August 29 but suffered losses to South Carolina State, Miami, Tennessee State, and Alabama A&M before their bye week on October 3. The win over Alabama State snapped a difficult stretch and gave the Rattlers a boost heading into a challenging schedule that includes Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Southern, Alcorn State, Mississippi Valley State, and the Florida Classic against Bethune-Cookman.
Gerald Thomas III, who covers Florida A&M for the Tallahassee Democrat under the USA TODAY Network, reported Burris’s recognition and the team’s progress. Thomas noted the significance of the wide receiver’s breakout performance after limited opportunities, underlining the impact Burris had in a high-pressure situation.
Florida A&M will look to build on Burris’s momentum as they travel to face a 5-1 Jackson State team that has started strong in SWAC competition. The matchup on October 17 will test the Rattlers’ ability to maintain their recent form and continue their pursuit of a winning record this season.
According to Yahoo Sports.
