HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University football team overcame a 17-point halftime deficit on Saturday afternoon at Armstrong Stadium, but North Carolina A&T used special teams and defense to take a 45-31 win.
 
The Pirates fell to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in MEAC play.
 
David Watford threw for 242 yards and three touchdowns; he has at least one touchdown pass in every game so far this season, and he threw five passes to T.J. Mixson for 136 yards and a score.
 
Chris Dukes carried the ball six times for 85 yards.
 
The Pirates outgained North Carolina A&T (3-1, 1-0 MEAC) 431-187 in total offense.
 
After the Aggies took a 31-14 lead into the half, the Pirates opened the third quarter with possession and proceeded to march 67 yards in 10 plays, cutting the lead to 31-21 after Watford hit Rayshad Riddick from 13 yards out with 10:06 left in the quarter.
 
On the Aggies' first possession of the half, the Pirates defense forced a fumble that Owen Obasuyi recovered. Hampton then cut the lead to 31-24 on a 35-yard field goal from Adam Brown at the 6:00 mark.
 
In the fourth quarter, the Pirates tied the game on a quick two-play drive. Watford hit Mixson for 48 yards to start the drive, before Mixson took a fake reverse and hit SeQuan Gooding from 19 yards out with 12:08 left to play.
 
But Khris Gardin gave the Aggies the lead back with 5:56 left, running back a punt 71 yards for the touchdown. That score gave N.C. A&T a 38-31 lead.
 
On the ensuing drive, Marcus Albert intercepted Watford and returned the ball to the 1-yard line. Four plays later, Tariq Cohen scored his third rushing touchdown of the day to give the Aggies a 45-31 lead.
 
Cohen had 107 yards rushing on the day.
 
The Aggies started the scoring around the mid point of the first quarter, capping a 7-play, 45-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run from quarterback Kwashaun Quick. The Pirates answered on the ensuing possession, needing just four plays to go 83 yards before Watford hit Shakim Alonzo to tie the game.
 
Dukes had a 72-yard run in that drive to get the Pirates in the red zone.
 
The Aggies answered with 10 straight points: a 37-yard field goal from Cody Jones and a 13-yard touchdown run from Cohen that put N.C. A&T up 17-7 with 14:37 left in the first half.
 
Hampton followed with an 8-play, 80-yard drive that ended when Watford hit Mixson from 32 yards out. Mixson's sixth touchdown reception of the season cut the lead to 17-14 with 10:45 left in the second quarter.
 
Joshua Patrick put the Aggies up 24-14 with a 19-yard fumble recovery with 8:02 left in the half, before Cohen added a 3-yard touchdown run to end a 4-play, 14-yard drive set up by a long punt return from Gardin.
 
That gave the Aggies a 31-14 lead that they took into the half.
 
Tyrone Ward led the Pirates defense with seven tackles. Obasuyi had two sacks and three tackles for loss.
 
The Pirates will celebrate Homecoming next Saturday, taking on Delaware State at 2 p.m. For more information on Hampton University football, please call the Office of Sports Information at (757) 727-5811, or visit the official Pirates website at www.hamptonpirates.com.