HAMPTON, Va. – The Hampton University football team celebrated Homecoming in the best way possible on Saturday, withstanding a late comeback attempt by North Carolina A&T to grab a 31-26 win at Armstrong Stadium.

The Pirates (1-5, 1-1 MEAC) have won their last four Homecoming games.

"It's great to be out here in front of all our fans and alumni and have a performance like this," head coach Donovan Rose said. "All week, I've had people coming up to me, asking me what's going on, telling me, 'Coach, we got your back,' so this is real satisfying."

Freshman quarterback Bryan Bailey (Woodruff, S.C.), making his first career start, completed 14 of his 26 passes for 90 yards and three touchdowns. Junior Jorrian Washington (Los Angeles, Calif.) rushed for a team-high 85 yards, and senior Antwon Chisholm (Belle Glade, Fla.) rushed for 66 yards.

"Bryan's a true freshman, but he's real calm and laid back," Rose said. "We've put in a new offense, and we have a new offensive coordinator (in Michael Villagrana)."

Chisholm was also key on the Pirates' final drive, running the Wildcat as Hampton marched down the field before freshman Anthony Prevost (Chesterfield, Va.) kicked a 31-yard field goal with 2:09 left on the clock to put Hampton up 31-26.

The defense had set up that drive by turning N.C. A&T over on downs, and the Pirates defense stepped up again after the field goal, forcing the Aggies into a three-and-out before taking the final knee.

"We've got a good secondary," Rose said. "You throw the ball on us, we can make some plays."

Unlike much of the season, the Pirates struck first on Saturday when Bailey threw a 12-yard strike to Chisholm to cap off a 12-play, 80-yard drive and give the Pirates a 7-0 lead with 8:51 left in the first quarter.

The Aggies (3-2, 1-2 MEAC) got on the board with 4:31 left in the first quarter, when the Pirates lined up to punt and the snap sailed out of the end zone for a safety. N.C. A&T then cut the lead to 7-5 with 1:42 left in the first quarter on a 42-yard field goal by Cody Jones.

N.C. A&T took a 12-7 lead with 10:38 left in the second quarter after Tarik Cohen ran in from 29 yards.

The Pirates responded later in the quarter, when sophomore Aaron Matthews (Hampton, Va.) intercepted Lewis Kindle and returned it 19 yards for the score to give Hampton a 14-12 lead.

Kindle was picked off again later in the quarter by senior Justin Blake (Piscataway, N.J.), who returned the ball 64 yards to set the Pirates up in the red zone. Hampton needed just one play, as Bailey hit Washington from 18 yards to put the Pirates up 21-12.

The Aggies were forced to punt deep in their own territory toward the end of the first half, and the Pirates wound up with the ball on the N.C. A&T 7-yard line with 18 seconds left. Bailey floated a pass into the corner of the end zone, which Leon Shorter (Fort Pierce, Fla.) hauled in with seven seconds on the clock to send Hampton into the half up 28-12.

The Aggies began mounting their comeback late in the third quarter, capping off a three-play, 97-yard drive with an 81-yard shovel pass from Kindle to Cohen to cut the lead to 28-19.

N.C. A&T cut the lead to 28-26 with 13:38 left in the contest, when Bryan Houston picked off Bailey and returned it 24 yards for the touchdown.

The Aggies outgained Hampton 419-246, but the Pirates took advantage of three N.C. A&T turnovers.

Blake led the Pirates defense with 14 total tackles, while sophomore Denzel Heath (Charlotte, N.C.) added 12 tackles. Senior Delbert Tyler (Monroeville, Pa.) and sophomore Joshua Thorne (Oxon Hill, Md.) had 11 and 10 tackles, respectively.

Heath also had a team-high 2.0 sacks.

The Pirates will return to action on Saturday, when they head to Dick Price Stadium for the annual Battle of the Bay against rival Norfolk State at 1 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.