MIAMI — Balanced scoring and staunch defense carried the Northeastern A&M Golden Norsemen to a 53-23 victory Thursday night over the Texas Institute A&T Drillers at Red Robertson Field.
Attempting to make a statement before the start of Southwest Football Conference play next week, the Norse are 1-1 on the season. The upstart Drillers from Houston are 0-2 on the year.
Two 7-yard touchdown runs by transfer quarterback Markland Waldman along with a 6-yard TD pass from Waldman to Mike'Quan Deane and a 19-yard field goal by Gabriel Rui propelled the Norse to a 24-0 lead through one quarter.
Touchdown runs of 4 and 1-yard by Cameron Booty and a 38-yard field goal by Rui allowed NEO to carry a 31-10 advantage to the locker room at half.
Booty added a nifty 65-yard touchdown pass from Waldman as the Norsemen built a 48-17 spread entering the final 15 minutes.
After Rui nailed a 44-yard field goal in the first minute, the Drillers scored on a 12-yard pass from Alfred Scott to Keyshawn Johnson.
NEO cornerback Chris Bishop intercepted the two-point conversion pass from Scott and returned it 100 yards for NEO's final points.