Johnson, Burns guide Prairie View A&M to big lead and hold off Texas A&M Commerce

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (AP) — Jaden Johnson threw for three touchdowns and James Burns accounted for 215 total yards and three touchdowns and Prairie View A&M beat Texas A&M-Commerce 34-27 in a non-conference game on Saturday.

Johnson threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Shemar Savage to end the game’s first drive. Texas A&M-Commerce turned it over on downs in five plays on its first possession and then Johnson threw a 59-yard touchdown to Burns for a 14-0 lead.

After Luke Jackson kicked a 35-yard field goal to get the Lions on the board, Burns, a wide receiver, ran 76 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-3 with 3:53 left in the first quarter. Late in the third, Johnson threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Burns for a 31-6 advantage.

Burns’ three touches on the day netted two receptions for 139 yards and two touchdowns and one rush for 76 yards. Johnson threw for 236 yards.

Texas A&M-Commerce reserve quarterback Will Madonna came on in relief and threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He ran it in from the 1 with 37 seconds left for the game’s final score. The Panthers recovered the onside kick attempt to end it.

Prairie View A&M improved to 3-5 and the Lions fell to 1-7.

It was the first meeting between the two teams in 50 years.

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