NORMAL, Ala. -- Miles had trouble generating any offense and Alabama A&M took advantage of multiple short-field opportunities as the Bulldogs shut out the Golden Bears 37-0 Saturday in the season-opening Lewis Crews Classic.

The Golden Bears (0-1) played three quarterbacks and all of them had trouble moving the team downfield. Miles finished with just 115 yards of total offense as the Bulldogs (1-0) made a concentrated effort on stifling dynamic running back Justin Hardy, who finished with just 53 yards on 16 caries. More troubling was the passing attack, which completed just five passes for 35 yards. No receiver had more than one catch and Hardy had the most yards (nine).

Miles held up early defensively, led by junior linebacker Austin Stephens, who finished with a game-high 14 tackles (nine solo). But after holding AAMU to a single field goal for most of the opening quarter, a failure to get a fourth-down stop turned into a touchdown with 30 seconds left in the first quarter and the Bulldogs offense started to roll thereafter.

Alabama A&M led 24-0 at halftime with three of the four scoring drives covering 40 yards or less. The Bulldogs also held the Golden Bears to just 78 yards of offense and four first downs as quarterback Daniel Smith, in his first start, could not get it going. He finished just 3-of-11 for 21 yards and was ultimately replaced by Li'Jon Cordier and Joseph Cambridge, neither who fared much better. Smith did lead one drive, aided by bug runs from him and Hardy, and had the ball first-and-goal at the AAMU 10. But the Bulldogs defense rose to the challenge and forced a 44-yard field goal by Brady Hammel, which was short.

Antonio Evans had six tackles in his first collegiate game and Rodney Coleman had five tackles and an interception - the first by a Miles defensive back since 2016. Punter Jake Anderson averaged 38 yards on 10 punts, with two traveling more than 50 yards (59, 56).

The Golden Bears are back in action Thursday night, when they travel to face West Alabama. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.