Savannah State stayed unbeaten in the SIAC outscoring their host Morehouse 17-10 at B.T. Harvey Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
The win allowed Savannah State to tie the series 15-15.
The game started off exciting with both teams playing well, but then it turned into a defensive battle. Savannah State’s defense made a great goal-line stand and got a lucky call in their favor.
Towards the end of the game, Morehouse had a chance to score and tie it up. Down 17-10 with 8 minutes left on the clock, Michael Sims was called in from the bullpen to replace starting quarterback Jalen Brown. Sims completed a 30-yard pass to Tremell Gooden, bringing Morehouse close to scoring. A crackback block penalty turned a third-and-2 attempt into a third-and-12. The additional yards proved difficult to overcome for the Maroon Tigers offense.
Savannah State’s defense, which had been strong throughout the game, held off Morehouse’s offense and secured the win in the final minutes.
In terms of stats, Savannah State’s defense allowed Morehouse to gain only 82 rushing yards but gave up 220 passing yards. They also recorded two sacks and one interception for a touchdown. Morehouse had a total of 302 yards. Savannah State’s offense had 158 rushing yards and 33 passing yards for a total of 191.
John Wilson led Savannah State’s defense with 9 tackles. D’Angleo Durham and Quentavious Wilson were the top rushers for the Tiger offense with 66 and 51 yards, respectively.
Jalen Brown was the leading passer for Morehouse with 127 yards on 9 completions. Michael Sims had 93 passing yards. Santo Dunn led Morehouse’s rushing game with 51 yards, followed by Frank Bailey with 35.
In the first quarter, Morehouse started strong and scored a touchdown on their opening drive. They had a big 48-yard reception, which set them up for a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Frank Bailey. With a successful extra point, Morehouse took a 7-0 lead.
Savannah State had difficulty moving the ball in their first drive but managed to get on the scoreboard with a 55-yard touchdown run by John Wilson just before the end of the first quarter. This brought the score to 10-7 in favor of Morehouse.
In the second quarter, Savannah State’s Adorian Beach intercepted a pass and returned it for a 25-yard touchdown. This gave Savannah State a 14-10 lead early in the quarter.
The rest of the second quarter was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams struggling to get into scoring range. With only 4 seconds left in the half, Savannah State’s Giovanni Lugo kicked a 27-yard field goal, extending their lead to 17-10.
Neither team scored in the second half, and the game ended with Savannah State winning 17-10.
Overall, it was a hard-fought game with strong defensive performances from both teams. Savannah State’s win gave them their third consecutive victory of the season.
Game Photos
All photos c. Jason McDonald, JM Photography for CORE360 Sports