Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga. - Savannah State University scored the game's first points when freshman linebacker Marquis Smith returned a South Carolina State fumble for a 36-yard touchdown, but South Carolina State redshirt senior quarterback Richard Cue threw four touchdown passes and ran for two touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs to a 45-9 victory Saturday at T.A. Wright Stadium.
 
South Carolina State improved to 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, while SSU fell to 1-9, 0-6. A Senior Day crowd of 2,630 watched as SSU's 12 seniors played the final home game of their careers. They were honored during an on-field ceremony before kickoff.
 
"We got physically beat today," SSU first-year head coach Earnest Wilson III said. "Their size, their strength. They didn't do anything great. They stayed steady. They stayed steady at what they did. Offensively, we just never got started.
 
"They're good. I'm not going to take anything away from them. They're a good football team. They're well-coached. We've just got to get after it. People need to understand that right now we don't have the depth. We don't have the strength. But you know what? We're going to get all that."
 
South Carolina State's first possession of the game ended when Cue completed a 6-yard pass to senior wide receiver Tyler McDonald, who fumbled when he was hit by SSU sophomore defensive back Wayne Johnson. Smith scooped up the ball and returned it for a 36-yard touchdown, giving the Tigers a 6-0 lead with 11 minutes, 11 seconds left in the first quarter. The extra-point attempt failed because of a bad snap and senior holder Jake Durham was tackled with the ball.
 
"Wayne Johnson made a good play," Smith said. "I saw the ball, picked it up and scored. Nobody was over there with me. It was just me, Wayne and the receiver. He made a good play on the ball and made him fumble it. And when you see daylight you've got to take advantage of it."
 
South Carolina State answered with a three-play, 57-yard scoring drive that took only 32 seconds to complete. Cue threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to McDonald, and redshirt senior Nick Belcher kicked the extra point, giving the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead with 10:30 left in the first quarter.
 
Cue finished 15-of-25 passing for 163 yards and four touchdowns. He was intercepted one time by SSU junior defensive end David Adebiyi. Cue also was South Carolina State's leading rusher with 17 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman running back Justin Taylor carried 28 times for 127 yards.
 
South Carolina State finished with 275 yards rushing on 57 carries compared to SSU's minus-12 yards on 28 carries.
 
SSU's first play of the second quarter was a 50-yard pass from senior quarterback Antonio Bostick to senior wide receiver Simon Heyward, who made an outstanding diving catch. Four plays later, freshman John Barron kicked a 22-yard field goal to give the Tigers a 9-7 lead with 12:54 left before halftime.
 
"Their defense was run-stop, first, and we knew we could get some receivers behind them," Bostick said. "We took a shot and I wish I would've just put a little more air under (the pass). Simon made an outstanding catch."
 
Bostick finished 11-of-23 passing for 105 yards. He was sacked five times. Bostick was replaced by redshirt freshman Leon Prunty, who finished 1-of-2 passing for four yards to go with a fumble. Freshman Zach Hutcheson and Durham also took snaps at quarterback but Hutcheson's only pass was incomplete and Durham did not attempt a pass.
 
South Carolina State regained the lead on Cue's 14-yard touchdown pass to redshirt senior wide receiver Caleb Davis. Belcher kicked the extra point to make it 14-9 with 7:16 left before halftime. The 14-play, 68-yard drive consumed 5:31.
 
With 5:16 to go in the second quarter, Cue ran a bootleg play for a 32-yard touchdown and Belcher kicked the extra point, giving the Bulldogs a 21-9 lead that stood at halftime.
 
"We got comfortable with ourselves and that's not the way to go as a college athlete and as a competitor," Bostick said. "And it showed on the scoreboard. Those guys went out there and handled business."
 
Heyward led SSU with three catches for 56 yards, including the 50-yard grab, but all in the first half.
 
In the third quarter, Cue connected with McDonald for a 42-yard gain to SSU's 1-yard line. Two plays later, Cue threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to redshirt sophomore tight end Temarrick Hemingway, who was wide open in the end zone. Belcher kicked the extra point to give South Carolina State a 28-9 lead.
 
Cue struck again with 3:10 left in the third quarter, tossing a 3-yard touchdown pass to Hemingway. Belcker kicked the extra point for a 35-9 lead. The 14-play drive covered 73 yards and chewed 6:15 off the game clock.
 
In the fourth quarter, SSU's Prunty fumbled during a sack and South Carolina State freshman linebacker Michael Wilson recovered at SSU's 24-yard line. Six plays later, Belcher kicked a 23-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 38-9 lead with 12:09 left in the game.
 
South Carolina State made it 45-9 with 2:13 to play when Cue ran for a 2-yard touchdown and Belcher kicked the extra point, capping a 10-play, 57-yard drive that consumed 4:42.
 
South Carolina State dominated the time of possession, controlling the ball for 34:43 compared to SSU's 25:17.
 
SSU will play its final two games on the road. The Tigers will travel to Washington, D.C., to play Howard University at 1 p.m. next Saturday. On Nov. 16, SSU will finish its season against North Carolina A&T at 1 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C.
 
SSU's Smith and senior linebacker Micah Blount led the Tigers in tackles with 12 apiece. Dixon made 11 tackles. Freshman linebacker Marcus Lee registered a sack.