SAVANNAH, Ga. - It's 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and Earnest Wilson III has just gotten off the phone with a football recruit. Another caller asks Savannah State University's first-year head coach what he thinks about Las Vegas odds makers making his Tigers 60-point underdogs against the Miami Hurricanes.
 
"I thought we were ahead by 60 points!" Wilson said, laughing and feigning shock about the point spread. "I can't believe they have us as underdogs, man!"
 
Despite the long hours of work and the tough task ahead, it's refreshing to hear Wilson is maintaining his sense of humor and perspective.
 
SSU (1-2), a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in the Football Championship Subdivision, will play up a level when it faces Miami (2-0), a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in the Football Bowl Subdivision, at 7 p.m. Saturday at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla. The game will be Internet broadcast by ESPN3.com and it will be carried on the radio by WHCJ 90.3 FM.
 
Miami, ranked No. 16 in The Associated Press poll, had a bye last week and has had two weeks to prepare for SSU. The then-unranked Hurricanes beat then-No. 12 Florida, 21-16, on Sept. 7 after Miami defeated Florida Atlantic, 34-6, in its season opener.
 
SSU is coming off a 27-20 victory over NCAA Division II Fort Valley State last Saturday night. The Tigers suffered a 66-3 loss at Troy (Ala.) University, an FBS program, and a 77-9 defeat at Georgia Southern in both teams' season opener.
 
Last season, Oklahoma State beat SSU, 84-0, in the season opener. The following week, Florida State defeated the Tigers, 55-0, in a game that ended with 8:59 remaining in the third quarter because of lightning. SSU has been outscored, 205-3, in three games against
FBS teams (Troy, FSU and Oklahoma State).
 
Wilson said his biggest hope is that his Tigers position themselves to win throughout the game, continue to improve and emerge without any injuries heading into conference play.
 
"Knock on wood, none of us have been hurt in the first two games we played," he said. "The one game where someone did end up getting hurt was Fort Valley. Nobody got hurt in the other two games. (Trevion) Ashford, our linebacker, he's the only one who's out (shoulder injury). We'll move (Justin) Dixon around (to fill Ashford's void.)"
 
The biggest problems for SSU are a lack of depth and inexperience, Wilson said. "We've got two freshmen and two sophomores on the offensive line," he said, referring to freshmen Chidi Onwuzuruoha and Afolabi Ayangbayi, and sophomores Devin Stainrod and Jabari Kilcrease.
 
BOSTICK TO START AT QB
SSU senior Antonio Bostick will start at quarterback against Miami, Wilson said. Bostick threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns against Fort Valley State. He also ran for the game-winning touchdown.
 
"I thought Bostick was the most explosive quarterback we had (against FVSU)," Wilson said. "But (redshirt freshman Leon) Prunty should see some time also (against Miami)."
 
ENJOYING BEATING FVSU
With last Saturday's victory, SSU improved to 12-35-4 in its rivalry with Fort Valley State. Wilson said he thoroughly enjoyed watching his players celebrate with alumni and fans after the Tigers rallied in the final 4 minutes, 31 seconds, to win the game after SSU's special teams unit blocked a punt, the offense scored a touchdown and the defense intercepted a pass in the end zone as time expired.
 
"I've had plenty of victories," Wilson said. "The great thing was to see all of the young men and the fans happy. That just made me happy. I saw a little student manager and he was so excited. He was jumping up and down. I thought that was the funniest thing.
 
That's what coaching and helping out young people is all about."
 
MEAC HONORS WILSON
SSU senior cornerback John Wilson is this week's Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Fort Valley State.
Wilson, who shares the honor with South Carolina State linebacker Joe Thomas, intercepted three passes for 28 yards against FVSU. He also made five tackles and broke up a pass.
 
Wilson also was named Cornerback of the Week by Beyond Sports Network, and he was an honorable mention selection for Defensive Back Performer of the Week by College Football Performance Awards.
 
VEALS HONORED
SSU sophomore running back Lereginald Veals is this week's Kickoff Returner Performer of the Week by College Football Performance Awards.
 
Veals returned a Fort Valley State kickoff for a 92-yard touchdown, the third-longest since SSU became a Division I institution in 2002.
 
MIAMI OUTLOOK
With the Hurricanes looming, Wilson said he and his staff only spent a few hours enjoying the victory over Fort Valley State.
 
"We began preparing for Miami on Sunday, looking at them (on film) and trying to figure out what we can do against them, and how we can continue to improve," he said.
The Hurricanes are ranked second in the nation in red-zone defense, allowing one rushing touchdown and three field goals in eight trips inside the 20-yard line.
 
Miami quarterback Stephen Morris, a senior, has 6,180 career passing yards. He is 38 yards shy of No. 10 Jim Kelly in the Hurricanes' record book.
 
Wilson said he expects Miami to throw and run. He also believes the Hurricanes' starters will play well into the second half.
 
"People think they're going to play their second- and third-string. I don't think they are," he said. "I've heard they only plan to play 19 guys on defense. Coach (Al) Golden is saying the same things we're saying about improving. Coach Golden was put in a tough situation with some of those kids, and I know he's trying to develop within them a sense of character and make them understand that they've got to compete for a job every week.
 
"When I get some more depth, especially on the offensive line, my guys are really going to have to compete every week. We have the plays to beat people."
 
TIES THAT BIND
Besides coaching games while wearing ties, SSU's Wilson and Miami's Golden share ties to Penn State.
 
Wilson was an offensive graduate assistant for the Nittany Lions in 1993-94. Golden was a tight end for Joe Paterno from 1989-91.
 
"I think it's cool anytime Joe's guys get together," Wilson said.
 
AFTER THE HURRICANES
SSU will begin MEAC competition at 6 p.m. Sept. 28 against Delaware State University at T.A. Wright Stadium.