Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga. -- An ineffective running game proved to be the weakness that hurt Savannah State in its 14-7 Homecoming loss to Norfolk State on Saturday.
 
A crowd of 5,268 at T.A. Wright Stadium watched as SSU (0-5 overall, 0-2 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) ran for minus-1 yard in the first half and finished the game with 13 yards on 23 carries. Meanwhile, Norfolk State (2-4, 2-0 MEAC) ran for 172 yards on 47 carries.
 
"When they try to shut you down with the pass, with certain coverages, you've got to make sure that you can run the ball," SSU head coach Earnest Wilson III said. "We're going to have to get stronger."
 
SSU fell to 1-9 in the series against Norfolk State, which came into the game leading the MEAC and ranked ninth in the nation in total defense, allowing 274.8 yards per game. SSU gained 252 yards total, including 239 yards passing.
 
"Our defense played a great game," said Wilson, whose Tigers allowed 316 yards total. "Our offense, we've got to run that ball as well as throw it. We're going to have to establish ourselves, offensively."
 
Norfolk State staked a 7-0 lead with 2:39 left in the first quarter when quarterback Tyler Clark threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaac White. Ryan Lee kicked the first of his two extra points to cap a 14-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 6 minutes, 30 seconds.
 
SSU answered on its ensuing possession. Cantrell Frazier returned the kickoff 54 yards to Norfolk State's 38-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Leon Prunty threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremiah Harris. John Barron kicked the extra point, tying the game at 14 with 1:39 remaining in the first quarter.
 
"I just started floating past the linebackers, and it was a play-action so they all came up (to the line of scrimmage) so there was a hole (in the secondary), and I just kept floating down to the hole," Harris said. "I came open and Prunty saw me so he hit me."
 
Said Prunty, "I just went through my progressions, as we practiced, and he came open. A guy that open, you can't miss him."
 
Prunty started at quarterback for the first time this season. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound sophomore from Stockbridge, Ga., was suspended during SSU's first 3 ½ games because of an undisclosed violation of team and university rules. He played in the second half against Delaware State and his performance convinced Wilson to start him against Norfolk State.
 
It proved to be a good decision, as Prunty finished 14-of-31 passing for a season-high 239 yards. He connected with Kris Drummond four times for a game-high 75 yards, and found Frazier three times for 70 yards.
 
Norfolk State made it 14-7 with 16 seconds left in the first quarter when Clark ran up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown. Two plays earlier, Clark threw to White for a 57-yard gain to SSU's 25-yard line.
 
Clark, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound redshirt junior who transferred from Old Dominion, finished 9-of-16 passing for 153 yards. He ran 19 times for a game-high 106 yards.
 
"At the end of the day, a loss is a loss," said SSU linebacker Marquis Smith, who made a game-high 14 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss. "You've still got to live with that when you go home. It doesn't matter if it's a blowout or a seven-point loss. I feel like a seven-point loss hurts worse than a blowout."
 
SSU's Barron missed a 34-yard field goal attempt wide left with 1 minute remaining before halftime.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, Norfolk State drove to SSU's 16-yard line but Aaron Daniels ran for a 6-yard gain and fumbled. SSU freshman defensive back Juwuan Tolbert recovered at the Tigers' 10-yard line.
 
SSU's lack of a running game was glowingly evident in the fourth quarter when the Tigers failed to earn a first down on fourth-and-1 from Norfolk State's 22-yard line with just more than 8:46 to play. SSU freshman running back Nicholas Bentley was stopped for no gain by Norfolk State linebacker Lynden Trail, a 6-foot-7, 260-pound redshirt senior who transferred from the University of Florida.
 
When SSU began its final drive with 3:50 remaining, the Tigers did not attempt to run the ball. The seven-play, 8-yard drive consisted of three incomplete passes by Prunty, two completions by Prunty and a sack for a 14-yard loss. During the sack, Prunty's helmet came off and, in accordance with NCAA rules, he had to sit out one play.
 
SSU called a timeout with 2:01 left, sent backup quarterback Tino Smith in and Smith threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-23.
 
"We've got to start putting together better drives and execute better on offense," said Wilson, whose Tigers will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to play Florida A&M at 5 p.m. Saturday. "It's a disappointing loss. You never want to lose on your Homecoming. You never want to disappoint your players or the fans."