Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga. - Two critical third-quarter plays left Savannah State University head coach Earnest Wilson III using a boxing reference following the Tigers' 42-28 home-opening loss to Fort Valley State University on Saturday night at T.A. Wright Stadium.
 
Wilson was referring to SSU quarterback Ker-Sean Wilson's pass that was intercepted in the end zone by FVSU's Karonte Donaldson with 7:57 remaining in the third quarter.
 
The Tigers' second-year coach also was talking about the ensuing play in which FVSU backup quarterback Otis Brown connected with Drelon Freeman for an 80-yard touchdown. Instead of SSU tying the game at 28, FVSU staked a 35-21 lead.
 
"It was a punch that took the breath out of us," Earnest Wilson said. "We're a team that's inexperienced and haven't yet glued together like we should have. I think that it really hurt. We tried to pick ourselves back up but we just lost focus."
 
FVSU (1-1) avenged a 27-20 loss it suffered against SSU last season at T.A. Wright Stadium. It remains the only victory for SSU's Earnest Wilson, whose Tigers (0-3) finished 1-11 last season.
 
SSU's athletic department asked fans to wear orange for an "Orange Out" at the game, and the Tigers debuted a new video scoreboard that was donated by Coca-Cola.
 
A crowd of 3,516 watched SSU never lead in the game and FVSU improve to 36-12-4 in the series.
 
"On offense, we've just got to pick it up," Earnest Wilson said. "No matter what the quarterback does … we've just got to grow up. We're young. We've got to grow up and make things happen."
 
The teams combined for 11 turnovers and 14 penalties for 126 yards. Fort Valley State lost five of its six fumbles, threw an interception and committed nine penalties for 91 yards. SSU threw four interceptions, lost it only fumble and was flagged five times for minus-35 yards.
 
FVSU's Kentorius Jackson forced SSU's Cantrell Frazier to fumble the opening kickoff and Jackson recovered at the Tigers' 15-yard line. On the next play, Jamar Smith ran for a 15-yard touchdown and Juan Serna kicked the first of his six extra points to give FVSU a 7-0 lead. 
 
SSU employed a two-quarterback rotation for a second consecutive game and Tino Smith II started at quarterback for a second straight game. Smith, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound freshman transfer from Fork Union Military Academy, finished 10-of-17 passing for 64 yards. He was intercepted once.
 
Ker-Sean Wilson, who started SSU's season opener against Middle Tennessee State, also saw action against FVSU. Wilson, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior transfer from Eastern Arizona Community College, finished 12-of-32 passing for 81 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
 
After FVSU took a 7-0 lead, SSU tied the game on Frazier's 9-yard touchdown run, which capped a 10-play, 75-yard drive. John Barron kicked the first of his four extra points.
 
"We just wanted to respond," said Frazier, who raced to the left side of the field dove into the end zone. "Nobody got their head down. Our offensive line did a great job blocking and it was just a great play written up by the coaches."
 
FVSU went up 14-7 on starting quarterback Malcolm Eady's 2-yard run up the middle with 4:21 left in the first quarter. Eady, a 6-foot, 210-pound junior from nearby Swainsboro, finished 6-of-12 passing for 65 yards.
 
In the second quarter, FVSU blitzed and SSU's Smith was intercepted by Jamar Gilyard, who rumbled for a 79-yard touchdown that put the Wildcats ahead 21-7.
 
SSU again responded, cutting the score to 21-14 thanks to Wilson's 11-yard touchdown pass to Frazier in the left corner of the end zone.
 
SSU's 6-play, 31-yard drive was set up thanks to the Tigers' defense. With 8:07 left before halftime, SSU's Edward Goubadia forced FVSU's Mario Cherry to fumble and Goubadia recovered at the Wildcats' 31-yard line. On fourth-and-1 at FVSU's 22-yard line, SSU's Wilson ran for a 2-yard gain to extend the drive.
 
"One of the positives is that our defense did make them turn over the ball many times," Earnest Wilson said. "We've just got to focus. We're such a young team and I thought they played hard. I'm very proud of our defense. They worked hard."
 
SSU's defense delivered again when Brandon Bailey hammered FVSU's Eady, jarring the ball loose, and SSU's Justin Dixon scooped it up and ran it back for a 7-yard touchdown that tied the game at 21 with 2:54 left before halftime.
 
"I saw the ball come out and I did what we're taught in practice, scoop and score," said Dixon, who made a game-high 12 tackles and recovered two fumbles. "We were able to fight back and that helped our confidence."
 
With 34 seconds left, FVSU's Serna attempted a 37-yard field goal that sailed wide left, sending the teams into halftime tied at 21.
 
FVSU capped a 10-play, 67-yard drive to start the third quarter when Jalen White dove into the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 28-21.
 
SSU tried to strike back but Wilson was intercepted by Donaldson in the end zone, and Brown connected with Freeman for the 80-yard touchdown on the ensuing play, giving the Wildcats a 35-21 lead with 7:43 left in the third quarter.
 
In the fourth quarter, Brown again found Freeman, this time for a 12-yard touchdown pass to give FVSU a 42-21 lead with 8:52 to play. Brown finished 5-of-12 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Freeman made five catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
 
SSU cut the score to 42-28 with 5:35 remaining when Wilson connected with Jeremiah Harris for a 26-yard touchdown. The drive was set up by SSU's Edward Baety, who two plays earlier intercepted Brown at SSU's 38-yard line and returned it 36 yards to FVSU's 26-yard line.
 
"Every game counts," Dixon said. "We don't want to lose any game. Now it's conference time. Times like this are when we've got to stick together and become a real family. Adversity sometimes will make you go harder."
 
SSU has a bye next Saturday. The Tigers will open Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play Sept. 27 against Delaware State at 6 p.m. in Dover, Del.
 
"Everybody is real upset about the loss but we're not going to let that be anything to hold us back," Frazier said. "We know we've just got to come closer together as a family and do whatever we need to do to turn this around."