Football 9/4/2021 10:55:00 AM

Game Central | Savannah State Football vs. #6 Valdosta State

GAME CENTRAL
Savannah State Tigers (0-0, 0-0 SIAC)
Vs.
#6 Valdosta State Blazers (0-0, 0-0 GSC)

TIME: 7 p.m., Sept. 4, 2021
LOCATION: Valdosta, Ga. | Basemore-Hyder Stadium
FLOSPORTS LIVE STREAM: https://bit.ly/2WMidIZ
RADIO: https://bit.ly/3mZMgYg
LIVE STATS: https://bit.ly/3DQ0a55
TIGERS ROSTER: https://bit.ly/3vhH0AN
TIGERS SCHEDULE: https://bit.ly/36Fmi3r

SAVANNAH STATE GAME NOTES: https://bit.ly/3kVK95a
VALDOSTA STATE GAME NOTES: https://bit.ly/3DNoiFC
FOLLOW ON SOCIAL: @SavStateTigers
HASHTAGS: #HailSSU | #SSU

VALDOSTA, Ga. – Savannah State football returns to the gridiron after a short 161 days to open a promising season against the toughest opponent the Tigers will see this year.

The Tigers last played on March 27, 2021—a game that counted in the 2020 record books. Savannah State set a new school record, beating Middle Georgia State 85-0 at Theodore A. Wright Stadium. But today might be a different story as they travel to Valdosta to face the No. 6 team in NCAA Division II.

Valdosta Head Coach Gary Goff has only lost one game since he took over the program in 2019. In his debut season, Valdosta State finished 10-1 with their only loss coming in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship. In Savannah State Head Coach Shawn Quinn's debut season, the Tigers recorded their first winning season since 1998, going 7-3 overall and 5-0 in SIAC action.

In the 2021 preseason Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) poll, the Tigers were voted to finish No. 1 in the SIAC East Division. In the same poll in 2019—their first season back in the conference—they were voted to finish in last.

Unlike Savannah State, Valdosta has not played a game since the 2019 season after their 2020 season was cancelled. The Tigers were able to schedule two spring games, playing against West Alabama on March 13 (L, 28-36) and Middle Georgia a week later.

The Tigers have returned 66 lettermen from that team in March and installed several freshman and walk-ons. They lost 14 to graduation. Valdosta State is 15-4 in home openers, historically. Savannah State is winless against Valdosta State in the team's five meetings. The last time Valdosta State and Savannah State met was Sept. 14, 1996. Valdosta won 21-7. Goff and Quinn have never coached against each other.

Following today's road opener, the Tigers return home for three consecutive games. They face Livingstone College on Sept. 11 before hosting back-to-back SIAC games against Benedict College (Sept. 18) and Morehouse College (Sept. 25).

Today's game will be streamed live on FloSports (FloFootball.com). For the first time in program history, nine of Savannah State's 10 games will be televised this season. Five games will appear on FloFootball and four games will be streamed on ESPN+.

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