Savannah, Ga. -- Down, but not out, Savannah State University fought to stay within striking distance of Edward Waters before kicker Kenneth Lockhart's 37-yard field goal attempt with an unlucky 13 seconds left struck the right upright.
The Tigers fell to the private university from Jacksonville, Fla., 26-25, after a wild final 10 minutes in a Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference thriller at Theodore A. Wright Stadium.
"We have kids who love this game and want to fight," SSU coach Aaron Kelton said. "They did a great job of giving it all they've got. It's unfortunate we lost the game."
It was the Tigers' second straight heartbreaking setback. They dropped a 15-12 decision to Albany State a week earlier in Brunswick.
This time, the Tigers had to contend with a 464-yard offensive performance by EWU -- 338 through the air by quarterback Jyron Russell.
Russell's second TD pass, an 18-yarder to Johnny Jones, proved to be the game-winner with 1:22 left.
But a lot happened before and after that score.
SSU trailed by two touchdowns eight minutes into the game. But quarterback Jadon Adams hooked up with Brent Carr for scoring tosses of 17, 6 and 64 yards.
"We knew we were down but as long as there's time on the clock, we never thought it was over," Adams said. "It didn't end the way we wanted, but we'll go back to the drawing board."
Adams' third TD pass to Carr, on a third-and-15 play, pulled the Tigers within 20-18, only minutes after EWU's Irving Friedman missed a 23-yard field goal try.
SSU failed on a two-point conversion try to tie the game, but got the ball right back three plays later when cornerback Deandre Creary intercepted Russell and returned it to EWU 24.
Five plays later, Shamarcus Poole powered in from the 2 and SSU had its first lead, 25-20, with 4:52 left.
But Edward Waters answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive, culminating with the Russell to Jones game-winning score.
It was Jones' 11th catch of the game for 119 yards.
Savannah State still had time, however. The Tigers picked up a key first down on fourth-and-4 from the 37 when EWU was whistled for offsides.
Adams' runs of 4 and 2 yards moved the ball to the 26 and Lockhart came out for a 43-yard field goal try with 20 seconds left on third down.
Kelton said his team didn't have any timeouts remaining although the scoreboard showed differently.
In a stunning turn of events, SSU faked the field-goal attempt and holder Demeke Colbert took the snap and sprinted six yards before getting out of bounds with 13 seconds left.
The extra yardage gave Lockhart a 37-yard kick, most likely for the win.
"It was just unfortunate I pushed it to the right," Lockhart said. "It felt clean. The operation was clean."
"He makes that 49 out of 50 times," Kelton said.
Adams completed 18-of-32 with 237 passing yards and 3 TDs and ran for 45 yards. Carr caught three passes for 87 yards and three scores. Poole had nine rushes for 43 yards and a touchdown.
The game didn't begin well for SSU. Russell led a passing attack that accumulated 187 yards in the first half and scored on three of its first four possessions.
EWU converted three third-down plays while marching 79 yards for a touchdown on its first possession. The scoring play, however, came with a fortunate bounce. Russell completed a 24-yard pass to Nathan Rembert to the SSU 5. Rembert fumbled, but Jones gobbled up the loose ball in the end zone.
A 58-yard pass from Russell to De'Shaun Hugee on the next Edward Waters' possession to set up the visitors at SSU's 11. Three plays later, Russell plowed in from the 2 to make it 13-0.
Adams and Carr responded with a 17-yard TD pass to cut the lead to 13-6.
EWU came back midway through the second quarter with a 23-yard TD pass from Russell to Yanez Rogers to make it 20-6.
Just before the half, SSU marched back with a 15-play, 70-yard drive with Adams and Carr teaming for a 6-yard TD pass play to make it 20-12.
The team battled through a scoreless third quarter before the wild finish.
"We'll be OK, we have plenty of games left," Kelton said. "We just have to keep on fighting."
