WILBERFORCE, OH- On Saturday afternoon, the Savannah State football team had a balanced offensive attack. However, mistakes and missed opportunities costed the Tigers a chance at victory in a 21-10 loss to Central State in a game played October 14 in McPherson Stadium.
 
In fact, Savannah State outplayed the Marauders. SSU out-gained Central State (267 to 256) and had more possession time (31:41 to 28:19), more first downs (16 to 13) and ran more offensive plays (65 to 55). Where the Tigers shot themselves in the foot was making more mistakes that CSU. Savannah State threw an interception, fumbled the ball twice and had five penalties for 55 yards.
 
It was only the second meeting of the programs. Central State won the initial meeting in 2005, upsetting the Tiger 28-27 to spoil the SSU Homecoming festivities.
 
It was the Tigers fourth consecutive setback.
 
Central State used their first possession to drive to the Tigers eight yard line. A third down sack by Amiri Johnson pushed the ball back to the 15 which forced the Marauders to attempt a field goal from 32 yards but it was missed.
 
Savannah State took over and was creeping towards CSU territory when quarterback Jadon Adams was sacked and fumbled the ball. Carlos Carter scooped up the loose ball and rambled 32 yards for a score to give the Marauders a 7-0 lead with 5:34 left in the first quarter.
 
The Tigers answered with a seven-play, 40-yard drive that resulted in a 34-yard field goal from Kenneth Lockhart with 1:39 showing on the clock. The drive took 3:46 off the clock. Key plays on the drive was a 19-yard pass completion by Adams and a 13-yard run by Adams.
 
Adams fumbled the ball again on the next Savannah State possession at his own 32 but the Marauders could not take advantage of the SSU error.
 
The Tiger defense played well in the second quarter, holding Central State to just three net yards in their final four possessions in the quarter.
 
Central State led 7-3 at intermission.
 
Neither team put any points on the board in the third quarter, although Savannah State made its way to the CSU 18 before Adams had his pass intercepted by Jalil Lenore at the five-yard line.
 
Central State marched 90 yards on their next drive and capped it with a touchdown with 12:45 remaining in the contest for a 14-3 lead as Jeremiah Flores caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Kendall Boney.
 
The Tigers used four and a half minutes off the clock on their next drive to reach the Central State 32 but could not convert a fourth and 10 situation from the 36 yard line as Adams' pass to Elijah Stephens fell incomplete.
 
Central State took over at their 36 and went 64 yards in nine plays with a one-yard touchdown run with 2:27 left in the game for a 21-3 cushion, to please their Homecoming crowd.
 
Faced with a fourth and eight from the CSU 12, Adams scored on a 12-yard scamper on the following possession to cut the Tigers deficit to 21-10 for the last score of the game. Brent Carr had receptions of 17 and 19-yards during the drive.
 
Savannah State falls to 2-5 overall and 1-4 in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
The Tigers netted 113 yards on the ground with Shamarcus Poole getting 55 and Adams gaining 51. Adams completed 16 of 27 passes for 154 yards with a interception.Da'Shun Mitchell caught four passes for 56 yards.
 
William Jones had a career-high 11 tackles and two sacks for the SSU defense. Also getting sacks were Amiri Johnson, Deon Bell and Justin Gilbert. Johnson and Bell had six tackles and two tackles for loss apiece and Gilbert had four tackles.
 
Central State's defense was led by Mike White's 11 tackles, six tackles for loss and four sacks. The Marauder offense was paced by Boney who passed for 145-yards and a touchdown and Zay Price who ran for 69 yards. Flores had two receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown.
 
Savannah State will return home on October 21 to celebrate Homecoming against Tuskegee (5-2, 4-1 SIAC) at 3 p.m. in Theodore A. Wright Stadium.