Box Score JACKSON, Tenn.- Savannah State wanted to end their 2023 season on a positive note and that almost happened as the Tigers rallied from a three score deficit to tie the game and force overtime but would fall to Lane 27-21 in a game played at Lane Field on November 4, 2023.
 
The loss ends SSU's season with a 2-8 overall record and a 1-7 mark in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
 
It was Lane's first time beating Savannah State since 1968 and only their second win in 16 tries in the series.
 
The first half was a defensive battle with Lane taking a 7-0 advantage into the half.
 
Thanks to two Savannah State turnovers, Lane put up a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter which left the Tigers trailing 21-0 entering the fourth quarter.
 
Savannah State scored on three of their four possessions in the final 15 minutes of regulation to tie the game. All three scoring drives took less than three minutes.
 
Their first drive took 2:39 off the clock as Jadon Adams and Christian Burks teamed up to engineer a 8-play, 64-yard drive that was capped when Burks threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to tailback Shamarcus Poole, with 13:07 left in the final quarter. Adams had a 11-yard run and Julian Roberts had a 13-yard reception from Burks during the drive.
 
After the SSU defense forced Lane to a three and out, the crowd of 703 saw Allie Brown return the punt 22-yards to the Dragons 30- yard line.
 
The next Savannah State possession used 2:29 and took 6-plays and 30-yards as Burks threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Da'Shun Mitchell, with 7:57 showing on the clock. When the Tigers were faced with a third and eight from the Lane 28, Burks completed a 11-yard pass to Brown which gave SSU a first down at the Lane 17.
 
Lane's next possession lasted three plays and minus three yards, with SSU's William Jones sacking the Dragons quarterback for a 11-yard loss.
 
Brown returned the punt 38-yards for an apparent touchdown but it was called back due to SSU running into the kicker.
 
During the re-kick, Brown didn't score but his 23-yard return gave Savannah State a first and ten from the Lane 24.
 
Lasting two minutes and 48 seconds, the Tiger offense went back to work and the result was a 3-yard touchdown run by Brown with 2:29 remaining in the fourth quarter, to tie the game at 21. Brent Carr had a 16-yard reception on the scoring drive which gave SSU a first down at the Lane 10.
 
Lane's offense would be denied again in their next possession as the Tiger defense held them to 4-yards in 5 plays to force a punt.
 
Brown returned the punt 37-yards to the Dragons 30 but a block in the back penalty pushed the ball back to the SSU 20.
 
Needing to go 80-yards in 37 seconds, the Savannah State offense could only reach their own 46-yard line before time expired.
 
Lane had the ball first in overtime and scored a touchdown but the extra point was blocked by Tiger defensive back Ahlik Booker.
 
SSU's overtime possession lasted five plays.
 
Burks' first down pass attempt was incomplete. Adams had a 6-yard gain on second down which set up a third and four situation at the Lane 19 but Brown suffered a one-yard loss on the play. Faced with fourth and four from the 20, Burks' pass attempt to Carr fell incomplete and the game was over.
 
The SSU defense gave up 191 yards in the first half and 152 in the third quarter. But in the fourth quarter, the Tigers held the Lane offense to just one yard in 11 plays.
 
Just like the Savannah State defense, the Tiger offense woke up in the second half.
 
SSU produced just 41 yards in the opening half but exploded for 272 in the final two quarters of regulation.
 
The Tigers had a balanced offensive attack with 141 passing yards and 126 yards on the ground while Lane produced 374 yards of offense on the day.
 
SSU was also penalized eight times for 85 yards.
 
Burks had the best day of his young career by completing 11 of 17 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns and a interception. Poole ran for a season-high 72 yards while Carr caught three passes for 56 yards.
 
Gary Davis led the defense with nine tackles. Jones and Ameer Phillips each had a sack.
 
Kenneth Lockhart made all three of his extra point attempts and two of his three punts landed inside the 20 yard line.
 
Lane's win snapped a four game losing skid for the Dragons as they end their season 2-8 and 2-6 SIAC.
 
Asmar Hasan had 14 tackles for Lane's defense. Polo Solomon threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns for the offense while Kylan Duhe ran for 108 yards and a touchdown and Jacquez Jones hauled in 5 catches for 67 yards and a score.