LAKELAND, Fla.- Savannah State University opened the 2023 football season with a 23-20 win over Southeastern University in a game played at Victory Field on September 2, 2023.
A 42-yard field goal by Southeastern's Joel McGrath gave the Fire a 20-16 lead with 6:49 left in the fourth quarter. SSU answered with a 12-play, 66-yard drive that was capped when
Jadon Adams scored on a quarterback sneak with 1:30 left.
Kenneth Lockhart tacked on the extra point to give the Tigers a 23-20 lead. The big play on the possession was when
Da'Shun Mitchell caught a 10-yard pass from Adams on a fourth and three situation which gave SSU a first and goal at the Southeastern 10. After a holding penalty backed the Tigers to the 20-yard line, Adams connected with
Demeke Colbert for a 18-yard pass play to the Southeastern two-yard line to set up Adams' touchdown.
On their next possession, the Fire took the ball from their own 25 and marched to the Savannah State 20 yard line. With seven seconds remaining, McGrath attempted a game-tying field goal from 37-yards out but it went wide right to give SSU the win.
Savannah State's first touchdown of the evening came as a result of a defensive turnover.
Tiger defensive back
Kirk Smith picked off a Henry Austad pass at the Southeastern 30 and returned it seven yards to give SSU a first and ten at the Southeastern 23. It took seven plays for SSU to find the endzone as Adams tossed a nine-yard touchdown pass to
Brent Carr with 1:05 left in the opening quarter. Lockhart's extra point was blocked and the Tigers led 6-0.
On the following Southeastern possession, SSU's
Deon Bell forced Daniel Parker to fumble the ball and it was recovered by
Kirk Smith at the 18-yard line, with 47 seconds remaining in the first quarter.
The result of the turnover was a four-yard touchdown run by
Shamarcus Poole with 13:19 left in the second quarter. Lockhart's extra point was good and the Tigers held a 13-0 lead.
Midway in the quarter, SSU's
Deandre Creary intercepted a pass thrown by Southeastern's Nate Hayden and returned it 14 yards to the Southeastern 27. The Tigers failed to score a touchdown but got three points out the deal thanks to a 36-yard field goal from Lockhart with 5:03 remaining in the half for a 16-0 cushion.
On their next possession, Savannah State sophomore running back
Joseph Hampton fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Southeastern's Thomas Ibrahim at the SSU 19.
The SSU defense stood their ground and only allowed a 32-yard field goal by McGrath with 30 seconds left in the half to cut Savannah State's lead to 16-3. A key play on the drive was a sack of the Southeastern quarterback by SSU linebacker
Tavare Brewton which moved the ball from the seven to the 15-yard line on fourth down.
Southeastern (0-1) closed their deficit in the third quarter with touchdowns at the 6:58 and 4:22 marks to take a 17-16 lead.
The Fire was driving to add to their lead midway in the fourth quarter. Southeastern's Davonte William ran the ball to the SSU one but Tiger linebacker Uchenna Nswoha forced and recovered a fumble at the one.
For the game, Savannah State (1-0) amazed 194 yards of offense. Adams completed 14 of 34 attempts for 124 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Poole anchored the ground game with 34 yards and a touchdown. Carr had three receptions for 37 yards and a score. Brewton led the defense with ten tackles and a sack.
Southeastern had 241 yards of offense with 168 coming through the air.
Savannah State, who ended the 2022 season on a two-game win streak, will hope to make it four in a row on September 9 against Bethune-Cookman University.
The Wildcats (0-1) will enter the contest coming off a 56-14 loss to Memphis. Kickoff will take place at 4 p.m. at Municipal Stadium in Daytona Beach, Florida.
