AUGUSTA, Ga.- Whenever Savannah State and Fort Valley State played in their previous 57 meetings, records were thrown out of the window because the teams were going to battle as if a championship was on the line.

On Saturday afternoon at the Good Trouble Heritage Classic at Augusta's David Dupree Stadium on the campus of Laney High School, the fans were treated to a defensive battle where the Wildcats walked away with a 7-0 win over Savannah State.

Because of a logistics issue, the game started nearly an hour late but in the meantime as the smells of BBQ and fried fish filled the air, both university bands kept the crowd of 3,200 entertained with an early version of the Fifth Quarter Show.

Neither team scored an offensive touchdown and neither squad finished the afternoon with 200 yards of offense.

Fort Valley State's Blue Death Defense held SSU's offense to just 93 yards while the Tigers defense, which entered the contest ranked 15th in Division II in rush defense and 21st in total defense, limited FVSU to 175 yards.

The lone score of the game came after Donte Curry returned a 50-yard punt by Lucas Edenfield 76-yards for a touchdown with 9:41 left in the first quarter.

Both teams had their chances to put more points on the scoreboard but came away empty.

In the first quarter, the Wildcats drove to the SSU 16 but missed a 26-yard field goal and in the third quarter, FVSU made their way to the Tigers 21 before having their 31-yard field goal attempt hit the uprights.

Savannah State started a drive in the second quarter at the Wildcats 38 following a 13-yard punt by FVSU, but the Tigers lost yards due to quarterback Fabian Walker getting sacked twice for six and 12 yards. On their next possession, SSU advanced to the Fort Valley State 34 but Walker's pass that was intended for Cinsere Clark was intercepted at the 20 yard line. Midway in the third quarter, the Tigers were at the FVSU 34 but a six-yard loss by David Gardner, Jr. who was lined up in the shotgun, put the ball back at the 40-yard line.

After stopping the Fort Valley State offense in the fourth quarter, the Tiger offense had two more opportunities to score with just over three minutes remaining but both possessions ended with interceptions.

It is the second year in a row that Fort Valley State has kept the Tigers from scoring.

The game was a homecoming for Augusta natives Joseph Hampton, Christopher Murray, Tony Rountree Jr. and Kirk Smith and Grovetown resident Zavion Leggett.

Hampton finished the day with 55 all-purpose yards while Murray was in on two tackles and a forced fumble and Rountree added four tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack.

Savannah State ended the game with 26 yards on the ground and 67 through the air.

Walker finished with 29 yards passing and a interception, Jadon Adams ran for 32 yards and Jamal Hill caught one pass for 20 yards.

Darrian Bell led the defense with ten tackles, one tackle for loss and a sack while Edenfield averaged 45.5 yards on his ten punts which included a career-long of 69 yards. Four of his punts went at least 50 yards and three pinned the Wildcats inside the 20 yard line.

The Tigers (3-4, 2-3 SIAC) will return home on October 25to face Morehouse in their annual Homecoming game at Theodore A. Wright Stadium at 3 p.m.

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