SAVANNAH, Ga. — Savannah State University needed one more win to secure a .500 season. Instead, the Tigers saw their season end in heartbreak on Saturday afternoon, falling 16-13 to Benedict College in double overtime on Senior Day at Ted Wright Stadium.

The loss stung more than most.  The crowd of 3,880 saw Savannah State's seniors walk off their home field for the final time after a back-and-forth battle that showcased the team's growth and grit. Quarterback Fabian Walker, who entered the game at the start of the second quarter, led a late rally to force overtime, but Benedict escaped with the walk-off score.

"If you gotta motivate them to keep playing, then something's wrong," head coach Aaron Kelton said. "They kept playing hard."

Benedict struck first on their second possession in the opening quarter with a short touchdown pass from Darius Ocean to Malaqhi Jones for a 7-0 lead with 5:30 showing on the clock. From there, Savannah State's defense dug in, forcing turnovers and holding the Tigers from Columbia, South Carolina to three missed field goals. Safety James Shellman, IV,  linebacker Gary Davis, Jr. and defensive back Kevin Stokes, Jr. each came up with key interceptions that kept the game close.

Shellman picked off a pass with just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter when Benedict was driving in the SSU red zone while Davis' interception was at the SSU 10 early in the fourth quarter and Stokes' interception came late in the contest.

The Tigers offense struggled early, rotating quarterbacks and punting from deep in their own territory before Walker found his footing in the second quarter. He connected with Cinsere Clark (16 yards) and TaDarius Vaughn (14 and 17 yards) for a pair of first downs on different possessions, but came away without any points on both drives.

Benedict took a 7-0 lead into intermission.

On Savannah State's first drive of the second half, running back Joseph Hampton broke loose for a 62-yard run down the left sideline and was brought down at the Benedict one yard line. The Tigers offense stalled in the red zone and came away with no points with Jimmy Tran's 27-yard field goal attempt getting blocked.

"This team, we've been through a lot," Walker said. "You win some, you lose some, but at the end of the day, you've got to keep playing."

Savannah State's defense continued to deliver, forcing turnovers and limiting big plays.
After Benedict missed a 44-yard field goal attempt, SSU's offense took over.

Backed up at their own 27 with under three minutes to play, Walker dropped back and found Vaughn on a short route. The receiver turned upfield, split two defenders and raced 74 yards before being tackled at the 4-yard line. One play later, Hampton powered in off the right side for a four-yard touchdown. Tran's extra point tied it 7-7 with just over 2:05 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Benedict threatened in the final seconds, driving inside Savannah State territory, but Kevin Stokes, Jr. intercepted Ocean's pass at the two-yard line to send the game to overtime.

In the first overtime, Benedict settled for a 27-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead. Savannah State answered with a clutch throw from Walker to Clark that covered 21-yards that moved the ball to the two-yard line. The Tigers couldn't punch it in, but Tran drilled a 27-yard kick to tie the game at 10-10.

In the second overtime, Tran connected again, this time from a career-high 44 yards, to give Savannah State its first lead of the day at 13-10. But Benedict responded immediately. On the first play of its possession, Triston Morgan lined up in the shotgun and broke through the middle and sprinted 25 yards for the game-winning touchdown.

Afterward, Kelton said his message to the team was simple: growth and gratitude.

"Respect the game, respect who you are, respect the opportunities you have," he said. "This game doesn't last forever. Get the most out of each and every day."

Walker, who finished the contest completing 14 of 19 passes for 211-yards, said the experience will fuel next season.

"Everybody's coming back bigger, faster, stronger," he said. "Closer chemistry. Everybody just getting a little better over the summer."

Walker, who transferred to SSU from Iowa Western Community College, ended the year as the Tigers leading passer, throwing for 754 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions in seven games. He did not want to send the seniors out with a loss.

"It didn't end the way we wanted it to," Walker said, "but all I can do is thank our seniors. We love them, and they've grown as men over this."

Hampton added 82 yards and a touchdown on the ground while Vaughn had three receptions for a game-high 90 yards and Clark chipped in five catches for 75 yards.

Hampton carried the ball 845 times for a team-leading 438 yards this season while Calrk hauled in 50 receptions for 641 yards and four touchdowns.

Darrian Bell was in on 13 tackles and two tackles for loss. The Louisville transfer led SSU on the season with 93 tackles.

It was the final game in a Savannah State uniform for 24 seniors.

Playing their last game at SSU were Tony Rountree Jr., Tavare Brewton, James Shellman, IV, Christian Burks, Braylon Fowler, Ahlik Booker, Joseph Hampton, Uchenna Nwoha, Gary Davis, Jr., Zyaire Williams, Ameer Phillips, Darrian Bell, Jimmy Tran, David Gardner, Jr., William Jones, Christian Hubbard, Julius Gomes, Jadon Adams, Nathaniel Chisholm, James McGlaun, Amiri Johnson, Micah Monds, Brandon Lane and Khalifa Sene.

Also being recognized were offensive assistant Derry Perkins and defensive assistant Randall Moss as well as senior football managers Kerri Washington, Courtney Johnson and Jayla Dennis.

"It's a special group of seniors who have worked their tail off for us," Kelton said. "I'm proud of them."

Savannah State ends the 2025 campaign with a 4-6 overall record and a 3-5 mark in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Paul Holm contributed to this story.

Stay Connected
For complete coverage of Savannah State University Athletics, follow the Tigers on social media @SavStateTigers on Facebook, Instagram, and X (Formerly Known As Twitter), or visit the official online home of SSU Athletics at http://ssuathletics.com.