THE GAME
Savannah State University returns home to host in-state rival Fort Valley State University in the Tigers annual Homecoming contest.
 
The Tigers will attempt to regroup and put on a good show for SSU alumni and supporters who will travel from far and near to root the Orange & Blue to victory.
 
Savannah State scored as the clock sounded against Morehosue a week ago so hopefully that momentum will carry over to this week's game.
 
Both teams enter this cat fight in need of a win to help revive their seasons. But when the Tigers and Wildcats meet, records can be thrown out the window because the teams will battle until the final whistle is blown.

GAME INFORMATION:
Fort Valley State (1-4, 0-3 SIAC) vs. Savannah State (1-5, 1-5 SIAC)
Homecoming 2026
Date: Saturday, October 17th
Time: 3:00pm
Location:Theodore A. "Ted" Wright Stadium | Savannah, Georgia
Game Notes: https://ssuathletics.com/documents/2026/10/13/2026_SSU_Football_Game_Notes.pdf

TICKET INFORMATION:
ALL Tickets For Saturday's Game, Including Parking Must Be Purchased Online At: SSUAthletics.com/Tickets

HEAD COACHES:
Fort Valley State: Marlon Watson: 5-10 (2nd Season)
Savannah State: Thomas Howard: 1-5 (1st Season)

WEATHER INFORMATION:
The first real tastes of fall will be felt in Savannah at kickoff. At present, temperatures are expected to be around 67° under mostly cloudy skies with winds blowing north at 16mph.

BROADCAST INFORMATION:
Live Stream: Savannah State Sports Network/SIAC Network
Broadcast Team: Terry Hines (Play-By-Play) | Curtis Foster (Color Commentary)

THOMAS HOWARD SHOW
Catch the "Thomas Howard Show" each Wednesday during the football season on YouTube. Hear directly from the Head Tiger as he breaks down the latest Tiger football action, previews the upcoming matchup, and takes you inside the program. Catch the latest episode HERE.
 
SERIES HISTORY
The first game between Savannah State and FVSU dates back to 1934 and the Wildcats hold a 39-15-4 edge in the series.
 
Since re-joining the SIAC, the teams have meet nine times and the Wildcats have won five of those matches.
 
Savannah State has not defeated Fort Valley State since their 28-24 win in Macon, Georgia on October 29, 2022 in the Central City Classic.
 
COACH HOWARD ON FORT VALLEY STATE
"(FVSU Head) Coach (Marlon) Watson has done a great job since he has been there and I know their record doesn't show it but those guys have been in some games. They compete and play hard. Anytime you go to line up against Fort Valley, you are going to have to deal with some good physical defense".
 
LAST WEEK AGAINST MOREHOUSE
Savannah State lost to Morehouse 34-23 in a game played October 11, 2026. The game at BT Harvey Stadium marked the return to the all-male school for SSU head football coach Thomas Howard and running back coach Russell Ellington III who both played for the Maroon Tigers.
 
The contest was slated to be played on Oct. 10 at 1pm but was moved back a day due to the effects of Hurricane Isaias.
 
SSU's defense sacked the Maroon Tigers quarterback five times and limited the Morehouse offense to 12 yards rushing and 281 yards. However, Morehouse took advantage of three SSU miscues and turned them touchdowns as they won their third game in the past four outings.
 
The win over Savannah State was the first time the Maroon Tigers had beaten SSU since they rejoined the SIAC and the first time since 2007.
 
Morehouse scored 21 points in the first quarter. SSU's only points of the first half came with 8:21 left in the second quarter when Joshua Woodley hit a 32-yard field goal. Savannah State only had 74 yards of offense in the first half.
 
Both teams scored two touchdowns in the third quarter with SSU getting a 1-yard run from Caleb Barbas and a 58-yard touchdown pass from RaShawn Truell to Tristan Sizemore.
 
The Tigers trailed 34-17 entering the final quarter to play and scored the only touchdown of the fourth quarter when Truell found Sizemore for a 1-yard touchdown pass as time expired.
 
Sizemore, who is from Atlanta, had a good showing in his hometown, catching 6 passes for 146 yards and 2 touchdowns. Truell threw for 232 yards and 2 touchdowns while KJ Debruce ran for 57 yards. Adonis Brazil had 7 tackles, 3 sacks and 5 tackles for loss while Zamarian Williams had 7 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1 sack and Terrell Gordon, Jr. finished with 7 tackles.
 
LAST YEAR AGAINST FORT VALLEY STATE
Savannah State played Fort Valley State in Augusta, Georgia in the Good Trouble Heritage Classic and lost a defensive battle 7-0. Neither offense was able to score any points and the lone touchdown came midway in the first quarter when a Wildcat player returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown. Both defenses were the heroes of the day, with SSU holding the Wildcats offense to 175 yards. 
 
Darrian Bell had a game-high ten tackles, 1 tackles for loss and 1 sacks while Tony Rountree Jr. had 4 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 1 sack. Lucas Edenfield averaged 45.5 yards per punt and had a career-best 69 yard punt in the fourth quarter. Joseph Hampton had 55 all-purpose yards for the Tigers.
 
SAVANNAH STATE/FORT VALLEY STATE CONNECTION
Savannah State Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterback Coach Quentin Burrell and Fort Valley State Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Willie Totten were on the same staff at Southern University during the 2023-24 seasons. 
 
Burrell was the Jaguars wide receiver coach and Totten was the quarterback coach.
 
COMMON OPPONENTS
Savannah State and Fort Valley State have three common opponents:Albany State, Miles and Benedict.
 
The Tigers have already lost to Albany State (49-17) and Miles (25-17) and will play Benedict on October 31.
 
FVSU has already lost to Benedict (34-33) and will play Miles on Oct. 29 and Albany State on November 7.
 
YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE FROM HERE
Former Savannah State University defensive lineman/linebacker Christopher K. Middleton has been a Chatham County Superior Court Judge since May 21, 2024. Prior to joining the Superior Court bench, he served as a 10-year trial litigator with the Eastern Judicial Circuit Public Defender's Office, and later he co-founded the law firm of Cox, Rodman & Middleton, LLC. In 2018, he became a Judge Pro Tem in Recorder's Court of the City of Savannah and the Chatham County Juvenile Court. That same year, he was elected as the District 1 representative by the Council of Municipal Court Judges.

Judge Middleton received honor degrees in Mass Communications and English Literature & Language from Savannah State University where he was awarded the President's Second Mile Award at graduation. He later received his J.D at Vermont Law School where he was awarded the prestigious Alumni Award at graduation.

Prior to Law School, he worked as an Account Manager for WSAV before being hired by Mayor Floyd Adams, Jr.

As a servant leader, Middleton is associated with numerous professional organizations and is actively involved in the Savannah community though guest lectures and nonprofit associations. Judge Middleton is a member of the Georgia Bar Association, the Savannah Bar Association and the Port City Bar Association. He is also proud member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, Eureka Lodge #1, 2024 graduate of Leadership Georgia and Leadership Savannah. As a result of his dedication to the law and the community, he has been the recipient of various awards to include; Best of the Best Award from the Savannah Morning News, Justice Benham
Award from the State Bar of Georgia, Robbie Robinson Award from the Savannah Bar Association, Man of the Year Award from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Leader Award from Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Community Leader Award from Savannah Youth City, Inc. and Attorney of the Year from the Top 100 Lawyers, Inc.

While attending Savannah State, Middleton was heavily involved with various student organizations as well as the campus administration. Because of his reputation for professionalism and fairness, he was later elected Chief Justice of the Student Government Association, a position he held until graduation. As a student-athlete, Middleton was a member of the defensive unit that led the nation in total defense and rushing defense to become the top-rated Division II defense team in the nation in 1998. Middleton later received the prestigious Defensive Player of the Year Award.

MIDDLE GEORGIA ROOTS
Savannah State defensive lineman Robert Horsley grew up in Fort Valley and lives a stones throw away from the FVSU campus. Horsley, who played football at Peach County High School, and several of his SSU teammates will represent Middle Georgia when the Tigers line up against the Wildcats.
 
Other SSU players from middle Georgia are: Reggie Troutman (Macon), Jahziah Avilez (Warner Robins), Andrew Tinker (Moreland), Clint Davis III (Jackson), Dralin Gilbert (Griffin), Adonis Brazil (Thomaston) and Davion Foster (Griffin).
 
In addition, defensive line coach Cameron Brown is a native of Milledgeville.
 
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Savannah State is ranked in the top 50 in several categories in the latest Division II statistics rankings. 
 
The Tigers are ranked #13 in fewest penalty yards (255), #20 in blocked punts (1), #27 in fewest penalties (32), #30 in punt returns (11.75), #32 in kickoff return defense (17.43), #34 in defensive touchdowns (1) and team tackles for loss (6.6), #36 in blocked punts (2), #39 in fewest penalty yards per game (51.00), #42 in red zone offense (0.867) and #48 in first down defense (108).
 
Individually, Kenny Gladden is ranked #2 in kickoff returns for a touchdown (1), Zamarian Williams is #3 in solo tackles (5.00), Trenton Rhodes is #12 in combined kick returns (371) and #45 in all-purpose yards (113.50) and Lonnell McCall II and Jadahrien Stokes are #50 in fumble recoveries (1)
 
TIGER LEADERS
Now that we are into the second half of the season, the Savannah State defensive and offensive units continue to do well on the gridiron. With injuries to some veteran players, the freshmen and newcomers have stepped up and have met the challenge head on.
 
Zamarian Williams and  Kaiden Stanciel form a dynamic duo in the SSU defense. Williams leads the pack with 36 tackles, 5 tackles for loss and 1 sack while Stanciel has 32 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. On the defensive front, Adonis Brazil has 21 stops, 8 tackles for loss and 5 sacks while Jamari Hinton has chipped in 16 tackles and 2 tackles for loss. The secondary features Reggie Troutman (27 tackles and 2 tackles for loss), Kevin Stokes, Jr. (24 tackles and 1 tackle for loss) and Terrell Gordon, Jr. (23 tackles and 1 interception). Trevor Strowbridge has 17 tackles, 3 tackles for loss and 1 interception.
 
Quarterback RaShawn Truell needs 93 yards to reach 1,000 passing yards for the season. The sophomore signal caller has thrown 9 touchdowns with 4 interceptions. Christian Burks and Fabian Walker are capable backups with Burks completing 45 5 of his passes and Walker with a 55.6 % completion rate. Tristan Sizemore entered fall camp as a unknown but has moved up the depth chart with 19 catches for 329 yards and 3 touchdowns while Jahziah Avilez has 14 catches for 153 yards, Carter Payne has 5 catches for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns and Treston Rhodes has 3 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers' running game has seen Kendarius Brown improve each week and he leads the team in rushing with 184 yards followed by KJ Debruce who has 158 yards. Elijah Stephens and Rodney Hill are threats to run and catch the ball out of the backfield while Caleb Barbas has made opponents take notice when he carries the pigskin.
 
Chase Butler averages 38 yards per punt and has a long of 60 yards while Joshua Woodley has made all 5 of his field goal attempts and 14 of 15 extra point attempts.

On punt returns, Jeffrey Jefferson Jr. averages 27 yards followed by Kenny Gladden (18) while on kick returns, Trenton Rhodes averages 17.57 followed by Kenny Gladden (30.75, 1 touchdown) and Jahziah Avilez (15.33).
 
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Fort Valley State has not played a game since October 3 and has not tasted victory since opening the season with a win over Elizabeth City State on August 29.
 
The Wildcats were set to host Clark Atalanta on Oct. 10 but the game was postponed until November 12, because of impending inclement weather from Tropical Storm Isaias.
 
FVSU enters the contest with Savannah State averaging 22.4 points and 371 yards of offense per game while the Blue Death defense gives up 33.2 points and 394.6 yards a clip.
 
Michael Cabellero and Rodrick Payne both have rushed for 259 yards and have combined for 3 touchdowns. Don Hudson, who has scrambled for 197 yards and a touchdown is back at quarterback and has thrown for 934 yards, 7 touchdowns and just 1 interception. Hudson's top pass catcher is JaTony Pendleton who has 30 receptions for 396 yards and 4 touchdowns. Myles Smith has added 15 catches for 119 yards and 2 scores.
 
Safety Daymon Polite is the leading tackler with 25 tackles and 2 interceptions while linebacker Keontay Kidd has 21 tackles and defensive lineman DeZavion Holman has 17 tackles.
 
FVSU finished last season with a 4-6 mark and were predicted to finish 8th in the conference this. The Wildcats had 5 players to earn preseason All-SIAC honors.

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