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Wildcats Seek First Win in Renewed Series with Tigers at Central City HBCU Classic

10/27/2022 1:35:00 AM

By: Chris Myers

FORT VALLEY, Ga. – The Wildcats hope the closest city to The Valley campus provides a successful Saturday evening advantage. In the third meeting of the renewed series, Fort Valley State seeks it first win against Savannah State in the Central City HBCU Classic in Macon, Ga.

In their first of two Classic contests to end the 2022 regular season, the Wildcats look to have Macon's Henderson Stadium serve as a home-away-from-home against the Tigers. Kick-off for the game will be at 6 p.m.
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FVSU vs. Savannah
Sat., Oct. 29, 6 p.m.
Henderson Stadium, Macon, Ga.
Tickets
Live Video
Live Stats
FVSU Season Stats
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Battle of the Bands & Ticket Prices
     Kicking off the Saturday Classic events, there will be a 'Battle of the Bands' with both the Savannah State Powerhouse of the South and Fort Valley State Blue Machine Marching bands starting at Henderson Stadium at 1 p.m. The 'Battle of the Bands' will be $20 admission and the football game starting at 6 p.m. will also be a separate $20 admission price.

FVSU vs. Savannah State – 53rd Meeting
           For the 53rd time, FVSU takes on Savannah State on the gridiron. The Wildcats have posted 35 victories with three ties in the first 52 meetings for a .702 winning percentage.
      Upon their return to the SIAC, the Tigers have prevailed in the two meetings since then – 2019 in Savannah by a 53-24 final and last year (2021) in The Valley by a closer 24-6 score.
     The Wildcats, though, are 8-4 in the last dozen meetings. FVSU had won five of the last six outcomes before SSU's return to the league.
     In the lone other Classic game held in Macon, FVSU ran away with a 41-10 victory.
      Last 12 Scores:
      2021 – SSU 24, @FVSU 6
      2019 – @SSU 53, FVSU 24
      2014 – FVSU 42, @SSU 28
      2013 – @SSU 27, FVSU 20
      2010 – FVSU 41, SSU 10 (at Macon)
      2007 – FVSU 33, SSU 2
      2002 – FVSU 25, SSU 6
      2001 – FVSU 35, SSU 0
      2000 – SSU 37, FVSU 13
      1999 – FVSU 35, SSU 25
      1998 – FVSU 28, SSU 10
      1997 – FVSU 12, SSU 3

Wildcats Interceptions Propel Past Tigers in 2010 Meeting in Macon
     Domin Patterson returned interceptions for touchdowns of 48 and 44 yards as Fort Valley State overcame a 10-point first-quarter deficit to beat Savannah State 41-10 in the Music City Classic.
     The first of Patterson's returns gave the Wildcats to their first lead, 13-10, with 2:36 left in the first half.
     Another interception return for a touchdown, a 21-yarder by Cedric Chambers just 4:18 into the game, staked the Tigers to an early lead. They went ahead 10-0 on a 43-yard Derek Williams field goal after stopping Fort Valley State on a fourth-down play.
     Field goals of 29 and 27 yards by Justin Rosenbaum in the second quarter brought the Wildcats within 10-6 before Patterson's first scoring return gave them the lead.
     Denzel Wesley gained 74 yards on eight carries for the Wildcats.

Tigers Make Opening-Drive Score Stand, Hold Off Wildcats in 2021 Meeting
  On a true fall weather day, the Wildcats found the afternoon to be a tough one. Savannah State found pay dirt on the football game's opening drive and held off Fort Valley State, 24-6, in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
     In a nine-minute opening drive, the visiting Tigers methodically worked their way down the field until quarterback D'Vonn Gibbons dove into the end zone from three yards out for the 7-0 lead to cap a 13-play, 72-yard drive. Late in the second frame, Savannah State picked off passes in back-to-back FVSU possessions and converted both into scores of one-yard and five yards on a combined four plays for a 21-0 margin the home team would not be able to recover.
     Despite being outscored by 18 points, FVSU was narrowly outgained, 211-190, in a more defensive contest. The two SIAC foes combined for only 103 yards passing with the defenses posting seven sacks and 20 tackles for loss.
     Running back Emanuel Wilson was the game's lone star. The SIAC top rusher ran for 130 yards on only 17 carries for a 7.6-yard per carry average with his 15-yard scoring run. It was Wilson's third outing of 130-plus yards in six games.
      The senior defensive end Wildcat tandem of Antonio Golden and Jahseari Patterson combined for 19 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks and four quarterback hurries. The SIAC tackles for loss leader, Golden, recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks of his 11 stops. Patterson had his season-high of eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a half sack. Tyler Moore, who also forced a fumble, and Michael Hicks Jr. added seven and six tackles.
     After being stopped on the visitor 49-yardline to open the second half, FVSU took advantage of its short punt hitting a Savannah State player and gained possession back on the SSU 27-yardline. Wilson took care of all 27 yards with a 12-yard first carry and never stopped churning his legs for the final 15 yards into the end zone to cut the deficit to 21-6 at 10:40 in the third quarter.
     The Wildcats, though, were unable to make another appearance in Tigers territory for the final 28 minutes to get any closer.

Gibbs & His Wildcats Aim for 1^st 8-Win Season in Decade
     In his inaugural season as a head coach, Shawn Gibbs' Wildcats has not only secured his first winning campaign as a college head coach, but also now has an opportunity for the program's first eight-win season in a decade.
     With seven wins in the first eight contests, FVSU is a win away from equalling the 2012 total where the program finished 8-3.
      The seven Wildcat victories is also the last time reaching the win amount since a 7-4 finish in 2009.
     FVSU has now recorded its fourth non-losing season in a row and third winning year in four years. It is the first time of four non-losing years since 2007-10 with records of 8-3, 6-5, 7-4 and 8-3.

Wildcats Remain at No. 3 in HBCU DII Coaches Poll

On By doubling the score of its second foe in a row, the Wildcats kept its place in the rankings. The Fort Valley State football team stayed at No. 3 in the HBCU DII Coaches Poll Week 8 poll sponsored by BOXTOROW Sports.
FVSU (7-1) lost seven points to 152 but held its third-place spot. The Wildcats are behind only the Tigers of Benedict College and one point ahead of rival Albany State of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference East Division members.
The Wildcats make a short trip to Macon's Henderson Stadium to battle the Tigers of Savannah State in the Central City HBCU Classic this Saturday night (Oct. 29). Kick-off is set for 6 p.m.
HBCU D2 Coaches Poll: Top six teams remain the same, VUU holds top spot

boxtorow.com

Virginia Union again received all but three first place votes and remains No. 1 in The HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW.

As a matter of fact, the top six teams remained the same from last week with No. 2 Benedict receiving three first place votes. No. 7 Chowan and No. 8 Virginia State moved up two spots from last week.

The HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW is administered by FROM THE PRESS BOX TO PRESS ROW and is voted on by the HBCU NCAA Division II coaches.

2022 HBCU Division II Coaches Poll powered by BOXTOROW
Week 8
(Records through October 22, 2022)

No.	Team	W-L	Pts	Last Week
1	Virginia Union (18)	8-0	207	1
2	Benedict (3)	8-0	192	2
3	Fort Valley State	7-1	152	3
4	Albany State	6-2	151	4
5	Fayetteville State	6-2	125	5
6	Tuskegee	6-2	106	6
7	Chowan	5-3	77	9
8	Virginia State	5-3	58	10
9	West Virginia State	5-3	31	NR
10	Bowie State	4-4	29	7

Others receiving votes: Kentucky State (4-4) 17, Lane (4-4) 9, Winston-Salem State (2-5) 2.
(1st place votes in parentheses)

SIAC Offensive Player of the Week Wilson Surpasses 1,000-Yd Mark
     The Wildcats have not had a running back as prolific in almost two decades. For the second time this season, Fort Valley State's Emanuel Wilson ran his way to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week acclaim.
     Last Saturday in Atlanta, Wilson punctuated his day with a 90-yard scoring run down the right sideline to put FVSU ahead by three scores with 12:39 left in the game for the team's eventual 41-21 victory over Clark Atlanta.
     The redshirt junior totaled 163 yards on 17 carries for a 9.6-yard per carry average and three touchdowns. Along with the 90-yard score, Wilson also had a 10-yard run in the second quarter and a two-yard plunge in the third frame. He pulled in three passes for 31 yards to take his all-purpose yard total to 194, his second week in a row with over 194 yards in the category.
     The Charlotte, N.C., native became the Wildcats' first 1,000-yard rusher since 2004 when Derrick Wimbush registered 1,840 yards. He now has 1,031 yards on 156 carries for 128.9-yard per game average and a 6.6-yard per carry average with 12 rushing touchdowns. The 1,031 yards is the most by a FVSU back since Wimbush's 1,348 yards in 2003, the prior year before his record-setting 2004 one. Emanuel has pulled in 17 passes for 181 yards and another two scores. Wilson sits with a 151.5-yard per game in all-purpose as well.
     Wilson currently ranks in the top eight in three categories in all of the NCAA Division II ranks – 5^th in rushing yards, 8^th in yards per game and 8^th in rushing touchdowns. The running back leads the SIAC in seven different offensive categories including rushing, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, rushing attempts, scoring, scoring touchdowns and all-purpose yards.
     The Wildcat running back needs only 10 yards on Saturday to set a new personal high. In his true freshman year of 2019, he amassed 1,040 yards on 159 carries and 13 TDs at Johnson C. Smith.

Wildcats Use Second Half to Separate and Take Down Panthers

     The Wildcats, again, used the second 60 minutes of the game to power to victory. Fort Valley State scored four times in the first 24 minutes of the second half to separate from and take down Clark Atlanta, 41-21, in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference football last Saturday afternoon.
     After a Kelvin Durham 32-yard pass to Fralon Warren touchdown on the preceding possession made it a two-score game, Emanuel Wilson delivered the knockout punch with a 90-yard scoring rumble off right end and down the sideline to make it 34-14 with 12:39 left in the contest. Durham hit Corintheus Edmonds for a final 57-yard touchdown to complete the visitors' scoring in the victory.
     With the win, FVSU clinches its first 7-win season since it went 8-4 during the 2012 season. The Wildcats are also 4-1 in the SIAC East.
     Wilson finished the day with 163 yards on 17 carries with touchdown plunges of 10 and two yards in the first half to go with his fourth-quarter 90-yard burst. He also pulled in three passes for 31 yards. With the 163-yard effort, Wilson became the first Wildcat running back to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing in a season since Derrick Wimbush's 1,840 yards in the 2004 campaign.
     Durham passed for 280 yards on 18 of 25 attempts with three touchdowns. Edmonds pulled in six of those passes for 114 yards and the 57-yard score, while Shaw Robinson had three catches for 50 yards.
     Tyler Moore, Kentrell Lawson and Dialo Mosley all registered six tackles on defense. Moore added two tackles for loss and Lawson had one. Tim Alderson chipped in two tackles for loss and a sack, while Deon Andrews picked off one Clark Atlanta pass to end the first half.
     FVSU outgained the host Clark Atlanta, 536-271, for the game. The Wildcat defense held the Panthers to only 66 yards on the ground on 24 rushes and forced two turnovers.

Tigers Battle Rams To The Last Whistle, Fall 31-20

   A year ago, Savannah State University and Albany State University met with conference football supremacy at stake. Last Saturday night at Theodore A. Wright Stadium, the Tigers wanted to show they still belonged in the conversation.
     SSU has won only two games in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season, but played Ram-tough against the league's preseason favorite.
     The Tigers had the ball with a chance to take the lead in the final minutes before the Golden Rams recovered a fumble and scored a late touchdown to secure their 31-20 victory.
     Hartage finished with 197 yards and a touchdown on 13-of-19 passing and ran for a score in relief of starter Jadon Adams. It was his 3-yard TD run with 4:09 left that whittled the ASU lead to 23-20.
     The Tigers' defense forced a punt and Hartage and the offense had a chance to take the lead. An official flagged the Golden Rams for a pass interference, which would have given SSU a first down near the Tiger 40-yard line.
    Then the flag was picked up. Nothing here to see.
Hartage was sacked on the next play and fumbled. Golden Rams linebacker Malik Barnes recovered and ran it in for six score with 56 seconds left. Albany State finished the two-point conversion for the final 31-20 score.
     It was a far different game than last season when the Tigers and ASU met as league unbeatens. The Golden Rams, who had the best scoring defense in Division II, held SSU to 59 offensive yards and administered a one-sided 30-0 beatdown.
     ASU went on to win the SIAC Championship and represent the conference in the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Tigers, despite an 8-2 record, didn't make postseason play.
     The stakes weren't nearly as high this season. The Golden Rams lost in a showdown against Benedict a week earlier and slipped to second place in the conference.

Wildcats vs. Tigers – SIAC Ranks

     FVSU                                 Category                                SSU
       1st (30.6 ppg)                   Scoring Offense                     8th (17.4 ppg)
       6th (22.2 ppg)                  Scoring Defense                     8th (22.9 ppg)

       1st (399.2 yds/gm)          Total Offense                          11th (261.8 yds/gm)
       3rd (186.8 yds/gm)          Rush Offense                         9th (122.3 yds/gm)
       4^th (212.5 yds/gm)           Pass Offense                          10^th (139.5 yds/gm)

       5th (325.2 yds/gm)          Total Defense                         3rd (311.8 yds/gm)
       1st (107.5 yds/gm)          Rush Defense                         10^th (168.3 yds/gm)
       12^th (217.8 yds/gm)         Pass Defense                         2nd (143.5 yds/gm)

       5^th (+5)                             Turnover Margin                     13th (-13)

Wildcats Travel to Columbus for 32^nd Fountain City Classic Versus Golden Rams Next Weekend
     The Wildcats make their way for the 2022 regular season finale next Saturday (Nov. 6). FVSU battles rival Albany State in the 32^nd edition of the Fountain City Classic. Kick-off is set for 2 p.m.

-Wildcats-

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Wildcats Seek First Win in Renewed Series with Tigers at Central City HBCU Classic

Wildcats Remain at No. 3 in HBCU DII Coaches Poll

Wildcats Use Second Half to Separate and Take Down Panthers

Tigers Battle Rams To The Last Whistle, Fall 31-20