ATLANTA, Ga. – A hurricane may have delayed Homecoming, but it could not stop the Maroon Tigers from celebrating a victory at B.T. Harvey Stadium. Behind a 21-point first quarter, three touchdowns from senior Savion Red, and a milestone performance from quarterback Miles Scott, Morehouse College defeated Savannah State University, 34-23, Sunday afternoon before a Homecoming crowd of 19,327.
Originally scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 10, the contest was postponed to Sunday because of weather conditions associated with the hurricane. The change did little to dampen the excitement surrounding Morehouse's annual Homecoming celebration, as the Maroon Tigers delivered an explosive opening quarter and held off Savannah State.
Morehouse improved to 3-4 overall and 3-3 in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) play, while Savannah State fell to 1-5 overall and 1-4 in the conference. Scott completed 27 of 37 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns without an interception, surpassing the 6,000-yard career passing milestone. The senior quarterback continued adding to his legacy in a Morehouse uniform, connecting with eight different receivers. Savion Red accounted for three offensive touchdowns, scoring twice on the ground and adding a receiving touchdown. Defensively, linebacker Stephen Rowser delivered one of the game's biggest plays, returning an interception 25 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.
Game Summary
First Quarter: Morehouse Explodes for 21 Unanswered Points
Morehouse wasted little time giving its Homecoming crowd something to celebrate, scoring touchdowns on its first three possessions to build a commanding 21-0 advantage. The Maroon Tigers opened the afternoon with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by a 15-yard scoring pass from Scott to Noah Rhodes. Davis Rowe added the extra point to give Morehouse a 7-0 lead with 10:29 remaining in the opening quarter.
The Morehouse defense immediately created another opportunity, recovering a Savannah State fumble at the Tigers' 39-yard line. The Maroon Tigers capitalized with a 10-play drive, ending with a two-yard touchdown run from Red to extend the advantage to 14-0 at the 6:13 mark. After the defense forced a Savannah State punt, Morehouse took over at the visitors' 35-yard line. Just two plays later, Red scored his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon from two yards out, giving the Maroon Tigers a 21-0 lead with 3:22 remaining.
Morehouse carried the three-touchdown advantage into the second quarter.
Second Quarter: Defense Keeps Savannah State in Check
Savannah State got on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter when Joshua Woodley connected on a 32-yard field goal, completing an 11-play, 63-yard drive and trimming Morehouse's lead to 21-3 with 8:41 remaining.
The Maroon Tigers responded with a lengthy possession of their own, marching 62 yards on 14 plays and consuming 6:44 off the clock. However, the drive ended on downs at the Savannah State 28-yard line.
Neither team scored again before halftime, sending Morehouse into the locker room with a 21-3 advantage.
Third Quarter: Scott, Red and Rowser Deliver Key Plays
The third quarter featured an offensive milestone, a defensive touchdown and 27 combined points as both teams found the end zone. Morehouse extended its lead to 27-3 with 9:40 remaining when Scott connected with Red on an 11-yard touchdown pass. The scoring play gave Red his third touchdown of the game.
Savannah State answered with an eight-play, 65-yard drive, capped by a one-yard touchdown run from Caleb Barbas, cutting the Morehouse advantage to 27-10 with 5:03 remaining.
The Maroon Tigers' defense then provided one of the afternoon's signature Homecoming moments. With Savannah State facing another possession, Rowser intercepted a pass from Fabian Walker and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown. Rowe's extra point pushed the Morehouse lead to 34-10 with 2:15 remaining in the quarter.
Savannah State responded quickly, as quarterback Rashawn Truell connected with Tristan Sizemore on a 58-yard touchdown pass just 38 seconds later, trimming the margin to 34-17 entering the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter: Maroon Tigers Secure Homecoming Victory
The final quarter became a battle for field position as Morehouse worked to protect its 17-point advantage. The Maroon Tigers were unable to add to their point total, but the defense kept Savannah State from mounting a serious comeback during most of the final period.
Savannah State produced one final scoring drive in the closing moments. Truell connected with Sizemore on a one-yard touchdown pass as time expired, accounting for the final points in Morehouse's 34-23 victory.
Despite being held scoreless in the final quarter, Morehouse's explosive opening period and third-quarter defensive touchdown proved to be the difference.
Morehouse Statistical Leaders
Passing
- Miles Scott: 27-of-37, 269 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions.
Rushing
Receiving
Defense
Special Teams
- Davis Rowe: 4-of-5 on extra-point attempts.
- Ayden Williams: One kickoff return for 53 yards.
- Azari Brown: Three punt returns for 68 yards, including a 45-yard return.
- Gavin Fletcher: Six punts for 151 yards, including three downed inside the 20-yard line.
Game Notes
- 6,000-Yard Club: Senior quarterback Miles Scott surpassed 6,000 career passing yards, becoming one of the most productive quarterbacks in Morehouse football history.
- Homecoming Victory: Morehouse defeated Savannah State 34-23 in its annual Homecoming contest, which was moved from Saturday to Sunday because of hurricane-related weather conditions.
- Morehouse won homecoming for the second consecutive season.
- Red Sees Three: Savion Red accounted for three touchdowns, scoring twice on the ground and once through the air. His three touchdowns represented 18 of Morehouse's 34 points.
- Fast Start: Morehouse scored 21 unanswered points in the first quarter, reaching the end zone on its first three offensive possessions.
- Defensive Touchdown: Stephen Rowser returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, giving Morehouse a 34-10 lead.
- Taking Advantage of Turnovers: The Maroon Tigers forced three Savannah State turnovers, recovering two fumbles and intercepting one pass, while committing no turnovers of their own.
- Points Off Turnovers: Morehouse converted Savannah State turnovers into 20 points.
- Ball Control: Morehouse dominated time of possession, holding the football for 36:44 compared to Savannah State's 23:16.
- Moving the Chains: The Maroon Tigers recorded 23 first downs and converted nine of 17 third-down opportunities.
- Passing Efficiency: Scott completed 73 percent of his passes and finished without an interception.
- Red-Zone Execution: Morehouse scored on all four of its red-zone opportunities, producing 27 points.
- Defensive Pressure: The Maroon Tigers limited Savannah State to 72 rushing yards and recorded a sack.
- Homecoming Crowd: An announced crowd of 19,327 attended the rescheduled Sunday contest at B.T. Harvey Stadium.
- Conference Standing: With the victory, Morehouse improved to 3-3 in SIAC play and 3-4 overall.
Up Next: Morehouse Travels to Howard
The Maroon Tigers will look to carry the momentum of their Homecoming victory into next weekend when they travel to Washington, D.C., to face the Howard University Bison on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Greene Stadium. The matchup will give Morehouse an opportunity to build on its strong defensive performance as the Maroon Tigers enter the final stretch of the regular season. For up-to-date athletic information on the Maroon Tigers, follow them on social media or online at www.morehouseathletics.com or Maroon Tiger football on Instagram @morehousefootball.
