Savannah State Battles Hard in Season Opener Against Edward Waters | News

Savannah State University’s football team kicked off their season Saturday night at the Theodore

A. Wright Stadium with high energy and, taking on Edward Waters University.

Though the final score read 41–14 in favor of the visitors, the Tigers’ early spark, fan excitement, and team efforts offered plenty of reasons for optimism.

From the start of the game, Savannah State capitalized on two early Edward Waters turnovers to score 14 quick points, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

John “Wesley” Bentley’s fumble recovery at the SSU 36-yard line led to a 30-yard touchdown run by Joseph Hampton with just under 11 minutes remaining in the first quarter.

Shortly after, linebacker Uchenna Nowha picked up a fumble at the 12-yard line, sealing a scoring run by David Gardner Jr. Kicker Jimmy Tran’s perfect extra points completed the early surge, and the stadium buzzed with Tiger pride.

The defense tightened in the second half, limiting Edward Waters to just a touchdown in the third quarter and a field goal in the fourth, showcasing the resilience despite the scoreboard.

Junior student Tyler Miller, cheering from the stands, captured the spirit of the night and even highlighted the Tigers exemplifying determination throughout the game as well as highlighting the teams growth from the last season.

“We look more confident on the field this year. Last year we made a lot of individual mistakes, and this year we’re really playing as a team. My advice to the Tigers? Keep working and stay consistent, ”Miller said.

This is a great take, that shows that Head Coach, Aaron Kelton‘s changes from last season are being showcased.

Compared to last season, “ We used the same approach but we were more deliberate about focusing on developing our young players and building confidence in the players. We have been with the players about where they are and meeting them there,” Kelton stated.

The halftime show added to the excitement, with the Power House of the South delivering an electrifying Chris Brown inspired performance that kept the crowd on their feet and high energy! It’s about more than just the scoreboard, it’s about community, pride, and the shared energy of Tiger fans.

Runnerback and Kickerturner, Joseph Hampton, is taking this game as not only a learning lesson to improve for future games, but also being proud of showcasing a glimpse of what the team is capable of.

“The positive take away from the game is that we showed glimpses of what we’re capable of, but the challenge now is to put it all together consistently. Hopefully the bad taste that was left in our mouth gives us a chip on our shoulder heading into next week.” Hampton stated.

Some advice that senior Joseph Hampton provided to his fellow teammates is “The game of football is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t get too high after one good play or too low after one mistake. It’s about keeping your focus and effort steady from the first snap to the last whistle.”

Even with falling short, Savannah State showed that they are a team with heart and potential.

Coach Kelton has great expectations from his players, as well as for himself moving forward into the season.

“One game doesn’t make our season at this point but we need to get better and focus on our next opponent.”

“As a coach my main goal is to make sure our team is prepared for Shorter University. I expect our players to bring their skill and energy and let it shine. They need to relax and just play this great game of football,” Kelton stated.

Their early scoring drives, defensive stands, and showcasing their teamwork demonstrated a squad that will continue to grow stronger as the season goes on.