SAVANNAH, Ga. – Running back Rashad Saxton and quarterback D'Vonn Gibbons combined for 215 rushing yards to help Savannah State win its third straight game over Norfolk State, 32-3, on Saturday afternoon at T.A. Wright Stadium.

Behind 118 rushing yards from Saxton and 97 from Gibbons, the Tigers (2-5, 1-3 MEAC) amassed 293 yards on the ground as a team. Gibbons added two scoring passes. Not to be outdone, the Tiger defense forced three turnovers and kept the Spartans out of the end zone as NSU (3-4, 1-3) dropped its third straight game.

The teams traded turnovers to begin the game, but Saxton scored on a 1-yard run on SSU's second possession to stake the Tigers to the early 7-0 lead. NSU countered 10 seconds into the second quarter on a 31-yard field goal by Josh Nardone, capping a drive that was highlighted by a 47-yard run by quarterback Juwan Carter. It was the longest run of Carter's career and of the season for the Spartans.

But SSU scored the final 10 points of the half. Gibbons capped an eight-play, 65-yard drive with a 4-yard TD pass to D'Andre Snead at the 10:20 mark of the second quarter. Then Giovanni Lugo kicked a season-long 44-yard field goal with just four seconds left in the second quarter to push the Tigers' lead to 17-3 entering the half.

Jaylen McCloud, who added 63 rushing yards, scored a pair of touchdowns for SSU in the second half, both coming after NSU turnovers. One play following the second interception of the day by Tiger linebacker Mulik Simmons, McCloud caught a 22-yard scoring pass from Gibbons with 1:30 left in the third quarter, extending the lead to 24-3.

Midway through the fourth quarter, SSU's Donald Rutledge recovered a fumble at the NSU 29. Five plays later, McCloud scored on a 2-yard run with 6:38 left to play. After a bobbled snap on the PAT attempt, the Tigers converted a two-point conversion pass from holder Chandler Williams to Cam Brown.

The Tigers held a 372-206 edge in total offense. The Spartans gained 97 yards on 28 carries and completed 13-of-30 passes for 109 yards and a pair of interceptions. Carter rushed for a team-high 63 yards and passed for 60 for the Spartans.

Nigel Chavis and Dale Craig were bright spots for the Spartan defense. Craig recorded a season-high 12 tackles (one for loss), while Chavis was in on nine tackles, a season-high 3.5 for loss, and two sacks.

The Spartans are on the road again next week when they face North Carolina A&T in a 1 p.m. game in Greensboro, North Carolina.