By Noell Barnidge, Savannah Morning News Attendance: 6, 109
FORT VALLEY - Savannah State is no longer No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) in the sacks allowed category.
SSU entered Saturday's game against Fort Valley State having not given up a sack through three games, and the Tigers were tied with Yale, which had not given up a sack through two games.
But FVSU's defense sacked SSU quarterback Greg McCrary five times for minus-44 yards in the Wildcats' 33-2 victory.
"Obviously, we were not ready to come in here and play," SSU second-year coach Theo Lemon said. "We showed that. We didn't play well on either side of the ball, offensively or defensively, or on special teams. We fumbled the ball too many times and we just didn't execute."
Where's Trent?
Trent Newton, who transferred to FVSU after leading SSU in tackles in each of the past two seasons, did not dress for Saturday's game.
Newton, a linebacker from Lakeland, Fla., is being redshirted this season, according to FVSU sports information director Russell Boone.
Ominous trend
When SSU running back Reginald May fumbled during the Tigers' first drive of the game it marked the second consecutive game that SSU has lost the ball to start the game.
SSU quarterback JaCorey Kilcrease fumbled two weeks ago against Bethune-Cookman.
Where's Garrett?
FVSU junior Garrett Williams did not start at quarterback for the first time this season for the Wildcats (4-2).
Williams, who was SSU's starting quarterback in each of the past two seasons, was intercepted four times the previous Saturday in a 34-3 loss at Tuskegee (Ala.) University.
FVSU second-year coach Deondri Clark started Nate Samas, a sophomore from Americus, against SSU.
"He had a better week in practice," Clark said of Samas.
Williams started the second half because Clark said he felt Samas was struggling. FVSU staked a 10-0 lead at halftime.
Lemon said he was not surprised that Williams did not start the game.
"He threw four interceptions last week," Lemon said. "I didn't expect him to start. But I expected to see him at some point in the game, and we did."
Williams ran for a 9-yard touchdown in the third quarter to give FVSU a 16-0 lead. It was his first collegiate rushing touchdown.
NFL-type hit
SSU defensive back Javorris Jackson, whose brother, Grady, is a defensive tackle for the Atlanta Falcons, delivered the fiercest hit of the season when he leveled FVSU wide receiver Melvin Atueyi to break up a pass in the second quarter.
Jackson, a 6-foot-4, 216-pound junior transfer from Southfield, Mich., hit Atueyi so hard that he sent the 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior's helmet flying. Atueyi needed the assistance of two FVSU trainers in order to hobble off the field.
FVSU's FSU connection
Clark, defensive coordinator Dedrick Dodge, and defensive line coach Carl Simpson all played at Florida State under legendary coach Bobby Bowden.
Clark, a former defensive lineman, helped the Seminoles to a 42-7 record during his four-year career. FSU also won four consecutive bowl games and never finished lower than fourth in The Associated Press poll.
Saturday, Clark wore a bow-tie, his trademark.
Before arriving at FVSU, Clark was the head coach at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C. He helped to revive the Bears' football program, which had been dormant from 1979 until 2002. Clark guided Shaw to a 7-3 record in 2003, his inaugural season, a 10-2 record in 2004 and a 4-3 record in 2005.
Last season, his first at FVSU, the Wildcats finished 5-6.
Series record
FVSU is 34-11-4 against SSU. Before Saturday's game, the last time the teams played was 2002 - SSU's final year in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference - and FVSU won, 25-6.
SSU has not beaten FVSU since 2000, when the Tigers won, 37-13.
Photo: Guard Steve Rush hit 8-of-11 shots to finish with a game-high 24 points. The 5-11/170 senior is from Greensboro, N.C.
