NORFOLK, Va. — D'Vonn Gibbons threw for a touchdown and ran for a score behind a strong defensive effort, and Savannah State beat Norfolk State 27-9 on Saturday to snap a 10-game skid and win its first road game since Sept. 24, 2011.
There was a moment of silence before the game for Norfolk State freshman defensive lineman Nicholas Ackies. Police and school officials reported Ackies was fatally shot on Friday night. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Juwan Carter capped Norfolk State's opening drive with a 3-yard TD run but the Tigers (1-7, 1-4) defense, ranked last in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in points allowed, forced the Spartans (3-5, 3-2) to punt on their next six possessions.
Jaylen McCloud, 132 yards on 16 carries, scored the go-ahead TD on a 5-yard run in the third for the Tigers.
Gibbons' 19-yard TD pass to Derek Kirkland tied the game at 6 at halftime. Gibbons finished 11 of 17 for 120 yards passing with an interception and scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth for a 20-9 lead.
Donald Rutledge picked off a fourth-quarter pass by Carter, leading to Nicholas Bentley's 5-yard TD to cap the scoring.
Carter was 17 of 33 for 150 yards passing for the Spartans (3-5, 3-2), which beat defending conference champion North Carolina Central 28-21 last week.
Savannah State topped Norfolk State for the second time in school history last season. It's the Tigers' first back-to-back victories over an opponent since defeating Edward Waters in 2009 and '12.
