JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Savannah State travels to Jacksonville on Saturday searching for its first victory of the season when the Tigers meet Edward Waters in SIAC action at Nathaniel Glover Community Field & Stadium. Savannah State enters 0-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play, while Edward Waters is 2-1 overall and 1-0 in the SIAC after opening conference play with a road victory at Miles. Saturday is Edward Waters' Military Appreciation/First Responders Day.
TICKET INFORMATION
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BROADCAST INFORMATION
Network: SIAC Network / Black College Sports Network
Broadcasters: Charles McNeil
1010XL Radio: Bobby Bethea
Broadcast: SIAC Network – Edward Waters Tigers
Live Stats: Edward Waters Football Live Stats
Series: Savannah State leads, 6-3 (since 2008)
Last Meeting: Edward Waters 41, Savannah State 14 — Aug. 30, 2025, Savannah, Ga.
THE MATCHUP
The teams arrive in Jacksonville following dramatically different Week 2 results. Savannah State suffered a 49-17 home loss to Albany State last Saturday at Theodore A. Wright Stadium. The Golden Rams built a 28-0 advantage through three quarters and stretched the lead to 35-0 on a 34-yard interception return just eight seconds into the fourth quarter. Savannah State finally broke through with Joshua Woodley's 41-yard field goal, then scored twice in the final five minutes on touchdown passes from RaShawn Truell to Trenton Rhodes and Cinsere Clark.
Savannah State finished with 230 yards of offense, but only 19 came on the ground. The Tigers were held to 0.9 yards per rushing attempt while Albany State produced 439 total yards, including 291 through the air. Savannah State was also limited to 13 first downs and converted just 3-of-11 third-down opportunities.
Despite the final margin, Savannah State showed some explosiveness late. Truell came off the bench and completed 9-of-17 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns, including a 68-yard scoring strike to Rhodes. Rhodes finished with two receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown while also returning six kickoffs for 122 yards, giving him 194 all-purpose yards. Rodney Hill led the ground game with 30 yards on six carries, including a 24-yard run.
Defensively, Savannah State generated pressure despite Albany State's offensive success. The Tigers recorded four sacks and eight tackles for loss. Adonis Brazil delivered his best performance of the season with six tackles, two tackles for loss and two sacks, while Reginald Troutman and Kaiden Stanciel each recorded eight tackles. Akeem White added a sack, and Reico Collins and Davion Foster combined for another.
Edward Waters, meanwhile, enters Saturday with momentum following a 36-20 victory at Miles. EWU trailed 20-15 at halftime before shutting out the Golden Bears in the second half and scoring 21 unanswered points. Quarterback Tavion Faulk connected with Izaiah Jean-Baptiste on a 40-yard touchdown in the third quarter, found Xavier Irvin for a 45-yard score in the fourth and Camren Stewart closed the scoring with a 28-yard touchdown run.
Faulk produced one of the strongest quarterback performances in the SIAC last week, completing 18-of-30 passes for 250 yards and four touchdowns. Three of those scores went to Izaiah Jean-Baptiste, who caught nine passes for 144 yards and touchdowns of 14, 15 and 40 yards. Johntarrious Thomas led the rushing attack with 66 yards on 18 carries as Edward Waters finished with 383 yards of total offense — 250 passing and 133 rushing.
Edward Waters' defense also turned in a disruptive performance, producing 11 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Linebacker Trevon French was everywhere, registering 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, a half-sack, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. Darius Johnson recorded 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, while Javon Miller and Jordan Allen each added a sack.
Saturday renews a series in which Savannah State holds a 6-3 advantage in nine documented meetings dating to 2008. The series began with Edward Waters defeating Savannah State 26-21 in 2008, but SSU responded by winning five consecutive meetings from 2009 through 2022. That run included victories of 45-24 in 2009, 42-35 in 2012, 49-19 in 2019, 24-0 in 2021 and 31-28 in 2022.
The series has become much more competitive since Edward Waters joined the SIAC. The 2022 meeting in Jacksonville was decided by three points, 31-28, when Savannah State recovered a late EWU fumble to preserve the victory. Edward Waters answered in 2023 with a 26-25 win in Savannah, before Savannah State went back to Jacksonville in 2024 and rallied for a 27-20 victory.
Edward Waters then delivered the most decisive result of the recent series last season, defeating Savannah State 41-14 in Savannah. That victory snapped a Savannah State win in Jacksonville from the previous season and gave EWU wins in two of the last three meetings. Savannah State still owns a 3-1 road record in the documented series, including victories in Jacksonville in 2019, 2022 and 2024.
The statistical contrast entering Saturday is significant. Edward Waters ranks among the SIAC's most productive offenses at 346.7 yards and 30.7 points per game, including a conference-best-tier passing attack producing 251.0 yards per contest. Savannah State averages 173.5 yards and 8.5 points per game, with only 47.0 rushing yards per contest through its first two games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Savannah State — QB RaShawn Truell
Truell provided Savannah State's offensive spark in the second half last Saturday. He threw both of the Tigers' touchdowns, connecting with Rhodes from 68 yards and Clark from 17 yards. The 68-yard touchdown came with 4:38 remaining, and Truell later directed a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ended with his scoring pass to Clark. If Savannah State turns to Truell for an expanded role Saturday, he will face an Edward Waters defense that already has four interceptions through three games.
Savannah State — WR/KR Trenton Rhodes
Rhodes was Savannah State's biggest explosive-play threat against Albany State. His 68-yard touchdown reception was SSU's longest offensive play, and he handled every kickoff return, averaging 20.3 yards per return. Conference statistics make his impact even clearer: Rhodes has accumulated 333 all-purpose yards through two games — 166.5 per game — the second-highest average among the SIAC's listed leaders. His 261 kickoff-return yards lead the conference listing, while his two receptions have produced 72 yards and a touchdown.
Savannah State — DL Adonis Brazil
Brazil was Savannah State's most disruptive defensive player last Saturday, recording five solo tackles, six total stops, two tackles for loss and two sacks. Those two sacks also moved him to the top of the conference leaderboard: Brazil enters Saturday with two sacks through two games, averaging 1.0 per contest, tied for the highest total among the SIAC's listed sack leaders. His matchup against Faulk could be crucial, particularly because Edward Waters has surrendered six sacks through three games.
Savannah State — LB Reginald Troutman
Troutman was one of Savannah State's most active defenders against Albany State, totaling five solo stops, three assists and a tackle for loss. Through two games he has 12 tackles, including seven solo stops, averaging six tackles per game — placing him among the SIAC's listed tackling leaders. With Edward Waters capable of attacking through both Faulk's passing and Johntarrious Thomas' running, Troutman's ability to defend sideline-to-sideline will be important.
Edward Waters — QB Tavion Faulk
Faulk enters Week 3 coming off a four-touchdown performance in which he accounted for every Edward Waters touchdown through the first 48-plus minutes. His touchdown passes covered 14, 15, 40 and 45 yards, showing EWU's ability to attack at multiple levels. For the season, Faulk has completed 49-of-86 passes for 696 yards and seven touchdowns against only one interception. He averages 232.0 passing yards per game and ranks third among the SIAC's listed passers in yardage. His 726 yards of total offense are also third among the conference's listed leaders.
Edward Waters — WR Izaiah Jean-Baptiste
Few players in the conference had a bigger Week 2 than Jean-Baptiste. He caught touchdown passes of 14, 15 and 40 yards and accounted for 144 of EWU's 250 receiving yards. He enters Saturday with 20 receptions for 348 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 116.0 receiving yards per game. That places him second among the SIAC's listed receiving leaders in yards per game, while his five receiving touchdowns are tied for the conference scoring lead among receivers.
Edward Waters — RB Johntarrious Thomas
Thomas gave Edward Waters balance against Miles, carrying 18 times for 66 yards with a long of 20. He has rushed for 139 yards on 36 attempts through three games, averaging 46.3 yards per contest and 3.9 per carry. The matchup could favor EWU's ground game: Savannah State enters Saturday allowing 285.5 rushing yards per game and 7.0 yards per attempt, the highest figures in the conference.
Edward Waters — LB Trevon French
French was the centerpiece of an Edward Waters defense that shut Miles out after halftime. He recorded 13 tackles — seven solo and six assisted — two tackles for loss, a half-sack, one pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. The performance continued an outstanding start: French leads the SIAC's listed tacklers with 38 total tackles through three games, an average of 12.7 per contest.
BY THE NUMBERS
6-3 — Savannah State's record against Edward Waters in the nine documented meetings dating to 2008.
3-1 — Savannah State's road record in the documented series.
5 — Consecutive Savannah State victories over Edward Waters from Oct. 31, 2009 through Sept. 10, 2022, the longest winning streak in the series.
41-14 — Edward Waters' victory in the most recent meeting on Aug. 30, 2025 in Savannah. It was EWU's largest victory in the nine documented meetings.
49-19 — Savannah State's victory at Edward Waters in 2019, SSU's largest margin of victory in the series.
26-25 — Edward Waters' one-point victory in Savannah in 2023, the closest game in series history.
31-28 — Savannah State's victory in Jacksonville in 2022, its smallest margin of victory in the series.
27-20 — Savannah State's victory in Jacksonville in 2024, the last time these teams played at Edward Waters.
2-of-3 — Edward Waters has won two of the last three meetings after Savannah State won five straight from 2009-22.
36 — Points scored by Edward Waters last week at Miles, including 21 unanswered in the second half.
4 — Touchdown passes thrown by Tavion Faulk against Miles.
3 — Touchdown receptions by Izaiah Jean-Baptiste against Miles.
144 — Jean-Baptiste's receiving yards last week, giving him 348 through three games.
38 — Total tackles by Trevon French through three games, the highest total among the SIAC's listed defensive leaders.
11.0 — Tackles for loss recorded by Edward Waters against Miles.
17 — Savannah State's fourth-quarter points against Albany State after being held scoreless through the first three quarters.
194 — All-purpose yards by Trenton Rhodes against Albany State: 72 receiving and 122 on kickoff returns.
333 — Rhodes' all-purpose yards through two games, an average of 166.5 per contest, second among the SIAC's listed leaders.
68 — Yards on Truell's touchdown pass to Rhodes against Albany State, Savannah State's longest offensive play of the game.
2.0 — Sacks by Savannah State's Adonis Brazil against Albany State. He has two through two games and averages one per contest.
41 — Yards on Joshua Woodley's fourth-quarter field goal against Albany State. Woodley is 1-for-1 on field goals this season.
346.7 — Edward Waters' total offense per game, compared with Savannah State's 173.5.
251.0 — Edward Waters' passing yards per game through three contests.
30.7 — Points per game by Edward Waters, second in the SIAC.
8.5 — Savannah State's points per game through two contests.
47.0 — Savannah State's rushing yards per game through two games.
68.0 — Points per game allowed by Savannah State through its first two contests.
4 — Interceptions by the Edward Waters defense through three games, the most in the SIAC.
WHAT TO WATCH
Can Savannah State slow Faulk-to-Jean-Baptiste?
That is the most obvious matchup entering Saturday. Faulk has thrown for 696 yards and seven touchdowns through three games, while Jean-Baptiste already has 348 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Last week alone, they connected nine times for 144 yards and three scores. Savannah State has surrendered 247.5 passing yards per game, and allowing explosive plays against Albany State proved costly.
Does RaShawn Truell's fourth-quarter performance earn him a larger role?
Savannah State used multiple quarterbacks against Albany State, but Truell provided the Tigers' best offensive stretch. He produced 171 passing yards and two touchdowns on only 17 attempts and led consecutive 75-yard touchdown drives late in the fourth quarter. Establishing consistency at quarterback could be essential against an Edward Waters defense that has intercepted four passes through three games.
Savannah State has to find a running game.
The Tigers managed only 19 rushing yards on 21 attempts against Albany State and average just 47.0 yards on the ground through two games. Rodney Hill showed some promise with 30 yards on six carries, including a 24-yard gain, but Savannah State cannot afford to become one-dimensional against French and an aggressive EWU front.
Can Brazil and the SSU pass rush disrupt Faulk?
Savannah State's defense produced four sacks last week despite surrendering 439 yards. Brazil accounted for two of those sacks and is tied atop the conference leaderboard with two through two games. Edward Waters has allowed six sacks this season. If Savannah State can create pressure without committing extra defenders, it could help the Tigers contain Jean-Baptiste and Xavier Irvin downfield.
Edward Waters has an opportunity to establish the run.
The biggest statistical concern for Savannah State is a defense allowing 285.5 rushing yards per game and seven yards per carry. Johntarrious Thomas carried 18 times last week and gives EWU a physical option to complement Faulk's passing attack. If the Tigers have to commit additional defenders to the box, it could create even more favorable matchups for Jean-Baptiste and Irvin outside.
Can Savannah State flip the recent series momentum?
SSU still owns the overall 6-3 advantage and has historically played well in Jacksonville, going 3-1 in the documented road meetings. But Edward Waters has won two of the last three, including a 41-14 victory in Savannah last season. For Savannah State, Saturday offers an opportunity to earn its first victory, even its SIAC record at 1-1 and continue its historical road success against EWU. For Edward Waters, a win would move the Tigers to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play while giving the program consecutive victories over Savannah State for the first time in the documented series.
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