JACKSONVILLE, FLA., -- Edward Waters University Football put together an explosive offensive performance Saturday evening, racing past Savannah State University for a 55-30 SIAC victory inside Nathaniel Glover Community Field & Stadium.
The Tigers improved to 3-1 overall and 2-0 in SIAC play, scoring 35 points before halftime and piling up more than 500 yards of total offense. Edward Waters led 14-0 after the opening quarter, 35-14 at halftime and 49-23 after three quarters before closing out its second consecutive conference victory.
Quarterback Tavion Faulk delivered a career night to lead the Tigers, completing 19-of-31 passes for 422 yards and five touchdowns, with four of his scoring strikes covering at least 29 yards. Faulk also added a two-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter, giving him six total touchdowns on the evening.
Edward Waters wasted little time establishing control. After forcing Savannah State to punt on its opening possession, the Tigers marched 77 yards in 10 plays, with Faulk finding Jayden Pressey for a 42-yard touchdown on third-and-long to give EWU a 7-0 advantage.
The Tigers struck again on their next possession. Faulk connected with Pressey for gains of nine and 23 yards before finding Xavier Irvin for a 29-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 14-0 with 4:52 remaining in the opening quarter.
The big plays continued in the second quarter.
Just over a minute into the period, Faulk connected with Izaiah Jean-Baptiste for a 52-yard touchdown, extending the advantage to 21-0. Savannah State answered with a 16-play, 78-yard drive capped by Rodney Hill's one-yard touchdown run, but Edward Waters responded immediately.
With 4:50 remaining before halftime, Faulk found Tylon Williams for a 69-yard touchdown, the Tigers' longest scoring play of the evening. After another defensive stop, EWU needed just five plays to strike again as Jean-Baptiste hauled in his second touchdown of the quarter, this time from 17 yards out on fourth-and-12. The score gave Edward Waters a commanding 35-7 advantage.
Savannah State added a touchdown with three seconds remaining before halftime to trim the deficit to 35-14, but the Tigers quickly regained control after the break.
Following a defensive stop on Savannah State's opening possession of the third quarter, Faulk connected with Johntarrious Thomas for a 49-yard gain to the SSU two-yard line. Faulk finished the drive himself two plays later with a two-yard touchdown run, stretching the EWU lead to 42-14.
Edward Waters' defense also came up with one of the game's biggest plays later in the third quarter. Tyreese Williams dropped Savannah State quarterback RaShawn Truell for a massive 37-yard sack, forcing a fumble that Jordan Allen recovered at the Savannah State 21-yard line. Williams finished the night with two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
EWU's offense produced big numbers across the board. The Tigers accumulated 519 total yards, including 420 through the air in the official team totals, while averaging 7.9 yards per play. Savannah State was held to 275 total yards and just 36 rushing yards on 32 attempts, an average of 1.1 yards per carry. Edward Waters also recorded four sacks and held a 21-20 advantage in first downs.
Jean-Baptiste once again emerged as Faulk's top big-play target, finishing with four receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns. Williams caught three passes for 84 yards and a score, while Pressey hauled in five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. Irvin added two receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown, while Fatoma Paulk recorded two catches for 50 yards.
Thomas provided production both on the ground and through the air. He rushed eight times for 75 yards, averaging 9.4 yards per carry, while adding two receptions for 65 yards. Camren Stewart contributed 33 rushing yards on nine attempts.
Defensively, Trevon French continued his strong start to the season, leading Edward Waters with 11 total tackles, including a tackle for loss and a pass breakup. Aykenon Rodgers and Lemar Harris added eight tackles apiece, while D'Juan Grant finished with six stops and a pass breakup.
The victory gave Edward Waters its second straight win over Savannah State following last season's 41-14 victory in Savannah and moved the Tigers to a perfect 2-0 start in SIAC competition.
Edward Waters will now hit the road for another SIAC matchup, traveling to Atlanta to face Morehouse College on Saturday, September 26 at B.T. Harvey Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
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