It was almost deja vu for the Bulldogs as a fumble with 56 seconds left on a handoff between Malcolm Long and William Ford resulted in a fumble recovered by the Spartans at the 42-yard line. A bad snap by Norfolk State resulted in a 16-yard loss on the play. With no timouts and forced to make a desperation pass, Brown’s pass was intercepted by Phillip Adams to end the game.

The win helped erase the memory of last year’s heartbreaking loss to Delaware State on ‘Homecoming’. In that game, the Bulldogs looked to run out the clock when a fumble allowed the Hornets to come back and score on a game-winning field goal with two seconds left. Now, S.C. State has two weeks to prepare for a first-place showdown with Hampton, which plays Norfolk State next week.

Castellat’s 45-yard field goal attempt to give the Spartans the lead goes short. S.C. State takes over on downs at their own 28.

The Bulldogs answer the Spartans with some punishing ground running of its own. A 43-yard scamper by Ford would eventually set up a one-yard touchdown run by Jamison to regain the lead for the Bulldogs. In the process, Ford surpassed both Bethune-Cookman’s Pa’Tell Troutman and Allen Suber to move into 11th place on the all-time MEAC list. He now needs 46 yards to move into the Top 10 by surpassing Delaware State’s Michael Murphy who had 2,951 career yards.

John Castellat’s third field goal of the game extends the Spartans’ lead. Norfolk State drove the football downfield from its own 20 running the football on the ground. The Spartans would get to the S.C. State 4 before having to settle on the field goal.

The Bulldogs moved the football to the Norfolk State 4, only to have Long intercepted in the end zone on third down. It was the Bulldogs’ third turnover of the game.

The Spartans needed just two minutes to reclaim the lead. A 53-yard pass by Brown would set up his one-yard keeper to put Norfolk State ahead.

A 28-yard field goal by John Castellat cuts the Bulldogs’ lead to 17-13 at halftime. The Spartans converted a fourth and six to keep the scoring drive alive and had to settle for Castellat’s second field goal of the game.

After a slow start, Will Ford finally broke loose with a 63-yard run. On the very next play, Ford burst into the endzone for a 12-yard touchdown to make it 17-10. With the long run, Ford surpassed North Carolina A&T’s Maurice Hicks for 13th on the MEAC All-Time rushing list and needs just 12 yards to surpass Bethune-Cookman’s Pa’Tell Troutman for 12th on the list.

A 44-yard field goal by John Castellat deadlocks the game. A 27-yard kickoff return allowed Norfolk State to take over at its own 48 and they moved the football to the S.C. State 28 before settling on the field goal.

Blake Erickson’s 31-yard field goal with 12:13 remaining in the second quarter puts the Bulldogs ahead. It was Erickson’s second career field goal and was set up by a 53-yard pass play from Long to Young.