SC State 47, Norfolk State 10

October 7, 2006

ORANGEBURG, S.C. – DeShawn Baker ran for 128 yards and scored twice, and William Ford added two touchdown runs to lead host South Carolina State to its sixth straight win over Norfolk State, 47-10, on Saturday afternoon at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium.

Baker ran for one TD and caught another for the Bulldogs (2-3, 1-1 MEAC), who out gained the Spartans (3-2, 1-2) 475-119.

Ford put SCSU on the board after its first drive, scoring on a 1-yard run with 8:10 left in the first quarter. NSU was held three-and-out on its first possession, and the Bulldogs capitalized on a short punt to take over at the NSU 42-yard line. On the next play, Cleveland McCoy hit Gerald McCloud for a 42-yard TD pass to give the Bulldogs a 14-0 lead with 6:33 left in the opening quarter.

Leading 17-3 at the half, the Bulldogs put NSU away by scoring the first 16 points of the second half. Ford scored on a 36-yard run to start the barrage, and after a 30-yard field goal by Michael Gaston, Baker caught a 29-yard TD pass from McCoy to push the Bulldogs’ lead to 33-3 with 4:12 left in the third quarter.

NSU’s biggest highlight came at the end of the third quarter. Emery Sammons (Willingboro, N.J.) returned a punt 76 yards for the Spartans’ lone touchdown. NSU’s second punt return for TD in as many weeks and the first of Sammons’ career brought the Spartans within 33-10 with 59 seconds left in the third.

But SCSU scored twice in the fourth, on Baker’s 2-yard touchdown run and a 67-yard TD pass from Russell Hemby to Oliver Young, to cap the scoring.

SCSU managed 275 yards rushing and 200 passing. Ford ended with 58 yards on six carries.

The Spartans were held to six yards rushing thanks in part to five Bulldog sacks. SCSU lineman Michael Hill had two of those.

Monte’ Anthony (Winston-Salem, N.C.), the MEAC’s third-leading rusher, was held to 24 yards on 11 carries. He was also the Spartans’ top receiver with three catches for 31 yards. NSU quarterback Casey Hansen (Corona, Calif.) was 11-of-29 for 113 yards passing.

Lineman Eric Bullock (Trenton, N.J.) led the Spartan defense with seven tackles, one for a loss.

NSU looks to get back on track next Saturday at unbeaten Hampton in the Battle of the Bay. Kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. at Armstrong Stadium.