On Saturday, the Savannah State Tigers (2-3) will face off against the Fort Valley State Wildcats (4-1). These interconference rivals have a storied history facing off against each other, with Savannah State emerging victorious in their previous matchup last year against the Wildcats, winning 28-24.

Heading into this game, Fort Valley State is on a four-game winning streak, while Savannah State is looking to bounce back from a two-game losing streak. Both teams bring their own strengths to the field, with Fort Valley boasting a high-scoring offense, averaging 37.0 points per game, and Savannah State showcasing a strong defense, only allowing 22.6 points per game which is 4th in the SIAC.

Savannah State head coach Coach Aaron Kelton of Savannah State spoke highly of the Wildcat team.

“Their team is talented they have really good wide receivers, they have a good balance of the running game and their Quarterback [Kelvin Durham] makes good throws so we have to make sure we cage him and hug up on their receivers and get some pass rush and stop the run.”

Kelton also acknowledged the challenge that lies ahead on Saturday

“It's a whole new season there's a good team and they have a good program over there and we've got our work cut out for us for sure.”

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Fort Valley got a dominant 49-21 win over Allen University (4-1) after quarterback Kelvin Durham threw for 332 yards and five touchdowns on 22/31 passing. Savannah State aims to improve its offensive performance, particularly in the third and fourth quarters. Quarterback Jadon Adams acknowledges the soundness and speed of Fort Valley's defense but remains confident in finding opportunities to exploit, saying, “They have a good defense but I'm still confident that there are some places where we can hit them but I still have to figure out how I can get better.”

Wide Receiver Brent Carr emphasizes the need for better execution, improved routes, and a commitment to finishing games strong.

“At the Quarterback position, we can make some better throws. We can run better routes do our assignments better and overall just finish games. In the first and second quarters were fine but in the third and fourth quarters, we have to finish strong. Against a team like this, we cannot do this because I feel like we can out physical them, and we match up well with them.”

The game is set to take place at Fort Valley State University on Saturday at 6 PM EST.