Virginia State weathered a quick start from FCS rival Norfolk State, coming back from 10 down in the first quarter to claim the victory 33-24.
Tailback Upton Bailey led the way for Virginia State, accumulating 184 yards on 18 rushing attempts. Kymani Clarke contributed as well, rushing for 89 yards and one touchdown. The Trojans found offensive success throughout the day, outpacing the Spartans in total offensive yards 487 to 304.
Lex Henry led the way for Norfolk State, finding success with one touchdown rushing and one touchdown receiving. The Spartans made some costly mistakes on Saturday, giving up nine penalties.
Key Metrics to Victory: Virginia St.
- Play selection – leaned on the run game, with a 67-33 run-pass split with 46 rushing attempts and 23 passing attempts
- Possession – controlled the ball for 31:45 (53% of the game)
- Third down success – converted on 42% of third downs (5-12) while Norfolk State converted just 31% (5-16)
- Red zone efficiency – converted on 75% of red zone trips as opposed to Norfolk State’s 57% efficiency
Each team has its next game on Sept. 9. Virginia St. meets Tusculum at Rogers Stadium, where the Trojans will look for a repeat of their success here this afternoon. Meanwhile, Norfolk State will hope for a better result on the road when they take on Hampton at Armstrong Stadium.
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