NC A&T tops Savannah State 36-17 to stay unbeaten (Nov 11, 2017)

By AP
Published

GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) Lamar Raynard passed for 252 yards and two touchdowns and Marquell Cartwright ran for 127 yards and two scores to lead unbeaten North Carolina A&T to a 36-17 win over Savannah State on Saturday.

The victory clinched a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title for the Aggies (10-0, 7-0). It's NC A&T's third conference title in the past four seasons and ninth overall. NC A&T and defending champion James Madison are the only undefeated teams left in the FCS.

Cartwright's 1-yard TD run in the first quarter and two Noel Ruiz field goals staked the Aggies to a 13-3 halftime lead. Raynard, who has never lost in 24 starts for NC A&T, hooked up with Trey Scott for a 54-yard TD just three plays into the third quarter, but D'Vonn Gibbons answered with a 2-yard TD run to pull the Tigers (2-8, 2-5) within 19-10 at 11:39 in the third.

After a three-and-out for the Aggies, Jeremy Taylor picked off a Gibbons pass and returned it to the Tigers' 2-yard line. Cartwright scored from the 1 three plays later and the Tigers extended the best season in school history.

Cartwright has 1,020 rushing yards on the season.

Gibbons ran for 93 yards and a score and passed for 137 and a TD with two interceptions for Savannah State.

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