Oct. 21, 2006
Final Stats
SAVANNAH, GA - The Tigers of Savannah State University scheduled the Rams for homecoming 2006 with plans of earning a win in front of what was anticipated to be their largest crowd of the season. However, Winston-Salem State University had other thoughts in mind as the Rams tallied a season-high 306 yards rushing en route to cruising to a 38-6 win over the Tigers in front of 6,881 fans at Ted A. Wright Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
For the fourth consecutive game, the Rams scored on the contest's opening possession as Roderick Fluellen (Columbia, SC/Richland H.S.) powered his way into the endzone from nine yards out to record his second career touchdown.
The Fluellen touchdown would be the start of a half of football in which the Rams would completely dominate their opponent as they yielded only one yard of total offense to the Tigers during the game's first 30 minutes of play.
Redshirt freshman running back Brandon McRae (Washington, DC/Charles Flowers H.S.) wasted no time getting in on the scoring action as he scored less than nine minutes after Fluellen putting WSSU ahead by two touchdowns following a score from two yards out to give the Rams a 14-0 edge to close the first quarter of play.
Second-quarter action would ultimately seal the win for the Rams as Chad Oakley continued to show why he may be the Rams' most valuable player, easily drilling a 48-yard field goal to remain perfect on the season (three-for-three on FG's, and five-for-five on PAT's) following his acceptance of the placekicking duties at the beginning of last week.
Oakley's field goal pushed the WSSU lead to 17-0 with just under six minutes to play in the first half as the Rams continued to exert their will over the struggling Tigers.
In what would be the theme of the day, the Rams capitalized one final time before the first half came to a conclusion as Monte Purvis engineered a 10-play, 72-yard drive that encompassed 3:50 of playing time when he found tight end Stan Wright (Durham, NC/Northern Durham H.S.) in the back of the endzone for a 14-yard touchdown with one second remaining.
Holding a 24-0 lead following the intermission, the Rams tallied a pair of touchdowns, one in each quarter of the second half, as they closed the game with a 38-6 win.
Fluellen tallied his second touchdown of the game with a two-yard run late in the fourth quarter of the game, and senior fullback Jonathan Wedlock (Fayetteville, NC/71st H.S.), atoning for his fumble that cost the Rams a score in the first half, rumbled his way in from two yards out for his lone score of the game midway through the third quarter of play to cap WSSU's scoring.
"Its going to be a good ride home this evening. We are going to go get something to eat, and we are going to enjoy the ride home. We made some mistakes, there is no doubt about that, but our defense is really coming together, and I couldn't be more pleased at the effort that the guys are giving. That effort translates into success, and today, they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor" WSSU head coach Kermit Blount said following the win.
The 306 yards of rushing offense marks the first time in 2006 that the Rams have cracked the 300-yard plateau and also marks only the second time this season that WSSU has had a running back rush for 100 yards or more (Brandon McRae finished with 113 yards on 16 carries).
The rushing attack paved the way for the Rams' passing game as junior quarterback Monte Purvis recorded his first 100-yard passing game since November of 2005 when the Rams defeated Saint Augustine's College. Purvis tallied 119 yards on Saturday as he completed all but one of his seven pass attempts and threw one touchdown.
The win improves the Rams to 3-5 overall while the Tigers fall to 1-6 on the season. Winston-Salem State University returns to action on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 2:00 pm as they face the Pirates of Hampton University at Armstrong Stadium in Hampton, VA. The game will mark the fourth consecutive week that the Rams will play a Homecoming contest.
For additional information on WSSU football, contact the WSSU Office of Sports Information at (336) 750-2143 or log on to the Official Website of WSSU Athletics at www.WSSURAMS.com.
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