Courtesy of Noah Schlekeway, Assistant SID
31
VSU
34
Winner NSU
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | OT | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VSU | 3 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 31 |
| NSU | 7 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 3 | 34 |
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State answered every challenge on Saturday night, grinding out a 34-31 overtime win over Virginia State in front of 22,396 fans at William “Dick” Price Stadium. The Spartans evened their record at 1-1 with the victory, while the Trojans fell to 1-1. The win gave head coach Michael Vick his first victory at the helm.
Quarterback Otto Kuhns led the comeback, completing 13 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Kevon King paced the rushing attack with nine carries for 63 yards, while Jaylen Laudermilk added three attempts for 59 yards and a touchdown. On defense, Ty Jones finished with seven tackles, while Major Dillard, Antwan Davis, and Kendric Nowling each tallied six.
Virginia State opened the scoring with an 11-play, 62-yard drive that ended with a 22-yard field goal. The Spartans responded quickly, blocking a punt for a touchdown to seize a 7-3 lead.
The Trojans swung momentum in the second quarter, scoring two touchdowns in a three-minute span to take a 16-7 advantage. Virginia Sate would extend the lead in the third quarter with a touchdown to make it 23-10 entering the fourth quarter
Kuhns and the Spartans found rhythm in the final period of the game. Early in the fourth quarter, he engineered a 75-yard drive, highlighted by a 43-yard strike to Kam’Ryn Thomas, before capping the possession with a touchdown pass that cut the deficit to 23-17. On the next drive, Kuhns connected with DreSean Kendrick for an 18-yard score, giving Norfolk State a 24-23 lead after a six-play, 78-yard march.
Virginia State regained the lead with a 28-yard touchdown run at the 2:14 mark, but Norfolk State answered again. Laudermilk broke free for a 33-yard touchdown run with 53 seconds left, tying the game at 31-31.
The Trojans drove into field-goal range in the final seconds, but their 46-yard attempt struck the bottom bar of the upright, forcing overtime.
Norfolk State’s defense held firm on Virginia State’s first possession, with Makai Frisby breaking up a fourth-down pass. The Spartans then capitalized, as Evan Helfrich drilled a 29-yard field goal to seal the win.
CHECKING THE BOX SCORE
- Norfolk State defeated Virginia State 34-31 in overtime
- Otto Kuhns went 13-20 for 173 yards and two touchdowns
- Kevon King produced 64 yards on nine carries, while Jaylen Laudermilk rushed for 59 yards on three carries and a touchdown
- Kam’Ryn Thomas led the Spartans in receiving with five catches for 82 yards
- DreSean Kendrick and JJ Evans both caught touchdown passes in the win
- Ty Jones led the Spartans with six tackles
- Evan Helfrich knocked in two field goals, including the game-winner in overtime from 29 yards out
- The Spartans led the game with 490 yards of total offense, compared to Virginia State’s 440
- Norfolk State (25) had one more first down than Virginia State (24)
- The Spartans outscored Virginia State 24-15 in the second half
NEWS & NOTES
- Norfolk State improved to 1-1 on the season
- Virginia State fell to 1-1 on the season
- The game marked Norfolk State’s first overtime game since Nov. 2, 2024
- The Spartans have not committed a turnover through two games this year
- The Spartans have had at least 450 yards of total offense against Virginia State in the last two meetings
- The win marked Norfolk State’s first fourth-quarter comeback win since Nov. 19, 2022
- Norfolk State has not allowed a rushing touchdown in consecutive games for the first time since 2018
UP NEXT
Norfolk State hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Rutgers on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. in Piscataway, N.J.
