NC A&T tops Savannah State 36-17 to stay unbeaten

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- 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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