Fields guides South Carolina State to 44-17 rout of Norfolk State

Updated Nov. 18, 2023 6:21 p.m. ET

Associated Press

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Corey Fields Jr. threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score to propel South Carolina State to a 44-17 victory over Norfolk State on Saturday in a regular-season finale.

Grandin Wilcox kicked a 33-yard field goal on the opening possession for Norfolk State (3-8, 1-4 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference). South Carolina State (5-6, 3-2) scored the next 34 points.

Josh Shaw ran eight yards for a touchdown to give the Bulldogs the lead for good with 3:57 left in the first quarter. TJ Smith added a 21-yard scoring run in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead at halftime.

South Carolina State blew the game open with touchdowns on five straight possessions in the second half. Fields had a direct hand in the first three scores — sandwiching touchdown passes to Jordan Smith covering 24 and 22 yards around a 6-yard scoring run and the Bulldogs led 34-3.

Fields totaled 115 yards on 9-of-11 passing. Smith finished with 86 yards on 13 carries. He scored from a yard out in the fourth quarter.

Cameron Sapp completed 9 of 17 passes for 174 yards. He threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to X'Zavion Evans but was intercepted twice. Nolan James scored on a 19-yard fourth-quarter run.

South Carolina State finished with 305 yards rushing on 49 carries. Norfolk State rushed 34 times for 57 yards.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football