For 59 minutes, Norfolk State traded punches with Sacred Heart, clawing back from every miscue, every turnover, and every missed opportunity. But when the game rested on the leg of their kicker, the Spartans came up empty—wide right from 42 yards—as the Pioneers escaped with a 31-28 win on Saturday night. It was the cruelest ending yet for Michael Vick’s debut HBCU football season on the sidelines.
| Statistics | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A Wild Back-and-Forth
Quarterback Otto Kuhns lit up William “Dick” Price Stadium, throwing for 340 yards and a touchdown. J.J. Evans (113 yards) and Kam’ryn Thomas (112 yards) both went over the century mark, while Kevon King ripped off a 57-yard score to ignite the crowd. X’Zavion Evans powered his way to two rushing touchdowns, and the Spartans racked up over 500 yards of offense.
But with every highlight came a mistake that tilted the night toward Sacred Heart. Three turnovers, two missed field goals—including one at the end of the first half—and several costly penalties left Norfolk State chasing momentum instead of seizing it.
The Pioneers capitalized each time. Jack Snyder’s 18-yard run opened the scoring, a scoop-and-score from Trey Eberhart flipped the game in the second quarter, and Mitchell Summers’ late touchdown run stretched the lead to 31-21 with just over five minutes left…