Savannah, Ga. -- Howard freshman quarterback Greg McGhee threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to spearhead the Bison's 34-14 victory.
 
Savannah State University's first football home game as a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference had a Homecoming-like feel to it Saturday night.
 
It was the Tigers' “coming home” game after not playing on campus since Nov. 14, 2009, because of reconstruction to T.A. Wright Stadium.
 
Saturday night against Howard University (2-3 overall, 1-2 MEAC), SSU players sprinted onto the field between two rows of fireworks, which were launched from the new turf into the sky. The band played and a crowd of 5,635 roared with cheers.
 
SSU (1-4, 1-1) hoped to win its second consecutive MEAC game after beating North Carolina Central, 33-30, the previous Saturday.
 
Former Savannah State star Shannon Sharpe, a recent inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, attended the game to cap off the Tigers' Hall of Fame Weekend festivities.
 
Sharpe, who played for Savannah State from 1986-89 before winning three Super Bowl championships during 14 seasons in the NFL, conducted the pregame coin toss. SSU won.
 
“We, obviously, didn't handle prosperity very well, but you've got to take your hat off to Howard and their staff,” SSU head coach Steve Davenport said. “They, obviously, had their kids better prepared than we did and they played a hell of a game. You've got to give them credit. Obviously, we wanted to put on a better show in front of our fans for the first time in a long, long time. As I told the kids, there's only one thing we can do now and that's look forward.”
 
SSU took a 7-0 lead with 4 seconds left in the first quarter when senior quarterback A.J. DeFilippis threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Darren Hunter. It was the first touchdown of Hunter's career.
 
“It was a slant route,” Hunter said. “I came off the ball and made a move on the defensive player, got open and (DeFilippis) put it right there. It was very exciting. We wanted to come out here and please the fans but, obviously, we didn't get the job done. We need to go back to the drawing board and try to get the job done next week.”
 
Hunter's touchdown was set up by SSU senior linebacker Nate Clay, who recovered a fumble by Howard sophomore center Bradley Bush-Johnson at the Bison's 23-yard line. Three plays later, DeFilippis connected with Hunter for a touchdown. Senior Derek Williams kicked the first of his two extra points.
 
DeFilippis, who started at quarterback, finished 12-of-26 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown. He was intercepted one time and sacked five times.
 
Howard scored the game's next 34 points. McGhee threw touchdown passes of 69 and 23 yards to Willie Carter, who finished with four catches for 118 yards. McGhee then connected with Clayton Gidron for a 30-yard touchdown.
 
Howard led, 20-7, at halftime.
 
In the third quarter, McGhee ran for a 57-yard touchdown. The Bison finished with 224 yards rushing on 39 carries, led by Terrence Leffall's 98 yards on 22 carries.
 
McGhee finished 11-of-17 passing for 152 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception and was sacked twice.
 
Howard made it 34-7 early in the fourth quarter when Andra Williams ran for a 67-yard touchdown.
 
SSU cut the score to 34-14 with 11:28 to play when sophomore quarterback Antonio Bostick threw a 41-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Alakan Thomas. Bostick was 4-of-17 passing for 62 yards. He intercepted one time and sacked three times.
 
SSU senior Justin Babb ran for a team-high 79 yards on 11 carries. The Tigers finished with 74 yards on 32 carries.
 
SSU sophomore linebacker Broderick Sellers made a game-high 11 tackles, including three for a loss of 11 yards. He also recovered a fumble.
 
SSU's next game is Oct. 8 against Morgan State University at 1 p.m. at Hughes Stadium in Baltimore.