TIGERVILLE, S.C. – The No. 24 Delta State University Statesmen came up short in a 47-45 quadruple overtime loss at North Greenville on Saturday, falling to 5-3 on the season and 2-2 in Gulf South Conference play.
 
The opening five minutes of the game foreshadowed a shootout, as both teams used long plays and scored on their first possessions.
 
Cole Kirk connected with Neno Lemay deep in North Greenville territory in Delta State's opening drive, using the 46-yard pass to take the early 7-0 lead.
 
North Greenville responded quickly, tying the game at 7-7, in its opening drive with a 56-yard rushing score with 9:54 to go in the first quarter.
 
The Trailblazers continued their offensive momentum scoring at the 10:33 mark in the second quarter, taking their first lead of the game 14-7.
 
Delta State answered less than a minute later, tying the game at 14-14, using a 3-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Kirk finding Jaylen Green deep over the middle.
 
NGU reclaimed the lead, 21-14, at the 8:37 mark and extended its lead, 28-14, with less than two minutes to play in the first half.
 
Knowing North Greenville would receive the ball to start the second half, Delta State had their backs against the wall, down two scores near the end of the half. A deep pass to Green and a rush from Kirk, put DSU in the redzone. Kelvin Smith used two carries to rush 11 yards and found the endzone, cutting the Trailblazer lead to 28-21 to close out the first half.
 
After each team put forth explosive offensive efforts in the first half, the third quarter featured dominant defense, as each team's scoring consisted of field goals, a 32-yard field goal from Nick Herber and a 39-yarder from NGU. The fourth quarter began with North Greenville maintaining a 31-24 lead.
 
The Trailblazers used a 46-yard field goal to extend its lead to 34-24 early in the fourth quarter.
 
Herber kept the Statesmen in the game when he kicked a 39-yard field goal through the uprights to cut the NGU lead to 34-27 with 7:09 left in the contest.
 
With 20 seconds left in the game and no receivers open, Kirk scrambled to rush for a 23-yard score to tie the game at 34-34, forcing overtime.
 
Herber split the uprights on a 19-yard field goal to give the Statesmen a 37-34 lead in overtime, but NGU tied the game again on its next possession, 37-37, for the fourth time of the game.
 
In double overtime, DSU was down 45-37 but tied it up when Jake Lange found Lemay over the middle, followed by a two-point conversion on a KJ Smith rush.
 
North Greenville executed its two-point conversion to start the fourth overtime, to reclaim the lead, 47-45. In Delta State's attempt, Lange's pass to Lemay was broken up by an NGU defender, the pass and the Statesmen falling just short by a final of 47-45.
 
Kirk threw for 345 yards on 18-of-33 passing, finding Lemay and Green for touchdowns. Smith led the rushing attack with 19 carries for 88 yards, while Lemay led the receivers with a career-high 105 yards and two touchdowns. William Carter led the defense with 10 tackles, while Demetric Barnes, Tylenn Bridges, Carter Norrie, and Jacoby Franklin each added a sack.

With a bye week coming up, the Statesmen will rest up before facing No. 3 Valdosta State on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. for Homecoming.