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NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk State Battle of the Bay MVP Dennis Brown (Miami, Fla.) accounted for 259 yards of total offense and five touchdowns to lead the Spartans to a 46-6 victory over Hampton on Saturday afternoon at Dick Price Stadium.
Brown set a new single-game school record for completion percentage (85.7), completing 18 of his 21 throws. Both of his touchdown passes went to junior Chris Bell (Norfolk, Va.), who had his second 100-yard game of the season with 108 yards. Not to be outdone, junior tailback DeAngelo Branche (Norfolk, Va.) rushed for a season-high 129 yards and a touchdown. The result was the most lopsided Spartan victory against Hampton since a 52-6 win in 1970.
NSU (3-3 overall, 2-2 MEAC) scored on its first five possessions of the contest to take a 35-0 lead in the second quarter. Brown capped the first drive with the first of his three TD runs, a 20-yard scamper that finished off a six-play, 57-yard march. Hampton (3-3, 2-2) then drove the length of the field, thanks mostly to a 40-yard completion from Herbert Bynes to Damon McDaniel, but was forced to try a field goal. Carlo Turavani's 23-yard attempt missed wide to the left.
The Spartans wasted no time adding to their lead. On the second play of the next possession, Brown hit Bell for a 71-yard touchdown pass on play action. It was the longest play from scrimmage for NSU this season.
HU was forced to punt from deep in its own end on the next series, and the Spartans gained possession at the Pirates' 49. Brown then directed a six-play, 49-yard march, which he capped with a 16-yard scoring run for a 21-0 lead.
The Spartans kept rolling in the second quarter. Corwin Hammond (Louisville, Ky.) intercepted a Bynes pass on the next HU drive, setting the Spartans up in Pirate territory at the 30-yard line. Bell caught a 4-yard TD pass to cap the next drive, extending NSU's lead to 28-0 with 11:22 left before halftime.
After forcing yet another Hampton punt, NSU found the end zone yet again. Branche's 22-yard TD run capped a nine-play, 80-yard march to give the Spartans a 35-0 lead with 4:45 left before halftime.
The Pirates got on the board just before halftime. The Spartans were stopped on third down on their sixth drive, but instead of punting, opted for a fake. NSU linebacker Shawn Childress (Hampton, Va.) was stopped short of the first down, giving HU possession at the NSU 26. Three plays later, Bynes hit Reginald Hicks for an 11-yard TD pass. Jordan Stovall's extra point was blocked, keeping NSU's advantage at 35-6 going into the half.
The Spartan defense set up its final score of the night in the third quarter. Bynes fumbled after a sack by Josh Anderson (Chesapeake, Va.) on the Pirates' first possession of the third quarter, and Deon Norris (Ewing, N.J.) pounced on the loose ball at the HU 44. NSU needed just four plays to score again, with Brown scampering in from 5 yards out with 8:56 left in the third quarter. His third rushing touchdown of the afternoon gave NSU a 41-6 lead.
A 33-yard field goal by Justin Castellat (Virginia Beach, Va.) and a team safety in the fourth provided the final margin for the Spartans, who outgained the Pirates 443-203 in total offense.
Brown, who completed 14 of his first 15 passes, threw for 229 yards. His 85.7 percent completion rate topped the previous school mark of 84.6 percent (11-of-13) by Dontrell Leonard in a 2002 game against Virginia State. Brown completed passes to eight different receivers, with Bell leading the way with five receptions.
In addition to Branche's 129 yards, junior Donovan Cotton (Tampa, Fla.) rushed for a career-high 57 for NSU. Anderson lead the NSU defense with seven tackles, two for loss, and one sack. He had two QB pressures and forced a fumble. Anthony Taylor (Virginia Beach, Va.), Davon Smart (Hackensack, N.J.) and Trent Porter (Dendron, Va.) also had one sack apiece. They were part of a sound defensive effort which forced three turnovers and limited MEAC leading rusher LaMarcus Coker to 63 yards on 18 carries.
NSU travels to Florida A&M for a 3 p.m. game next Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla.
