Game Notes

NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State plays its first home Thursday night contest since 2005 this week as it hosts Bethune-Cookman on ESPNU. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. at Dick Price Stadium.

As part of the university's Community Night promotion, tickets are $10 for municipal employees from the Hampton Roads area (with city ID, limit two per person). Tickets are also $5 for NSU employees (with NSU ID, limit four per employee).

The Spartans ran their winning streak to five and remained unbeaten in the MEAC (4-0) after a 34-24 win over Hampton in the State Farm Battle of the Bay last Saturday in Norfolk. The Spartans are now 6-1 overall, matching their best overall start since 2007. Quarterback Chris Walley passed for 265 yards and three touchdowns, all coming in the first half. NSU jumped out to a 27-7 halftime lead before surrendering 17 unanswered points in the second half, but held on thanks to a 14-yard Randy Maynes TD run to win its third straight home game against the Pirates. Maynes had a season-high 72 yards on 16 carries, and the Spartan defense got 2.5 sacks from senior Hasan Craig.

Bethune-Cookman snapped a two-game losing streak last Saturday with a 58-30 win over Division II Fort Valley State in Daytona Beach, Fla., in a game that featured 1,070 yards of total offense. The victory evened the Wildcats' record at 3-3 on the year. BCU, which enters this week's game at 1-2 in the MEAC, rolled up a season-high 648 yards of total offense, including 418 on the ground. Isidore Jackson ran for 150 yards and three touchdowns to lead the ground attack. Quarterback David Blackwell completed just eight passes, but they went for 222 yards, including a 72-yard TD strike to Maurice Francois. Defensive lineman Ryan Davis had 2.5 sacks.

MEDIA COVERAGE
• TV: Live on ESPNU (Play-by-Play: Anish Schroff; Color: Jay Walker)
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, WXTG 102.1 FM/1490 AM The Game, WNSB Hot 91.1 FM,
(Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Markeece Preston)
• Audio Stream: Click here (click “Live Audio” link under Inside Athletics tab)
• Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/nsu/football

THE SERIES
• This will be the 22nd meeting all-time between NSU and Bethune-Cookman.
• The Wildcats own a 14-7 series edge.
• NSU has won the last two meetings at Dick Price Stadium, including a 40-14 win in 2009 that ranks as the Spartans' largest margin of victory in the series.
• Bethune-Cookman earned a measure of revenge with a 21-7 win in Daytona Beach last year.
• The 63-61, 4-OT win by BCU in 2005 still ranks as the highest-scoring and longest game in NSU history.

QUICK HITS
• NSU is aiming to establish its best start as a Division I program. This year's team matched the 2007 team last week by improving to 6-1 to start the campaign.
• A win over BCU would also give the Spartans a 5-0 MEAC start, which would also match the 2007 team for the best MEAC start, and would be the Spartans' sixth straight win, topping the '07 team for the longest in the D-I era (since 1997).
• This will be NSU's second-ever Thursday night home game. The Spartans lost 35-21 to South Carolina State on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2005, in a game which was also televised on ESPNU.
• NSU is 3-7 all-time in ESPN-televised games, including 2-4 at home and 1-2 on Thursdays.