Game Notes

NORFOLK, Va. - Norfolk State continues its quest for the 2011 MEAC title this Saturday, starting a season-ending two-game road swing with a contest at new MEAC member Savannah State. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. at T.A. Wright Stadium.

The Spartans (7-2, 5-1 MEAC) won for the sixth time in their last seven games this past Saturday, notching a 14-10 victory over North Carolina A&T on NSU's Homecoming and Senior Day. NSU took the lead for good on a 3-yard Randy Maynes touchdown run midway through the third quarter, and kept the Aggies out of the end zone despite A&T reaching NSU territory on its fi nal fi ve drives of the game. The Spartan defense tallied seven sacks on the day, including two each by Jamal Giddens and Hasan Craig, while Corwin Hammond recorded five tackles for loss. Maynes and tight end Joe Hawkins scored the touchdowns for NSU on a cold, windy and rainy afternoon.

Savannah State (1-7, 1-4) dropped its fourth straight game, a 22-5 decision to visiting Hampton last Saturday in Savannah. The Tigers led 5-3 at halftime, but surrendered 19 unanswered points to fall to 1-4 in MEAC play. SSU was held to 150 yards of total offense, 80 on the ground and 70 passing. Quarterback Antonio Bostick completed 9-of-27 passes for 70 yards and also was the team's leading rusher, with 44 yards on 16 carries. The Tigers got a brilliant defensive performance from linebacker Nate Clay, who tallied 16 tackles, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a tackle for loss that resulted in a safety.

MEDIA COVERAGE
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, WXTG 1490 AM The Game, WNSB Hot 91.1 FM,
(Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Markeece Preston)
• Audio Stream: Click here for 1490 or here for WNSB

THE SERIES
• This will be the seventh meeting all-time between NSU and Savannah State, but the first since the Tigers became full-fledged MEAC members.
• NSU holds a 5-1 lead in the series and has won the last two meetings.
• Pete Adrian is 2-0 against the Tigers, including a 42-6 win in Savannah last season.
• Last season's 42-6 win was NSU's largest margin of victory in the series (36 points).
• The Spartans piled up a school-record 579 yards of total offense in last year's game.

QUICK HITS
• The Spartans control their own destiny in the MEAC championship race. Wins in their final two games against Savannah State and Morgan State would secure NSU's first-ever MEAC football title and the conference's automatic berth in the Division I FCS playoffs. It would also be NSU's first conference football title of any kind since the Spartans won the CIAA championship in 1984.
• NSU needs one more win to match the 2007 team for the most overall wins (eight) and MEAC wins (six) in a single season during the program's Division I era, which began in 1997.
• NSU has already clinched its third straight winning season and fourth in the last five years, both of which are firsts for the Spartans' Division I era.
• The Spartan senior class needs one more win to match last year's seniors as the winningest class since 1985. This year's group has 25 wins in the last four years, while the 2010 class ended with 26. The 1985 group finished with 27 wins from 1982-85.