Game Notes  |  Live Audio

NORFOLK, Va. - The Spartans (2-2, 0-1 MEAC) return to conference play and continue a swing of five road games in six weeks at MEAC foe South Carolina State (1-3, 0-1) this Saturday. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at Oliver C. Dawson Bulldog Stadium.

Both teams are coming off of losses to FBS opponents last week. The Spartans (first) and Bulldogs (second) were picked atop the MEAC preseason poll, but the loser of this week's contest will be 0-2 in league play.

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU dropped its second straight contest last Saturday, falling to FBS Ohio University 44-10 in Athens, Ohio. The Spartans trailed 24-0 after one quarter and 34-0 at halftime before playing the Bobcats even in the second half. Randy Maynes got NSU on the scoreboard with a 7-yard TD run with 4:28 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Spartans' first-ever TD in five games against FBS competition. Everett Goldberg capped the scoring for NSU with a 42-yard field goal with 33 seconds left. Ohio outgained NSU 378-241. NSU was also hurt by five turnovers and 11 penalties.

The Spartans rank fifth in the MEAC in total offense (340.8 ypg) and second in total defense (283.5 ypg) through four games. Freshman Brendon Riddick is third in the league in rushing (279 yards, 69.8 ypg) and quarterback Nico Flores is fifth in passing (151.2 ypg). Xavier Boyce is tied for fourth in the MEAC with 21 receptions (5.2 per game) and Derrick Demps is sixth (4.8).

SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
South Carolina State dropped its third straight game last Saturday in a 70-10 decision at Texas A&M. The game was SCSU's second FBS defeat in a row, following a 56-0 loss at Arizona on Sept. 15. Texas A&M outgained the Bulldogs 448-223, including a 265-34 edge in rushing yards. SCSU Quarterback Richard Cue passed for 189 yards and a touchdown to Lennel Elmore, and Jalen Simmons accounted for the Bulldogs' other score with a 17-yard TD run in the first quarter.

SCSU ranks in the bottom five in the MEAC in both scoring and total offense, and scoring and total defense following a tough early-season schedule. Cue ranks fourth in the MEAC with 647 passing yards (161.8 ypg) and four touchdowns. Caleb Davis leads a balanced receiving corps with 17 receptions (4.2 per game), good for an eighth-place tie in the MEAC rankings.

MEDIA COVERAGE
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, WXTG 102.1 FM The Game (Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis; Pre-Game: Gordon, Davis and Matt Michalec)
• Audio Stream: www.nsuspartans.com (click “Live Audio” link under Inside Athletics tab)
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans

RADIO STATION NOTE
Due to technical difficulties, fans will not be able to hear Spartan football games on WNSB 91.1 FM until further notice. Tune into 102.1 FM The Game, or visit www.nsuspartans.com for details on how to obtain the audio stream.

THE SERIES
• This will be the 18th meeting all-time between NSU and SCSU. The Bulldogs hold a 14-3 edge.
• NSU is 0-7 all-time against the Bulldogs in Orangeburg, including a 34-13 loss in the last game played at Dawson Stadium in 2010.
• All of NSU's three wins in the series (2000, '07, '11) have been by a touchdown or less, and two came in overtime.

QUICK HITS FROM OHIO
• NSU dropped to 0-5 all-time against FBS schools. The Spartans have lost those games by a combined score of 227-25.
• Randy Maynes' 7-yard TD in the fourth quarter was NSU's first-ever touchdown against an FBS team.
• The Spartans turned the ball over a season-high five times and did not have a takeaway for the second straight game.
• Cornerback Marcus Center had a career-high 10 tackles to lead the Spartans.
• The NSU defense notched seven tackles for loss, with 11 players recording at least half a stop.
• The Spartans committed 11 penalties, their third game this year with at least 10 and second in a row.
• Derrick Demps had a career-high six catches to lead the Spartans.
• Backup tight end Tevin White made his fi rst career catch, netting 18 yards.

HARRIS, SULLIVAN RETURN TO BOLSTER SECONDARY
NSU received a boost last week when defensive backs Dionte Sullivan and Natturner Harris both rejoined the squad in the loss at Ohio. Sullivan, a redshirt sophomore cornerback who started the opener against Virginia State, suffered a groin injury early in that contest and missed the next two games, at Liberty and against Howard. He made two tackles.

Harris, a redshirt junior, was awaiting word on an NCAA eligibility appeal, which was granted on Friday, Sept. 21. He made three assisted tackles at Ohio. Harris, who can play both safety and cornerback, started 10 games at corner as a sophomore in 2011 and led the team with nine pass breakups.

SCSU CONNECTION
The Spartans do not have any Palmetto State natives on their roster, but do have a connection to South Carolina State through offensive coordinator Howard Feggins. Feggins was the SCSU receivers coach from 2008-10, helping SCSU win a part of three straight MEAC titles and advance to the FCS playoffs in all three seasons.

DEMPS CATCHES ON
Junior wideout Derrick Demps has emerged as one of the more reliable targets not just in the Spartans' passing game, but in the entire MEAC. Demps has caught at least four passes in every game this year, including a career-high six at Ohio. That came on the heels of his five-catch, career-high 123-yard effort in the loss to Howard. Demps is currently sixth in the MEAC in receptions with 19 (4.8 per game).

Though sometimes overshadowed by 6-4 senior Xavier Boyce, Demps began his emergence late last season. He had five catches for 106 yards and two scores in a win at Savannah State, then caught the longest TD pass in NSU history - a 98-yarder - in the playoff loss to ODU. He led the Spartans in yards per catch (21.9) and receptions over 30 yards (six) last year.

ROAD WARRIORS
The Spartans have one of the tougher schedules among MEAC teams. For the second straight year, NSU does not have a bye week until the final weekend of the regular season, meaning the Spartans play 11 consecutive games. The Spartans also have a stretch beginning Sept. 22 at Ohio where they play five of six games on the road. In addition to their FBS foe, NSU also plays at traditional MEAC stalwarts South Carolina State (Sept. 29), Hampton (Oct. 13), Bethune-Cookman (Oct. 20) and North Carolina A&T (Oct. 27). All of those teams visited Dick Price Stadium last season.

NSU has played well on the road as of late, though. The Spartans have won eight of their last 11 games on the road dating to 2010. The only losses in that stretch were at Ohio last week, and at Old Dominion and West Virginia in 2011. In all, NSU has won six straight road MEAC games since a 7-6 loss at Hampton on Oct. 16, 2010.