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NORFOLK, Va. - The Norfolk State football team looks for its first 3-0 MEAC start since 2011 when they face Delaware State this Saturday. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. in Dover, Del. The game is the Hornets' homecoming.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU (2-3 overall, 2-0 MEAC) won its second straight game and improved to 2-0 in the MEAC with a 26-24 victory over Savannah State last Saturday in Norfolk. Freshman Cameron Marouf kicked what proved to be the game-winning 33-yard fi eld goal with 1:10 remaining, and linebacker Lynden Trail blocked Savannah State's try at a winning 49-yard field goal with 2 seconds left to preserve the win. Marouf was named MEAC Rookie of the Week for his performance, and Trail (10 tackles, sack, 2 pass breakups, 1 receiving TD) was named a national FCS all-star by the College Sporting News.
Rolandan Finch rushed for a season-high 134 yards as NSU accumulated a season-best 367 yards of total offense. DeAndre Sangster had six receptions for 93 yards. Deon King added three sacks for the Spartan defense, which forced four turnovers. Collin Frazer and Troi Hughes intercepted passes, while Marcus Center and Keenan Lambert recovered fumbles.
SCOUTING THE HORNETS
Delaware State (1-4, 1-1 MEAC) was tied with defending MEAC champion Bethune-Cookman midway through the third quarter, but the visiting Wildcats scored two unanswered touchdowns to top DSU, 21-7, last Saturday in Dover, Del. The Hornets were hurt by three turnovers, including a pair of interceptions thrown by quarterback Cory Murphy. B-CU outgained DSU 409-223. Murphy did throw for 213 yards and a touchdown, which covered 33 yards to Malik Golson in the first quarter.
The Hornets have played a daunting early-season schedule, with losses to perennial power Delaware and the nation's No. 1 and 2 ranked FCS teams, North Dakota State and Towson. The Hornets, like NSU, have a two-point win over Savannah State to their credit so far. Murphy has passed for 1,094 yards this year, second-most in the MEAC. He has six touchdowns passes and six interceptions. Milton Williams has a MEAC-best 29 receptions for 380 yards, and Golson has four TD catches. Still, the Hornets rank last in the MEAC in scoring offense (11.8 points per game) and allow 449 yards per game.
THE SERIES
• DSU leads the all-time series with NSU, 14-6.
• The Hornets' 20-17 win last year in Norfolk broke NSU's three-game series win streak.
• The win last year was also DSU coach Kermit Blount's first-ever win over the Spartans after eight unsuccessful tries (one at DSU and seven earlier as coach at Winston-Salem State).
QUICK HITS FROM SAVANNAH STATE
More news and notes from the win over Savannah State last week:
• Rolandan Finch had a season-high 134 rushing yards, his second 100-yard game of the year.
• Sophomore wideout DeAndre Sangster had career highs of six catches for 93 yards.
• Deon King had a career-best three of NSU's fi ve sacks.
• Collin Frazer intercepted his first pass as a Spartan and Troi Hughes had his second pick of the year.
• The Tigers had just 71 rushing yards, the fewest by an NSU opponent this season.
• The Spartans allowed 337 passing yards by SSU QB Antonio Bostick, most by an NSU opponent since DSU's Nick Elko threw for 339 on Oct. 8, 2011.
• LB Lynden Trail caught a TD pass for the second straight game.
• After not blocking a field goal since the ninth game of the 2011 season, the Spartans now have one in two straight games. Trail blocked a 49-yarder that would have won the game for SSU.
LAST SERIES MEETING
Nick Elko passed for 206 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 23-yarder to Justin Brewton with 10:01 left, to lift visiting Delaware State to a 20-17 win over NSU on Oct. 6, 2012, in the teams' last meeting. NSU led 17-13 at the half after a wild second quarter that saw the teams combine for 30 points. Spartan quarterback Jake Basmagian appeared to put NSU ahead by 10 with a 46-yard TD pass to Xavier Boyce early in the fourth, but Boyce was called for unsportsmanlike conduct for celebrating before he reached the end zone. That nullified the score, and one play later, Davon Moore intercepted a Basmagian pass, setting up the Hornets' go-ahead touchdown. Basmagian passed for 312 yards for NSU, including an 86-yard TD pass to Takeem Hedgeman.
MAROUF ABLY STEPS INTO LEE'S (KICKING) SHOES
NSU lost placekicker Ryan Lee for the year due to torn knee ligaments in the win over Morgan State, but freshman Cameron Marouf has stepped into his shoes nicely. Marouf, who previously had handled just kickoff duties, hit a 34-yard fi eld goal against Morgan State, then hit a pair against Savannah State, including the game-winning 33-yarder with 1:10 left. He earned MEAC Rookie of the Week for his performance. Marouf is 3-of-4 on field goals and 3-of-4 on extra points in his two games at placekicker, tying for the team-lead in scoring, with 12 points.
