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NORFOLK, Va. - After upsetting defending MEAC champ Bethune-Cookman last Saturday, the Spartans (3-7, 3-3 MEAC) look to win their second straight road game and move over .500 in conference play when they face North Carolina Central (4-6, 2-4) this Saturday in Durham, N.C. Kickoff is 2 p.m. at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium in the first meeting between the teams since 1995.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
NSU jumped out to a 27-7 lead after three quarters, then held on to score the biggest upset in the MEAC this season, a 27-24 win over first-place Bethune-Cookman last Saturday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Rolandan Finch rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown, and the NSU defense forced five turnovers to end the Wildcats' 18-game MEAC winning streak dating to 2011. Lynden Trail caught a second-quarter TD pass from Tyler Clark and also forced a fumble that teammate Natturner Harris returned 31 yards for a score. Trail had 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles to earn MEAC and FCS Co-National Defensive Player of the Week honors. Leading by three in the fourth, NSU picked up two key first downs thanks to a B-CU personal foul and an 11-yard run by Clark to help seal the win.
Clark passed for 151 yards and a score for NSU. Finch increased his MEAC-leading rushing total to 948 yards. Marcell Coke had nine tackles, 1.5 for loss, and Trail added eight stops for the Spartans, who earned their fi rst-ever win in Daytona Beach in 10 tries and knocked off their highest-ranked opponent (No. 10/12 B-CU) ever.
SCOUTING THE EAGLES
The Eagles dropped their second straight contest last Saturday in Hampton, a 29-21 set-back to the Pirates at Armstrong Stadium. NCCU surrendered 482 yards of total offense, including 256 rushing, to Hampton. The Eagles also suffered from three turnovers. Eagle quarterback Jordan Reid passed for 203 yards, no touchdowns and had two passes intercepted. Adrian Wilkins was again a bright spot for NCCU. He returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, his third kickoff return score this year. He also has two punt return touchdowns and has caught two TDs for NCCU. Wilkins leads the MEAC in kickoff and punt return average in addition to all-purpose yardage. Senior linebacker Tazmon Foster leads the MEAC with 123 total tackles for the NCCU defense, which ranks 10th in the MEAC in total defense (461.1 ypg allowed).
THE SERIES
• This will be the 11th meeting all-time between NSU and NCCU, with the series tied 5-5.
• This is the teams' first meeting as Division I FCS schools. The teams last met in 1995, when both were in the Division II CIAA.
• NCCU holds a 4-1 all-time in games played in Durham.
MEDIA COVERAGE
• Radio: NSU Sports Network, 1490 AM The Game/WNSB Hot 91.1 FM
(Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis; Pre-Game: Gordon, Davis and Matt Michalec)
• Live Video: client.stretchinternet.com/client/nccu/portal
• Live Stats: www.sidearmstats.com/nccu/football/
• Audio Stream: www.nsuspartans.com (click "Live Audio" link under Inside Athletics tab)
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans
QUICK HITS FROM BETHUNE-COOKMAN
More news and notes from the win over Bethune-Cookman last week:
• Bethune-Cookman, ranked No. 12, became the highest-ranked FCS opponent in The Sports Network Poll that the Spartans have ever beaten (more below).
• NSU forced B-CU into fi ve turnovers, the most takeaways NSU had had this year and the most turnovers the Wildcats have committed in 2013.
• Rolandan Finch ran for 110 yards, becoming the first FCS player to top 100 yards rushing against B-CU this year. It was his fifth 100-yard game of the year.
• Freshman fullback Ryan Wade led NSU in receiving with a career-high three catches.
• George Riddick blocked a fourth-quarter PAT, NSU's fourth blocked kick (three FG, 1 PAT) this year.
• The Spartans matched their season high with three interceptions, one each by freshman Leroy Parker (his first-ever), Keenan Lambert (his first of the year) and Darrin Marrow (his fourth, tied for most in the MEAC).
• The win broke NSU's three-game losing streak to Bethune and was the Spartans' first-ever in their 10th try in Daytona Beach.
• The win marked the 50th of Pete Adrian's tenure at NSU, third-most in school history behind Dick Price (62 from 1974-83) and Willard Bailey (52 from 1984-92).
WIN OVER B-CU WAS HISTORIC
In addition to throwing a wrench into the MEAC championship race by handing Bethune-Cookman its first MEAC loss of the year, the Spartans also made a little history in the process. At No. 12 in The Sports Network Coaches Poll, the Wildcats are the highest-ranked team NSU has ever beaten The Wildcats were also ranked 10th in the FCS Coaches Poll last week). NSU is now 3-23 all-time against teams ranked in the TSN Poll, but has won two in a row (last ranked opponent was No. 22 South Carolina State, which NSU beat 17-14 on Oct. 1, 2011).
THE DEUCE IS LOOSE
One of the bright spots for the NSU offense has been the play of Boston College transfer running back Rolandan Finch. More on the graduate student, nicknamed "Deuce":
• After rushing for 110 yards at Bethune-Cookman, Finch now leads the MEAC with 948 total rushing yards and is second at 94.8 ypg.
• Finch also leads the MEAC with five 100-yard rushing games, against Charleston Southern (108), Savannah State (134), Hampton (141), FAMU (151) and B-CU.
• Finch is 52 yards shy of becoming the seventh player in NSU history to reach 1,000 yards in a season. The previous six players (LaRue Harrington, Anthony Johnson, John Quinerly, Angelo Todd, Darryl Jones, DeAngelo Branche) had a combined nine 100-yard rushing seasons, so Finch would be the 10th if he accomplishes the feat. Branche (1,330) was the last to do so, in 2010.
• Finch is playing this season as a graduate student at NSU. He spent four years at BC, including a redshirt year, and earned his bachelor's degree earlier this year. Finch played in 23 career games at BC and rushed for 1,280 yards.
• He led the Eagles with 705 rushing yards in 2011, which included a 243-yard game at Maryland - the third-highest rushing output in school history. Finch, the former Kentucky Gatorade High School Player of the Year, ran for 441 yards in five games last year at BC.
