Game Notes | Live Video (ESPN3) | Live Audio | Live Stats | Twitter Updates | Ticket Info
NORFOLK, Va. - Long-time rivals Norfolk State and Hampton renew their rivalry in the 52nd annual Battle of the Bay this Saturday at HU's Armstrong Stadium. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. for the nationally-televised game. The contest can be seen live on ESPN3 and the Watch ESPN app, and at 10 p.m. tape-delayed on ESPNU.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANSNSU (2-5 overall, 2-1 MEAC) suffered its first MEAC defeat of the year in heart-breaking fashion and lost its third straight homecoming game by a 13-10 score in overtime last week to Delaware State. NSU held the Hornets to just 114 yards of total offense, but DSU took advantage of three blocked kicks and three interceptions, including one that snuffed out the Spartans' OT possession.
NSU led 10-0 at the half on the strength of a 51-yard
Cameron Marouf field goal and an 80-yard
Darius Wilson punt return touchdown. But DSU got within 10-7 on a 3-yard blocked punt return TD by Terrick Colston, then tied the game at 10-all on a 23-yard Mitchell Ward field goal in the fourth quarter.
NSU's OT possession ended when Davon Moore intercepted a
Tyler Clark pass in the end zone. Four plays later, Ward kicked the winning 43-yard field goal for the Hornets.
Lynden Trail had 12 tackles,
Marcell Coke and
George Riddick 10 apiece, and
Deon King eight with 2.5 sacks for the Spartan defense, which allowed just 92 rushing yards and 22 passing yards. The Spartans are now ranked second in the nation in total defense.
SCOUTING THE PIRATESHampton (1-5, 0-2 MEAC) dropped its second straight game last week in an ESPNU-televised Thursday night at North Carolina A&T by a 31-14 score. The Pirates led 14-7 at the half, but were outscored 24-0 in the second half.
Twarn Mixson caught an 8-yard TD pass from J.J. Williamson in the first quarter, and Jorrian Washington scored on a 15-yard TD run in the second for the Pirates, who gained 402 total yards and allowed 426. Williamson passed for 182 yards.
Hampton leads the MEAC in total offense, at 387.2 yards per game, and in passing yards, at 258.2. Washington ranks fourth in the conference with 74.2 rushing yards per game (445 total) and Williamson paces all MEAC signal-callers with 238.8 passing yards per game. He has completed 64.4 percent of his passes for 1,194 yards with six TDs and four interceptions. Wideouts Rayshad Riddick and Rashawn Proctor have combined to catch 58 passes for 578 yards.
HU is 10th in the MEAC in total defense (432.2 ypg allowed).
THE SERIES• This is the 52nd all-time meeting between NSU and Hampton. The series is tied 25-25-1.
• Hampton's 27-17 win at NSU last year broke a seven-year win streak for the home team in the series.
• NSU has lost the last eight games at Armstrong Stadium since a 14-7 win in 1996 - the Spartans' last year in Division II.
• The two schools, located roughly 15 miles apart, have met every year since 1963. The series was dubbed the Battle of the Bay in 1988 by HU SID LeCounte Conaway and NSU SID John Holley.
MEDIA COVERAGE• Radio: ESPN Radio 94.1 FM (Play-by-Play: Ross Gordon; Color: Maguell Davis)
• TV: Live on ESPN3 / 10 p.m. tape-delay on ESPNU (Play-by-Play: Mike Corey; Color: Jay Walker)
• Audio Stream: www.espnradio941.com
• Live Stats: http://www.sidearmstats.com/hampton/football
• Twitter Updates: @NSUSpartans
QUICK HITS FROM DELAWARE STATE• Neither team scored an offensive touchdown - both of the game's scores came from special teams.
• LG
E.J. Rogers made his first start of the season. He missed the first six games for medical reasons.
• The Spartans had three kicks blocked - one punt and two field goals.
•
Tyler Clark led NSU in rushing for the second straight game, with 71 yards.
• NSU had a season-high six sacks, including a season-best 2.5 from
Deon King.
DEFENSE STRONG ONCE AGAINNSU's defense, expected to be a strength coming into the year, has been as good as advertised.
• NSU is currently first in the MEAC and second in the nation in total defense (248.6 ypg allowed). The Spartans are also ninth nationally in rushing defense (101.9 ypg) and 13th in scoring defense (18.0).
• NSU allowed just 114 total yards to Delaware State last week, the fewest by an NSU opponent since Virginia State had 107 on Sept. 1, 2012, and the fewest by a Division I opponent since Savannah State's 45 on Nov. 5, 2011.
• DSU had 92 rushing yards, the fifth NSU opponent to be held under 100 this year.
• Savannah State ran for just 13 yards against the Spartans on Oct. 4, the fewest by an NSU opponent since Virginia State's 10 on Sept. 1, 2012.
